McHugh homers twice as Lansdale Catholic tops Archbishop Wood

LANSDALE >> Sam McHugh tries to make each opportunity at the plate its own moment.

“Every at-bat I have to clear whatever happened before, whether it was good, whether it was bad,” she said. “I don’t want to ride the high or ride the low so I just want to come in there every time and just do my thing.”

Lansdale Catholic softball’s senior catcher, however, produced identical results her first two times she had a bat in her hand on a cool Tuesday afternoon – belting pitches out for home runs.

Her two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning tied visiting Archbishop Wood in the Philadelphia Catholic League contest while the Widener commit’s leadoff homer in the fourth gave the Crusaders a 3-2 lead.

“Dakota (Fanelli)’s a great pitcher and I don’t want to take anything away from her but I was just looking for her to leave one out there,” McHugh said. “And I was able to catch two really good ones.”

McHugh could not repeat the feat a third time in the sixth, instead coming through with an RBI single. A home run, however, came on the following at-bat as Sage Borro’s two-run shot capped a three-run inning for Lansdale Catholic as it pulled away from the Vikings to claim a 6-2 victory.

“Oh my God, I was more hyped when she hit hers than I hit mine,” McHugh said. “I don’t know if you saw me but I was second, I was like ‘Yeah.’ Oh my God, we felt at the top of the world at that moment.”

McHugh finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Starting pitcher Lauren Leshak bounced back from allowing two runs in the first by throwing six scoreless innings as the Crusaders (8-4, 4-2) won their fourth straight and avenged two losses to Wood last year, including a 15-0 defeat in the PCL first round.

“We all came today with the same objective and the same mindset,” McHugh said. “And this is a team every year it stings a little bit more when we lose to them.”

LC’s defense was error-free, helping Leshak earn a complete-game win, the right-hander giving up two runs – both earned – on six hits. She walked four, hit one batter and struck out eight.

“The wind was definitely a component,” Leshak said. “I was trying to get my curve outside and it was just coming back in. But I really focused on spinning it extra to make sure it was off the plate that really helped.”

Fanelli struck out 13 in taking a complete-game loss, including striking out LC in order in the second, third and fifth innings. The Wood righty allowed six runs – all earned – on six hits and two walks.

Maura Yoos was 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Vikings (9-5, 5-2), who began the defense of their PCL title with five straight wins but have dropped their last two in league play. Wood lost to Archbishop Ryan 8-0 last Tuesday.

Both teams have two more home games this week. Lansdale Catholic faces Archbishop Carroll 3:45 p.m. Thursday then Mount St. Joseph 3:45 p.m. Friday. Archbishop Wood hosts Cardinal O’Hara 3:45 p.m. Thursday then William Tennent 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Vikings had a 1-0 lead two batters into Tuesday’s game. Yoos led off the top of the first with a bunt single then scored when Parker Kraus followed with an RBI double to left. With one out, Paige Ross made it 2-0 Wood by connecting on an RBI double to left.

Leshak, however, began LC’s half of the first by doubling to left. After a pop out on a bunt attempt, McHugh came up and knotted things at two, crushing a pitch over the left center field fence for a two-run homer.

“Since the wind was blowing inside today I was looking for the inside pitch and then anything, I was just ready for it to come out,” McHugh said. “So when she threw a little bit inside I was ready to get my hands through.”

Fanelli proceeded to retire the next eight LC batters – seven by strikeout – while Wood had a chance to break the tie in the top of the fourth. A Julia Yogis leadoff infield single, a two-out Maggie Devlin single and an Allie Higdon walk loaded the bases but Crusades center fielder Ava Coughlin got to a fly ball in left center to secure the third out.

“We definitely had our struggles with fielding in this season but I think we’re really improving and today showed that,” Leshak said.

McHugh began the bottom of the fourth with her second homer of the afternoon, another blast to left center that put LC ahead for good.

“Both of them were similar pitches,” she said. “There were both up right at the hands, maybe a little bit inside.”

In the top of the fifth, Wood put two runners on after a Kraus leadoff walk then Paige Ross getting hit by a pitch with one out. Yogis dropped a ball into center but Ross’ courtesy runner was out at second on the play. The next at-bat second baseman Nicole Tralies tracked back to make a catch on a fly ball to shallow right.

Leshak started the bottom of the sixth single, went to second on Tralies’ sacrifice bunt then scored when McHugh single through the middle for a 4-2 LC lead.

“All eighth period I was out here hitting the ball and I just knew that today was a really important day to prove ourselves I think,” McHugh said. “And I think that’s what we did.”

Borro followed by lacing a two-run homer to left center, pushing the margin to four.

“Dakota has so much power so just barreling it up it can go so far,” Leshak said. “And I was so proud of all the hitters, they did so good today.”

Yoos opened the top of the seventh with a bunt single, took second on a passed ball and advanced to third on a groundout. Fanelli walked and stole second but Leshak stranded both and sealed the win with back-to-back strikeouts.

Lansdale Catholic 6, Archbishop Wood 2
Archbishop Wood 200 000 0 – 2 6 0
Lansdale Catholic 200 103 X – 6 6 0
WP: Lauren Leshak 7 IP 6 H 2 R 2 ER 4 BB 8 SO 1 HB.
LP: Dakota Fanelli 6 IP 6H 6 R 6 ER 2 BB 13 SO.
2B: AW-Parker Kraus, Paige Ross; LC-Lauren Leshak; HR: LC-Sam McHugh 2, Sage Borro.
Archbishop Wood: Maura Yoos 2-4, R.
Lansdale Catholic: Borro 2 RBI, R; McHugh 3-3, 4 RBI, 3 R.