H.S. Softball: Lake-Lehman takes big step toward Division 2 title

Apr. 29—LEHMAN TWP. — Lake-Lehman didn't sew up the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 softball championship Monday.

But it would be mighty difficult to envision the stitching coming loose.

Gracie Bucknavage had an RBI single and Lucy Honeywell came home early from a senior trip to hit a two-run homer as Lehman defeated it biggest advasary, Holy Redeemer, 3-1.

Lehman improved to 8-0 in the division and 11-1 overall. Redeemer fell to 6-2 in the division and 8-5 overall.

Of Lehman's four remaining divisional opponents, Berwick was the only one not to lose to the Black Knights by double digits.

"Actually, I think we'll have more focus after this game," said Lehman coach Nicole Chipego, whose team is still trying to get the top seed in the District 2 Class 3A playoffs. "There were a lot of class trips and Lucy coming home from Washington was a big one. It was her senior trip and the game wasn't moved, so Lucy had to come home last night at midnight.

"I don't think we go anywhere by up from here."

Bucknavage singled in Hayley Makarewicz in the second inning for the game's first run. Makarewicz opened the inning by bouncing a single up the middle.

Lehman's Kaitlyn Brudnicki started the third by being hit by a pitch. Honeywell followed with a home run to center for a 3-0 advantage.

Lehman made some solid contact the rest of the way — including single by Kirsten Finarelli and Bucknavage — but couldn't push across another run.

"It was just a change in the pitching from the prior game," Chipego said. "The girls didn't come out as hot as I would have liked them to today."

Redeemer, which lost 11-1 to Lehman two weeks ago, scored its only run in the fourth. Anne Carter opened the inning with a single up the middle and eventually scored on a single to right by Grace Stetz-Madden. The Royals, though, couldn't score again despite having the bases loaded with one out.

Stetz-Madden and Lauren Hayden had consecutive one-out singles in the sixth, but Redeemer failed to score.

"We did OK," Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said, "but we could do better. A lot of us were late (swinging), so we got to fix that a little bit and I think we'll be OK."

Redeemer lost both regular-season games to Lehman last year, but won in the D2-3A semifinals. The teams could meet there again.

Lake-Lehman 3, Holy Redeemer 1

Holy Redeemer'AB'R'H'BI

Boylan cf'4'0'0'0

Pecuch 3b'2'0'0'0

Williams ss'4'0'1'0

Carter p'4'1'1'0

Genovese c'3'0'0'0

Gryboski 1b'2'0'0'0

Stetz-Madden 2b'3'0'2'1

Hayden rf'2'0'1'0

Lombardi lf'3'0'1'0

Totals'27'1'6'1

Lake-Lehman'AB'R'H'BI

Bucknavage cf'3'0'2'1

Chipego p'4'0'1'0

Finarelli c'2'0'1'0

Brudnicki ss'2'1'0'0

Honeywell 2b'3'1'1'2

James rf'3'0'0'0

Makarewicz 3b'3'1'1'0

Yusko 1b'3'0'1'0

Wallace lf'2'0'0'0

Totals'25'3'7'3

Holy Redeemer'000'100'0 — 1

Lake-Lehman'012'000'x — 3

HR — Honeywell.

Holy Redeemer'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO

Carter (L)'6'7'3'3'0'6

Lake-Lehman'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO

Chipego (W)'7'6'1'1'3'10