Perk Valley’s offense explodes in win over Upper Merion

UPPER MERION >> It took a few innings for the Perkiomen Valley offense to get going Wednesday afternoon against Upper Merion, but once it started it never stopped.

PV totaled 15 of its 18 hits and all of its runs in the final four innings of its 12-2 Pioneer Athletic Conference win at Upper Merion Area High School.

“Not going to lie at first we came out a little slow and a little down,” senior Sela Fusco said. “I don’t really know what caused it. (Upper Merion) getting two runs early in the game kind of set a mood, but we really brought it back up and figured out how to get more hits. Once we scored the two runs and tied it, it was a fresh start for us. We really took that to our advantage and let them get down and really took advantage of them being down.”

After falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning, Perk Valley (7-3, 6-3 PAC) tied the game in the top of the fourth on a two-run Serena Crovetti triple.

PV took the lead and total control of the game in the fifth. The first five batters of the inning tallied hits and all crossed the plate to make it 7-2. Fusco plated the go-ahead run, Kara Fusco knocked in two, Abby Souder one and another scored on an error.

The visiting Vikings added three more in the sixth — two courtesy of a Sela Fusco double and one on a Katie Hurd single — and two in the seventh on a pair of RBI groundouts by Ash Bangert and Fusco to make it 12-2.

“Coaches always say hits are contagious.” Fusco, who was 2-for-5 with two runs and four RBI, said. “Once one person starts it up, it just comes through. We stop thinking. Once we start thinking we all get in our heads, but as soon as you stop thinking about it, it just comes easy.”

Nine of PV’s 18 hits went for extra bases, with Jordan Sell and Hurd each posting two doubles.

Perk Valley had chances to score in the first three innings but couldn’t capitalize, leaving runners on second and third in the first inning, second in the second and first and second in the third.

While the PV offense was dominating, Ava Macalis was doing the same in the circle. The sophomore threw a complete game two-hitter. She struck out eight batters to three walks while surrendering two runs.

After allowing two runs in the bottom of the first inning, Macalis didn’t allow another hit the rest of the way.

“I had to fix my mechanics,” Macalis said. “I realized I was out of sorts, so I had to fix my timing and stuff. It started to work towards the end.”

“Mostly my screwball (was working) and some drop curves.”

Upper Merion (8-4, 7-3 PAC) took its lead when Kayla Warren grounded out to score Lauren Del Giudice, who hit a one-out triple. Katelyn O’Brien followed with a walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a Moira Ryan single.

The host Vikings only reached base twice — on two walks — over the final six innings.

“We came out, we hit the ball,” UM coach Missy Toto said. “We’ve been hitting the last few games and after that first inning we just weren’t doing it.”

Olivia Barr started in the circle for Upper Merion. In five innings she gave up seven runs on 12 hits while striking out three batters to two walks. Warren came on in relief, throwing the final two innings. She gave up five runs on six hits with one strikeout and no walks.