Stauffer shines as Methacton tops Pottsgrove, 1-0
FAIRVIEW VILLAGE >> Megan Stauffer may not yet be considered one of the PAC-10 elite pitchers.
However, after her previous two outings, the Methacton righthander is sure making a case for it.
Stauffer pitched another gem Thursday, tossing a complete-game shutout as the Warriors scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom half of the sixth to come away with a 1-0 victory over last year’s PAC-10 semifinalist Pottsgrove.
“I just really focused on getting first-pitch strikes and making my pitches break,” the senior pitcher said. “Everyone played great defense when there were runners on base and that helped a lot. We were pretty calm when those situations happened.”
Her strong showing couldn’t have come at a better time as she went toe-to-toe with Pottsgrove ace and reigning All-Area First Teamer Gabi Ermish, a Bryant University commit, who had herself a standout performance of her own, striking out five while allowing seven hits in taking the loss.
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On point and efficient in the circle, Stauffer scattered eight hits in her complete-game effort and successfully worked out of jams in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, preserving a 0-0 tie before Sam Weil-Kaspar’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth brought home the eventual game-winning run to give Methacton (2-0 PAC-10, 2-1 overall) a win in its biggest test of the early season.
“I think it definitely pushes me harder, pitching against somebody that talented,” Stauffer said. “Gabi is a great pitcher and I knew that I really had to focus. They’re a great hitting team.”
Thursday, the Falcons couldn’t deliver the timely hit.
Stauffer continued her early season dominance after allowing a five-spot in the first inning of the team’s opening 5-2 loss to Hatboro-Horsham last week. She worked around a bases-loaded, two out jam in the first, getting Pottsgrove’s hitter to strike out to end the threat before working quick innings in the second, third and fourth. She escaped trouble in the fifth as the Warriors came away with a crucial double play after second baseman Paulina Lowery fired home to nab Pottsgrove’s Jules Dinnocenti from scoring after she tried to advance on Rachel Cherubini’s bunt attempt. Stauffer did the same in the sixth after allowing back-to-back singles to start the inning, getting the next three Falcons hitters out to preserve the scoreless tie. Stauffer finished the game with three strikeouts, giving her 14 for the season and has now allowed only one earned run in her last 21 innings.
“This win was huge for us because Pottsgrove is a really good team with great pitching, great defense and great hitting,” Stauffer said. “We were pretty hype for it because we knew it was going to be a tough game and everyone played great.”
Jamie Auerbach led Pottsgrove with two hits, but it was poor baserunning and the lack of timely hits that became magnified in the one-run loss, the Falcons getting doubled up twice and stranding eight runners.
“We’ll continue to practice and put our players in game situations,” Pottsgrove head coach Julie Davis said. “We want to take every opportunity that we get to move baserunners and advance them. We want to give our girls the green light and sometimes it’s going to hurt us.”
