Miller, Keiper key Shanahan win over Strath Haven in district opener

 

DOWNINGTOWN—Hannah Keiper and Devon Miller combined for five hits, three home runs and seven runs batted in, while Miller was unhittable in the circle as No. 2 Bishop Shanahan cruised to an 11-0 win in five innings over No. 15 Strath Haven in the opening round of the District 1, Class 5A playoffs.

With the win, the Eagles (15-5) advance to Wednesday’s quarterfinal round, where they will square off against No. 10 Upper Merion, a 12-0 winner over No. 7 Mount St Joe Monday.

“It was great to see everyone hit the way we did,” said Miller. “I think everyone in the line-up had at least one hit today. We just need to keep playing strong and as a team and we should continue to have success.”

Miller put Shanahan on the board in the first with a solo home run, but the Eagles put the game away with a monster third.

Leading off the inning, Keiper delivered a bomb to left—the first of two homers in the inning for the shortstop. They were the only at bats Keiper, the eight hitter, got in the game.

“It was an awesome feeling, especially to gets us on top like that,” said Keiper. “We know if we’re hitting to back up Devon and give us some runs, she’s going to do what she does. She pitches amazing games ever time out, so we just need to score behind her.”

The Eagles tacked on seven more runs in the inning on singles from Emma Colabra, Katie Newton, Miller, and Emily Sano, plus the second of Keiper’s two homers.

“We were all hitting the ball hard in the first couple innings,” said Keiper. “So second time through the order, we just wanted to look for good pitches to hit and score runs. We all just really wanted this win.

The only run Miller really needed was the one she scored in the first. Dominant doesn’t begin to describe the day the Eagles’ fireballer had in the circle. After a hit by pitch on the first pitch of the game, Miller dug in and struck out the next 13 straight batters. She finished the five-inning no-hitter with 14 strikeouts. The remaining out came on a bunt try.

“She is so into the game, and so knowledgeable,” said Eagles’ coach Ron Savastio. “She’s unbelievably talented yet so down to earth.”

Miller did okay with the bat as well, notching three hits in as many at bats, with the home run and three runs batted in.

A two-out single from Miller kicked off the rally in the bottom of the fourth that sent the game to Mercy rule territory. Anne Weyand followed, and was hit by a pitch, and then Alexis Peterson roped a ball to right, knocking in both runners and circling the bases for a triple.

Strath Haven’s season comes to a close with a record of 6-12.

“That was easily the best pitcher we saw all year,” said Haven coach Jim Bender. “There’s a reason she was the 5A Pitcher of the Year last year, I guess. But this is a young team. This is the second year in a row we made the playoffs, so we’re moving in the right direction. These girls will put in the work in the off season, and try to improve again next year.”

Bishop Shanahan 11 Strath Haven 0

Strath Haven AB R H RBI Bishop Shanahan AB R H RBI
Bender—C 2 0 0 0 Newton—C 3 1 1 0
A Kochanowicz—SS 2 0 0 0 McAllister—2B 2 0 0 0
Calciano—P/LF 2 0 0 0 Miller—P 3 3 3 3
Lesher—2B 2 0 0 0 Weyand—CF 2 2 1 0
Holsinger—3B 2 0 0 0 Peterson—3B 3 0 1 2
Frazier—CF 2 0 0 0 Sano—LF 3 1 1 2
G Kochanowicz—RF 2 0 0 0 Rosfelder—1B 2 1 0 0
H Kane—1B 1 0 0 0 Keiper—SS 2 2 2 4
E Kane—LF/P 1 0 0 0 Colabra—RF 2 1 1 0
Totals 15 0 0 0 Totals 22 11 9 11

HR—Miller, Keiper (2) 3B—Peterson

Strath Haven 0 0 0 0 0—0
Shanahan 1 0 8 2 X—11

Pitching
Strah Haven IP R H BB K
Calciano (L) 3 9 8 0 1
E Kane 1 2 2 0 1
Shanahan
Miller (W) 5 0 0 0 14