Warwick’s left-handed ace proved too much for Pequea Valley in the first round of the Lancaster-Lebanon League softball playoffs on a Saturday in May 2015. She struck out 10 and allowed only two hits in a 10-0 Warwick victory.
A clean slate
Warwick had finished the regular season atop the standings, riding a long winning streak to the Section One title. But the Warriors started the playoffs as if the record were 0-0.
“We came out with a zero-zero mindset, so this game was actually really huge for us,” the pitcher said.
“It’s hopefully another streak,” said Warwick coach Mark Hough. “We’re now 1-0. The regular season’s over. We just try to take every game one at a time now. The record during the league was fun, but now it’s playoffs, it’s a completely different animal.”
The third-inning explosion
The game was scoreless going into the bottom of the third, when the Warriors erupted for 10 runs, including a grand slam by their cleanup hitter.
“Hits are contagious for our team,” the pitcher said.
Warwick batted around and scored six runs before making its first out of the inning, on a sacrifice bunt that brought home another run. That bunt turned out to be Hough’s favorite offensive play of the game.
“To me as a coach, when somebody can execute the basic of plays and we score a run off that, that’s the big moment for me,” Hough said.
Pitching and defense
With a double-digit cushion, Warwick’s ace kept attacking the strike zone, and the defense behind her made the plays to preserve the shutout. With only two hits allowed, Pequea Valley never mounted a serious threat.
Semifinal matchup
Section One champion Warwick advanced to face Lampeter-Strasburg, another section winner, in a semifinal at Garrett Field Softball Complex on East Penn Grant Road in Willow Street, south of Lancaster. The game was set for 7:30 p.m. as the second half of a doubleheader, following Donegal against Hempfield at 5:30 p.m. Admission was $6 for adults and $4 for students and senior citizens.
A memorable season
The playoff run capped a remarkable regular season for Warwick, which lost only one game and clinched the section with a 5-3 win at Hempfield. The Warriors combined dominant left-handed pitching with a lineup that could strike quickly, a recipe that carried them deep into the postseason.
L-L softball
The Lancaster-Lebanon League is one of the strongest softball leagues in Pennsylvania. Its section champions and top runners-up meet in a league tournament each May, and the top teams then move on to the District Three playoffs, with a path to the PIAA state championships at Penn State.
Garrett Field, the county’s premier softball complex, hosts many of the league’s biggest games and draws large crowds of students, families and alumni for the playoffs.
Next up
Warwick fans were urged to make the trip to Willow Street to support the Warriors as they chased a league title. For Hough’s team, the message was the same as it had been all season: one game at a time.
Postseason pressure
In tournament baseball and softball, a single big inning can change everything. Coaches emphasize patience at the plate, taking walks and putting the ball in play to keep a rally going, while pitchers and defenders focus on limiting damage when the opponent threatens.
A dominant pitching performance paired with a big offensive inning is the formula most teams hope for in the playoffs, and it sent this team into the semifinals with momentum.
Teammates and families packed the stands, and the energy carried over into preparations for the semifinal.
This article was originally published in May 2015.