Blog

Jun 06, 2025

Chestnut Ridge blanks Lady Bulldogs, 4-0 | Sports | thecourierexpress.com

FISHERTOWN — The Redbank Valley Lady Bulldogs softball team already made history by making the PIAA playoffs for the first time in program history. The Lady Bulldogs were hoping to add to that history

FISHERTOWN — The Redbank Valley Lady Bulldogs softball team already made history by making the PIAA playoffs for the first time in program history.

The Lady Bulldogs were hoping to add to that history with a playoff victory, but the season came to an end with a 4-0 loss on Monday to Chestnut Ridge, District 5 champion.

Ridge pitcher Britni Motter struck out 17 batters and did not allow a hit or a walk to the Lady Bulldogs until Braylee Yeany reached on a well-placed bunt to lead off the fifth inning.

“They are a good team,” said Redbank Valley coach Lee Miller, whose team finished 13-8. “All 4 of their runs were unearned, and we hurt ourselves defensively.

“Their pitcher is good, but we didn’t put enough balls in play. We’ve seen faster pitchers, but we had trouble with the high ball.”

Next up for Chestnut Ridge (16-6) is defending state champion Neshannock on Thursday at Norwin High School.

The game got off to a rough start for the District 9 runner-up. After Motter struck out the side to start the first inning, the Lady Lions scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the first.

With one out, Grace Lazor reached on an infield error and Ally Yarnell smacked a double to right field. After a popup for the second out, Natalie Short hit a fly ball to center that was dropped for an error, scoring both Lazor and Yarnell for a 2-0 lead. Emma Callihan had the first of her two hits with single to right to bring in Short for the 3-0 lead.

Bella Datillo singled and both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, but a strikeout ended the threat.

The Lady Lions threatened in the second as well. Nikki Shippey led off with a single, followed by a hit by Jenna Mauck. However, Lady Bulldogs pitcher Mackenzie Foringer got a strikeout and two popups ended the threat.

Foringer calmed down after that and retired 11 Lady Lions in a row.

Yeany reached on the bunt single to start the fifth and Breanna Crawford came in to run for Young, but Motter struck out the next three batters to get out of the jam. She also retired the final nine batters she faced with seven of them going down via the strikeout.

Motter wound up throwing 81 pitches with an impressive 66 going for strikes.

“We didn’t quit,” added Miller. “They accomplished something that that no other Redbank Valley softball team had done. We wanted to win one to, but it is still an accomplishment.

“We had a great year for our two seniors. Our pitcher has got a ton of records at Redbank including career strikeouts. We battled all year.

“We always seem to get down at the start and claw our way back in the game. We just need to figure out how to start the games the way that we finish them.”

Foringer and Keyauna Schimp are the only seniors on the team.

Ridge added a run in the sixth inning. Natalie Short and Emma Calilhan led off the inning with singles, and a dropped fly ball off the bat of Liza Ickes loaded the bases with no outs.

Bree Harbaugh hit a pop up to second for the infield fly rule, but Racey Scheuerman, who was running for Short, took off for home with the throw going to third, to score the run. After a ground out moved the runners up a base, a fly ball ended the inning.

The Leader-Vindicator mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the Leader-Vindicator on your mobile device just as it appears in print.