Despite loss, young Archbishop Wood proved it belongs in state playoffs

ALLENTOWN >> A few weeks ago, Archbishop Wood thought its season was over.

The Vikings surprisingly earned a spot in the PIAA-4A state tournament when the Philadelphia Public League decided not to send a team to states and they were next in line.

In the first round Monday, Wood proved it belonged. The young Vikings went extra innings before losing to District 11 champion Bethlehem Catholic, 3-2, at Patriots Park in Allentown.

Wood was within a questionable call of winning the game. With a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Bethlehem Catholic had runners on first and second with one out. Pitcher Dakota Fanelli charged a short flare toward third base, dove and appeared to make the catch. She threw the ball to second, seemingly completing a double play to end the inning. While Wood celebrated, the four umpires discussed and ruled Fanelli did not make the catch. The runner going from first to second was forced out, but runners remained on the corners with two outs instead of the inning being over.

“(The home plate umpire) said it wasn’t caught,” Wood coach Jackie Ecker said. “(Fanelli) said it was caught. We saw it caught. The third base ump said he didn’t see it. I don’t see how you don’t see it. Knowing the pitcher, she wouldn’t have thrown the ball if she didn’t catch it – it would’ve been pointless … It is what it is. We have to hit the ball better at certain times.”

“I thought I caught it,” Fanelli said, “but at the end of the day it’s what the ump says and what they say goes. I think it changed the energy in the dugout because if it was a catch, I think our energy would’ve been up more. When they called it differently, our energy kind of sunk.”

During the next batter, the runner on third scored on a wild pitch to tie the game, 2-2.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the Hawks won the game in the bottom of the eighth. Angelina Iovino hit a two-out triple and, after an intentional walk, Abigail Rodriguez delivered the game-winning single.

Fanelli took the loss, but kept the District 11 champions off-balance all game. In 7.2 innings, Fanelli allowed three runs – two unearned – on eight hits. She struck out three batters to two walks – both intentional.

“(Fanelli’s) amazing,” Ecker said. “She’s our No. 1 pitcher. She was hurt at the beginning of the season as well and just kept fighting back. She knows the game inside and out.”

Emma Bond got the win in the circle for Bethlehem Catholic. She struck out 10 batters in eight innings while walking two. She surrendered two runs on four hits.

Fanelli and Kiersten Reeser accounted for all four hits for Wood’s offense. They hit back-to-back one-out doubles in the top of the fourth inning, with Fanelli’s scoring Reeser, for a 1-0 lead.

“We were seeing a lot outside and spinning,” Fanelli said. “Her screwball was phenomenal and her riseball. The riseball tricked everybody today. It’s just getting ahead of the pitch, standing in front of the box, swinging before it can rise.”

In the top of the sixth, Reeser put Wood ahead again with a solo home run to straightaway centerfield. Her two-out blast made it a 2-1 game.

“(Reeser) has been working really hard,” Ecker said. “She struggled towards the end of the season and we’ve been working really hard with her swing. It was great to see, something she can remember.”

Bethlehem Catholic’s first run came in the bottom of the fifth when a one-out error put a runner on second base. The next batter singled to tie the game, 1-1.

Archbishop Wood returns its entire team next season and is expecting another trip to the state playoffs.

“We’ve been here this year,” Fanelli, a sophomore, said. “Next year we’re going to be even better when we come here. This game will definitely be won next year for us.”

“I’m so proud of this team,” Ecker said. “It’s a bunch of freshmen and sophomores, two juniors. A lot of injuries in the beginning – three starters, season-ending injuries, one getting surgery today actually. These guys fight. They fight and fight and fight and they won’t give up. We’ll be here again and we’ll be legit, not just because someone doesn’t want to.”

Bethlehem Catholic 3, Archbishop Wood 2

Archbishop Wood 000 101 00 – 2

Bethlehem Catholic 000 011 01 – 3

WP: Emma Bond 8 IP 10 K 2 BB 4 H 2 R

LP: Dakota Fanelli 7.2 IP 3 K 2 BB 8 H 3 R

2B: AW: Kiersten Reeser, Dakota Fanelli.

3B: BC: Angelina Iovino.

HR: AW: Kiersten Reeser.