Softball Notebook: State semifinalists are strong up the middle

MOOSIC – Abington Heights returns its pitching and the middle of its defense from a team that advanced to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 5A softball semifinals a year ago.

“It’s always nice to start up the middle with your pitcher, catcher, center fielder,” Comets coach John Kelly said. “We will have a new shortstop, but it most likely will be somebody who played quite a bit last season.”

Abington Heights won the District 2 title by ending the state title reign of Pittston Area.

St. Joseph’s University-bound pitcher Lauren Stalica returns along with catcher Riley Knott, second baseman Lindsey Tasker and center fielder Hunter Kresge.

Cecelia O’Malley takes over at shortstop after starting nearly half the games there last year.

Isabelle Wilmont, who served as the Opening Day leadoff hitter, returns at third base.

The biggest challenges for the Comets could be on offense.

“We lost three really good bats,” Kelly said. “That’s going to be the thing we have to replace – our hitting.”

The Comets, a strong contender for the Lackawanna League Division 1 title, played just once in March, losing a non-league game on the road 6-5 to Emmaus.

Tasker, Stalica and Avary Brister each had two hits in the loss. Tasker scored twice and Stalica had a double.

Knott doubled and drove in two runs.

LACKAWANNA TRAIL

Shortstop Gretchen Rejrat, the leader of a second-half offensive surge a year ago, returns to lead Lackawanna Trail.

Rejrat had a three-double, five-RBI game followed by four-homer, six-RBI game in the last two outings of the regular season. She finished with a .623 average, 26 runs, 28 RBI, nine doubles and six home runs.

Lackawanna Trail won seven of its last eight regular-season games, scoring at least 11 runs five times, to shake off a rough start and finish tied for third in Lackawanna League Division 3 at 8-6.

Carolena Ryon, Sami Duffy and Madison Palmer are also back from the infield and top half of the batting.

The Lady Lions also return pitcher Madison Pietrzak and outfielder Cloe Van Fleet, another of the team’s offensive leaders.

Lackawanna Trail did not have any non-league games prior to the scheduled start of league play in the first week of April.

SCRANTON PREP

Scranton Prep shut out visiting Mountain View, 16-0, March 26 in the debut of the school’s new coaching staff.

Tim Charles has taken over as head coach and is assisted by Kerin Koza after the two coached together on the travel and recreational levels.

The Classics return four starters from a team that was 5-9 in Lackawanna Division 1 last season.

Senior second baseman Alexis Straw returns along with junior shortstop Grace McCormack, sophomore center fielder Emelia Williams and sophomore pitcher/outfielder/first baseman Abigail Wilce.