Miller fans 19 in Shanahan’s 1-0 win over Coatesville

By Bill Rudick
DOWNINGTOWN—After two postponements in the last week,  two of the top teams in the Ches-Mont, Bishop Shanhanan and Coatesville, finally played for the first time this season. It was worth the wait as Shanahan’s Devon Miller and Coatesville’s Bri White battled in a pitcher’s duel for the ages.

The game went into the bottom of the sixth mired in a scoreless tie before the Eagles (10-4) finally manufactured a run to edge the Red Raiders (12-2) by a score of 1-0.

“We’ve had a couple tough losses this week,” said Shanahan Coach Ron Savastio, “We got here today, and I just asked them to give everything they could for seven innings. It’s amazing for them to come back with a win like this today.”

For while, it seemed like no one would ever get a hit. Miller was about as dominant as you could get, striking out nine of the first ten hitters she faced, including a four strikeout second inning, when Peyton Landis reached base on a dropped third strike. When all was said and done, Miller allowed just one hit, a bunt single from Ashley Mendenhall, while striking out 19 and walking just one. Not a single ball left the infield.

“I was getting a lot of first strikes with my screwball, and the riseball was getting the strikeouts,” said Miller. “It just feels good to come back and get a big win over a good team like Coatesville. I’ve really been looking forward to this game, especially after it getting cancelled twice. I’m just glad we came out with the win.”

White may not have been quite as dominant, but pitched a fantastic game herself. Shanahan’s first hit didn’t come until the fifth inning when Cat Peterson singled. White finished the day having allowed one run on two hits. She struck out six and walked two in six innings of work.

“We weren’t at all patient at the plate,” said Coatesville coach Bill Mendenhall. “She (Miller) was getting us with the inside screwball, and we were chasing balls outside the strikezone. We never made the adjustments we needed to make against her.”

Shanahan finally broke the stalemate in the sixth. Katie Newton led off the inning, and beat out a bunt for a base hit. After White struck out the next hitter, getting her to foul off a bunt on a third strike, Miller reached on a fielder’s choice, with Newton advancing when the Raider’s middle infielders couldn’t handle the transfer for a force at second. A wild pitch made it second and third, and Newton came home on a ground ball off the bat of Annie Weyand, sliding in just under the tag at home.

“Without Annie’s RBI, I don’t get in to score,” said Newton. “But I knew once I saw the umpire signal safe, we were going to win the game with the way Devon was pitching. This was a great win we really needed as a team.”

Despite the loss, Coatesville still sits alone at the top of the Ches-Mont National standings, a game ahead of Avon Grove, and two up on Shanahan, who they will meet once again next Friday night under the lights at Caln Park.

“We can’t think about a re-match yet,” said Mendenhall. “We have Avon Grove coming up on Monday, and that is another good team. Once we get past that, then maybe we can start thinking about Friday.”

Bishop Shanahan 1 Coatesville 0

Coatesville ab r h bi Shanahan ab r h bi
Kane—SS 3 0 0 0 Newton—C 3 1 1 0
Traband—2B 3 0 0 0 Bedics—RF 3 0 0 0
Mendenhall—C 2 0 1 0 Miller–P 3 0 0 0
White—P 3 0 0 0 Weyand—CF 3 0 0 1
Landis—1B 3 0 0 0 McAllister—1B 3 0 0 0
Vetter—LF 2 0 0 0 Keiper–DP 3 0 0 0
Fleming—3B 2 0 0 0 Peterson—LF 2 0 1 0
Ricevuto—CF 2 0 0 0 Weston—3B 1 0 0 0
Beck—DP 2 0 0 0 Sano–SS 2 0 0 0
Henry—FX/RF 0 0 0 0 Croccetti—FX/2B 0 0 0 0
Totals 22 0 1 0 Totals 23 1 2 1
Coatesville 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 –0
Shanahan 0 0 0 0 0 1 X–1

Extra Base Hits: None

IP H R BB SO
Coatesvillet
White (L) 6 2 1 2 6
Shanahan
Miller (W) 7 1 0 1 19