C. Milton Wright and Harford Tech advanced to regional title games in softball with wins Wednesday.
CMW (18-3) literally shook the proverbial monkey off its back by beating visiting North Harford, 13-3, in six innings of Class 3A North Section II final play. In two previous games this year, both North Harford wins, Hawks pitching held CMW to a single run on eight hits. Wednesday was different. The Mustangs pounded out 16 hits en route to the lopsided win. The Mustangs will host Westminster at 4 p.m. Friday for the region crown.
Harford Tech advanced in the 2A East Section I final. The Cobras (15-4) overcame a 6-1 deficit to beat visiting Patterson Mill, 9-6. The Cobras will travel to Easton on Friday for a 4 p.m. region final.
In CMW's win, it was a breakout game for Mustangs freshman designated hitter Katie Murphy. Murphy went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and a double.
Mustangs senior second baseman Cat Kim had a huge game as well, going 4-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and four runs scored. Mustangs first baseman Caroline Weimer also had a nice day, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, a double and a career-high five runs batted in.
CMW also got a solid pitching performance from Morghan Fulton, who gave up six hits without an earned run to win her 15th victory of the season.The only downside for the Mustangs was four fielding errors, a season high, that led to all three North Harford runs. Alexis Lyttle took the loss for the Hawks (12-9).
CMW scored a run in the first, five in the third, three in each of the fourth and fifth innings and one in the sixth to end it. North Harford scored one in the second and two in the fourth.
Five of nine Mustangs starting batters had multiple hits.
Emily Luzetsky and Jenny Lynch both had two hits for CMW. Luzetsky scored twice and Lynch drove in three runs.
Kelly Harkins went 2-for-3 with a double to lead North Harford.
Cobras move on
In Tech's win, the Cobras cut the 6-1 Huskies lead in half in the third with a pair of runs before going ahead to stay with a five-run fourth.
In the five run inning, Lindsay Bowler had a two-run single, while Kim Cook and Tori Siler each added RBI singles.
Ashley Leavens had two hits and two RBIs for the Cobras.
Cook, who also homered, pitched the win, allowing eight hits and striking out three.
The Huskies scored three runs in the second on one play with two outs. Lacey Breeden singled and Megan Huddler reached on an error. Abby Laurentius then hit an RBI single into left field, scoring Breeden. On the throw back in to the infield, Cobras pitcher Cook cut the throw and then made an errant throw to third, trying to cut down Huddler. The throw sailed up the line, allowing both Huddler and Laurentius to score.
The Huskies added three more in the third. Becca Borowski singled and Hailey Horton doubled. Both came around to score when Katie Williams reached on a throwing error that sent the ball out of play.
Horton and Breeden had two hits each for the Huskies (11-8). Horton also took the loss, yielding 11 hits, while striking out seven.
Tuesday action
The Patterson Mill softball team continued its season Tuesday, while Havre de Grace did not.
The Huskies beat host North East, 9-2, in an Class 2A East Section I semifinal, while the Warriors fell at Bo Manor, 7-2, in 1A East Section I semifinal.
In Patterson Mill's win, the Huskies scored six times in the second and three more in the third. North East scored both of its runs in the seventh.
Freshman Lacey Breeden started the big second inning by reaching on an error. Megan Huddler followed with a line drive single to left-center. Abby Laurentius also singled to score Breeden with the first run.
Brooke Bollinger then laced a single to right field, scoring two runs and Lauren Rossi added a bunt single. Following a pop out to third, Hailey Horton scorched a line drive over the head of the Elkton left fielder for a two-run double. Sam Denson drove in Horton with the sixth run, shooting a ground ball into left field.
In the third, Abby Laurentius and Becca Borowski both got hit by pitches. Horton followed with a triple to the gap in left-center field to score both.
Katie Williams then drove in Horton with the Huskies final run, grounding out to third.
Horton was also the winning pitcher, going the distance. She allowed four hits and a walk, while striking out seven.
Rossi and Horton both finished with two hits apiece.
Warriors knocked out
Havre de Grace (8-12) led twice in the game, but Bo Manor came back and with its five-run fifth inning rally, ended the Warriors season.
The Warriors jumped ahead in the top of the third. Kateri Peters and Olivia DuBois hit back-to-back, one-out singles. With two away, Kaysha Davis hit a line drive single off the shortstop's glove, scoring Peters.
Eagles pitcher Rachel Jones escaped further trouble, striking out the next batter to end the inning.
Bo Manor scored its first run in the third as well, using two singles, a passed ball and a wild pitch.
Havre de Grace went back ahead in the fifth. Peters singled with one out and on the relay throw back into infield, the ball got away on an errant throw and Peters cruised into second.
Olivia DuBois was out on a grounder back to the pitcher, but Peters was able to advance to third. Hailey Emerson's ground ball single to center field plated Peters with the go-ahead run.
The lead was very short-lived. Bo Manor had eight straight batters reach, seven by hit and one by error. The result, five runs and a 6-2 lead.
Jones, who allowed six hits, a walk and a hit batter, retired the side in order in both the sixth and seventh innings to close out the game. Jones struck out 10.
Freshman Leah DuBois took the loss, pitching all six innings. She gave up 11 hits and struck out five.