Eight-run fifth inning lifts Upper Dublin over Gwynedd Mercy Academy

UPPER DUBLIN >> Upper Dublin has had some big innings early this season, but none bigger than the bottom of the fifth against Gwynedd Mercy Academy.

In a matchup featuring two of the top three teams in District 1-5A, the Cardinals found themselves trailing by two runs in the middle of the fifth inning. They responded with an eight-run outburst. The first seven batters reached base and scored and another crossed the plate later in the frame to turn the tide in Upper Dublin’s 12-4 win at Upper Dublin High School Tuesday afternoon.

After surrendering two runs in the top of the fifth, the Cardinals (5-1) faced their first deficit of the game, 4-2.

“We knew we had to get the bats alive,” UD sophomore Bella Fiore said. “We left a couple people on base and we couldn’t do that again. We knew we had to amp it up.”

Fiore started the inning with a single and stole second. Kaitlyn Smith worked a walk before Anna Levin laid down a bunt. Her sacrifice bunt was thrown away, scoring Fiore and putting the tying run on third and go-ahead run on second.

“You get the energy going if you get off on a good foot,” Fiore, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, said. “I feel like it definitely helped as you could see the rest of the inning play out.”

Kaitlyn Zacharia worked a walk to load the bases and Lizzie Tambourino’s grounder tied the game, 4-4.

Rayla Kratchman’s bases-loaded walk put Upper Dublin ahead and two more runs scored when Kaelin Penna grounded into an error, making it 7-4.

Madden Reilly made it 9-4 with a long, two-run double to centerfield.

“It was scary,” Reilly said. “Two strikes, I knew she was throwing outside. I knew I just had to wait on it and hope for the best.”

Fiore followed with an RBI double of her own to make it 10-4 and complete the eight-run inning.

The Cardinals worked three walks in the innings and the Monarchs (4-2) committed two errors.

“We just lost our composure,” GMA coach Charlie Ball said.

“Every game is important. You want to win them all. You want to win your conference, but you also want to get into districts. We just had a bad game. It wasn’t our typical game.”

Upper Dublin added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth on a Kyra Garrison double to make it 12-4.

Garrison threw all seven innings for the Cardinals. She earned the win striking out six batters to four walks and allowed four runs on seven hits.

Kerstein Dunlap took the loss for GMA, allowing 10 runs on nine hits in five innings. She struck out two batters to four walks.

Upper Dublin took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Fiore and Levin each had RBI singles to get the scoring started.

Gwynedd Mercy Academy responded with two in the third to tie the game. Lexi Weiss and Natalie Kelley each had RBI singles to make it 2-2. The Monarchs took a 4-2 lead in the top of the fifth when Brea Mahoney scored on an error and Kelley had another RBI single.

Weiss went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored while Kelley went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Upper Dublin 12, Gwynedd Mercy Academy 4
Gwynedd Mercy Academy 002 020 0 – 4
Upper Dublin 200 082 x – 12
WP: Kyla Garrison 7 IP 6 K 4 BB 7 H 4 R
LP: Kerstein Dunlap 5 IP 2 K 4 BB 9 H 10 R
2B: GMA: Lexi Weiss. UD: Madden Reilly, Bella Fiore, Kyla Garrison.