Villa Maria’s Abbot strikes out 14 as Hurricanes shut out Radnor

Malvern – Villa Maria Academy senior pitcher Maddie Abbot was a strikeout machine Friday, fanning 14 as the Hurricanes defeated Radnor, 10-0, in the second round of the PIAA Class AAA District One softball tournament.
In fact, Abbot is (according to Villa Maria records) only seven strikeouts short of breaking Meghan Wimmer’s PIAA Class AAA state record for career strikeouts.
Wimmer, a freshman at Brown University, struck out 757 batters during her career at Chichester High School (according to the Brown softball team web site). Abbot, after striking out 14 Radnor batters Friday, now has 751 career strikeouts.
“I feel really, really excited [being so close to the record],” said Abbot.
And what should get Abbot’s juices flowing even more is that the Hurricanes’ opponent in the semifinals May 31 will be rival Mount St. Joseph’s, the fourth seed.
Friday afternoon, Abbot (who gave up only one hit, a first inning single to Amanda Davis, and no walks) said her fastball and changeup were working well against Radnor.
“I felt like I was really in control today,” said Abbot, whose won-loss record this season improved to 17-2. “And I knew if I didn’t strike someone out, that our fielders would have my back.”
Villa Maria head coach Nikki Hartshorn said, “I am so proud of [Abbot]. She’s rebuilt this program back to what it used to be [years ago]. And her mindset is special – I’ve never watched a pitcher with such determination. In 20 years of coaching, she’s the finest pitcher I’ve ever worked with.”
Radnor, the No. 8 seed, kept the game scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when Villa Maria first baseman Elizabeth D’Ascenzo led off with a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch.
Abbot then walked, and Hurricane teammates Marissa Bruder and Brianna Wright each got infield singles to load the bases. Lisa Becker’s sacrifice fly made the score 2-0, then Sarah Rose Jonik lined a two-out base hit to left for a 3-0 Hurricane lead. Alyssa Viscardo’s two-run triple made it 5-0.
In the bottom of the sixth, Villa Maria scored five more runs. With one out and the bases loaded, Jonik smashed a three-run triple to make the score 10-0 and end the game (10-run rule).
Hartshorn praised Jonik and Viscardo and said, “Everyone [on our team] was overswinging in the first few innings, but we stayed on task [and adjusted at the plate].”
Wright had three hits in four at bats, and scored two runs, getting on base every time she came to bat (she also reached first base on an infield eror).
Radnor was without the services of injured pitcher Brooke Nicander Friday. Two days earlier, Nicander had starred in the first round of the district playoffs against Chichester, in what Red Raider head coach John Schaefer called Radnor’s best game of the season.
Friday, Radnor battled Villa Maria to a scoreless tie until the bottom of the fifth. Red Raider pitcher Amanda Davis allowed only two hits through the first four innings.
Schaefer said, “I’m incredibly proud of this team. Amanda Davis pitched her heart out for us [Friday], and along with Megan McGrath, set the tone for us today. Megan started the season as our catcher, was moved to left field and played there for [about] four weeks, then we had to move her to catcher again today and she did a great job. We fielded well too.”
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Villa Maria threatened to break the scoreless tie by loading the bases with no outs, but was thwarted by a fine Radnor fielding play. Villa Maria’s Alyssa Viscardo hit a low line drive down the third base side, but Radnor sophomore third baseman Cate Remphrey made a nice catch and caught the runner off third base for a double play to keep the game scoreless.
Schaefer noted, “Cate had been catching great for us [at catcher this season] through Wednesday, and then was moved to third base since Amanda Davis, our regular third baseman, was pitching.”