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Urbine Leads Girls to 7th Place Finish

BY MONA STEINHAUER

Despite finishing the season with just two wins, the girls’ track team finished seventh out of 22 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Championships held Friday and Saturday, May 13-14 at Hempfield High School.

“It was a great weekend with a number of medal winners and lots of personal bests, especially with the distance runners,” said head coach Jen McDowell.

Katie Urbine led the scoring, earning four medals in the process. She secured her second straight league title in the pole vault, clearing 12-6 despite competing in wet conditions during a rain shower. She attempted to top the league meet record of 13-0, set by Manheim Township’s Mackenzie Horn in 2018 but that goal will have to wait for next year.

Urbine, a junior, also grabbed a silver medal in the long jump, was fifth in the 100m and joined Emma Housekeeper, Carly Rose, and Olianna Oravitz for a seventh-place medal in the 4x100.

“The girls broke their own school record with a 50.51 and also qualified for districts,” said McDowell.

Housekeeper, a freshman, was also seventh in the open 400 while freshman teammate Oravitz settled for eighth in the long jump, missing sixth place by 1.75 inches. She was the only freshman to place in the top 11.

In the field events, Hannah Wood brought home two medals, placing fifth in the shot and sixth in the discus.

Elijah Wood was the top medal winner for the boys’ team who finished 12th overall. Wood cleared 12-6 to earn bronze in the pole vault.

Noah Baber, who has cleared six feet in the high jump a handful of times, settled for fifth place with 5-10. Five athletes hit that mark, but Baber placed on fewer misses.

Also in the jumps, Josiah Forren went 20-3.25 in the long jump for seventh place, missing sixth by 1.5 inches. Reimold missed an eighthplace medal by three inches.

On the track, Ian Althoff, Michael Banguna, Josiah Forren and Riley Ford settled for fifth place in the 4x00 relay and Trent McDowell was sixth in the 110 hurdles.

SOFTBALL

The softball team rode a six-game winning streak into Tuesday’s Lancaster-Lebanon League semifinal tilt opposite Section One champ Penn Manor at Millersville University on Tuesday, May 16 but it wasn’t enough to punch their ticket to the finals.

Despite playing error-free ball in each of their last two games, including Saturday’s opening round 11-1 triumph over Annville-Cleona, miscues played a key role. The Comets batted around in the third inning, taking advantage of back-to-back errors, two walks, a wild pitch and two timely hits to go up 4-0. It was all the momentum they needed en route to an 10-1 final.

“When we control our generosity and Anna (Sexton) makes quality pitches, we can play with almost anyone,” said head coach Brett Miller. “Unfortunately, we gave extra bases, and we gave runs. They had just three earned runs for the game. We need to learn from this and move forward.”

Manor, who topped Solanco 12-5 during the regular season, pushed across two more in the fourth before Solanco finally got on board in the top of the fifth. Sara Defrancesco led off with her second hit of the day and two outs later Emily Sims cracked a triple that pushed in Zoey Evans, running for Defrancesco. It should have been a two-run triple, but Comet catcher Jordan Bailey picked off Alyssa Schlagnhaufer, who reached on an error. Solanco committed another error in the bottom half and the Comets responded with two timely hits to push the lead to 10-1. The visitors came up empty in their last two at bats, striking out five times against Comet reliever Emily Riggs.

Despite the lopsided final, Solanco looked to take the opening lead in the first inning. Kendal Janssen ripped a hit past third and two batters later Becca Foulk singled to left field. With the outfielder booting the ball into foul territory, head coach Brett Miller waved the speedy Janssen home, but the relay throw was on the money and Janssen was out at the plate.

Anna Sexton struck out four, walked two, gave up nine hits and five earned runs in the loss.

“I thought Anna pitched well enough for them to hit the ball,” said Miller. “We needed to make the plays behind her. We had opportunities and we didn’t cash in.”

In Saturday’s victory over Annville, Solanco connected for five hits in the first inning, scored five runs and never looked back. Holly Grube went 3-4 with three RBIs, Foulk and Schlagnhaufer both finished with two hits and two RBIs and K. Janssen added a solo homer in the fourth inning.

Sexton picked up the twohit win with seven strikeouts and one walk.

BASEBALL

The baseball team ended its season on a winning note, defeating playoff bound Donegal 8-6 Thursday, May 12 in Maytown. The Indians are ranked 11th in District Three 5A.

“It was a great way to end the season,” said head coach John Girvin. “That win definitely knocked Donegal down a bit.”

After giving up one run in the first inning, Solanco (3-15 overall) rallied in the second, plating seven runs on five base hits and two errors to take the lead for good. Ty Burger and Dillon Dean connected for back-to-back two run singles to cap the inning.

Donegal got one back in the bottom half and made things exciting with a fourrun third. “We had two errors that inning and just like that, it was 7-6,” recalled Girvin. “Nate Harnish started on the hill and got the first two outs of the fourth before a pair of walks, so I brought in Sawyer Weyman who got the final out.”

Solanco scored what proved to be the game-winner in the top of the fifth. Weston Beiler and Brayden Herr reached on errors. Beiler moved up on a pop out and scored on a sac fly by Harnish.

“After two outs and a walk, Sawyer ended the game with a strikeout,” said Girvin. “Our batting averages really came up over the last three weeks,” he added. “It was a positive ending to a season of struggles.”

photo by Mona Steinhauer

Hannah Wood, with a 102’ throw, earned a sixth place finish in the L-L League Track and Field Championships at Hempfield May 13-14.