Sitkowski swings hot bat as TCA reaches final

Nerves were evident as The Christian Academy gave up four runs in the top of the first inning without allowing a hit.

The jitters, though, did not last long.

The Crusaders batted around twice in the bottom of the second inning and scored 15 times to cruise to a 17-5 victory over Pilgrim Academy in the semifinal round of the Tri-State Christian Conference softball playoffs Tuesday afternoon.

The five-inning victory sends TCA (13-5) into the championship game against the winner of the Baptist Regional-Atlantic Christian game Saturday at Cairn University. First pitch is noon.

Carly Sitkowski drove in four of her five runs in that second inning. She knocked in her final run as the Crusaders scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. Samantha Burns added three RBIs. Madi Dutton was 3-for-4 and Lindsay Haseltine played solid defense at second base.