Rycyzyn, Conestoga catch first states berth since 2007

TREDYFFRIN >> Conestoga earned a spot in the PIAA Class 6A softball tournament for the first time since 2007 with a 4-2 win against Garnet Valley in the District 1 playback semifinals Wednesday.

For Conestoga’s hard-working senior catcher Emme Rycyzyn, the impact hit her immediately when she saw a Garnet Valley popup settle into first baseman Libby Winters’ glove for the final out of the game.

“My first thought was that we’re finally going to states, for the first time in the four years that I’ve been here,” Rycyzyn said. “It’s been a goal of mine since I was a freshman and it’s great that it’s finally happening.”

Wednesday’s contest at D’Ambrosio Park was a win-or-go-home scenario for  No. 5 Conestoga (19-3) and eighth-seeded Garnet Valley (18-5).

Rycyzyn did her part in seeing that Conestoga came out on top, slamming a home run over the left-field fence in the first inning, making a tough tag on a Garnet Valley baserunner who was trying to score from third on a fly ball to right field in the fourth, and picking a runner off third base to cool a red-hot Garnet Valley rally in the sixth inning.

“This win is a big stepping stone for our program, in terms of our team going forward every year,” Conestoga coach Pete Ricci said.

The Pioneers got off to a good start with a three runs in the first. Winters led off with a hit by pitch, and Claire Overton dropped a sacrifice bunt. Olivia Cepielik lined a single to right and Winters scored on an outfield error, with Cepielik moving to third.

Senior center fielder Jenny Noll, who is bound for Scranton, knocked in a run with a ground out, then Rycyzyn smashed a home run to make it 3-0.

“With two strikes, I shortened up my swing,” Rycyzyn said. “I was trying to make contact on top of the ball, and I put a good swing on it.”

In the bottom of the second, Conestoga went down in order thanks in part to a sliding catch by Garnet Valley center fielder Audrey Shenk and a nice play by Jags shortstop Morgan Mesaros.

In the top of the third, Cepielik made a nice play on a groundball to nail the Garnet Valley batter at first base.

“Olivia has been so consistent at shortstop for us this season,” Ricci said.

Garnet Valley threatened to score in the top of the fourth when Kelly McLaughlin blasted a triple. A Clement-to-Rycyzyn throw-and-catch nailed McLaughlin attempting to score from third on a fly ball off the bat of All-Delco catcher Lindsey Hunt.

“It was a perfect throw from Kate,” said Rycyzyn.

It was the second good defensive play of the game by Clement, who made a sliding catch of a fly ball in the first inning.

Garnet Valley turned a nice defensive play when Hunt, who will be play at Drexel University next year, picked off a Conestoga runner at first with the bases loaded to kill a potential rally.

Garnet Valley wasn’t through. Bechtold lined a single to left, and Shenk scored on Becca Halford’s single to make it 3-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, Conestoga plated an insurance run when Ari Lucci lined a single, then went to third on a hit by Lauren Lofland. Winters beat out an infield hit to deep shortstop, scoring Lucci to make the score 4-2.

Lofland got the first two Garnet Valley hitters on groundouts in the seventh, then McLaughlin (3-for-4) doubled. Lofland got the next hitter to pop up to Winters in foul territory, and the game was over, sending the Pioneers to a fifth-place game for seeding against Haverford Thursday.

“Libby Winters had never played first base before this season, and she’s done a great job there for us,” Ricci said. “And Lauren Lofland has done a great job of keeping us in games all season.”

For Garnet Valley (18-5), it was the end of a memorable season in which the Jaguars started 4-3, then won 14 games in a row. The team has five seniors, including Diane Torregrossa, who will be play for University of the Sciences.

“I’m really proud of our team,” Garnet Valley coach Alie Alkins said. “We really came together this year, and turned it around after three early losses. We had a tough first inning today, but we gave it a good, hard fight.”