A strong finish at home

By William Bowman
The Danville News

May 14, 2008 08:59 am

— DANVILLE -- With its playoff hopes dashed a day before, Danville's softball team could have gone through the motions in Tuesday's home finale against winless Line Mountain.
Instead the Ironmen showed flashes of what led them to a quick start this season, as they used an eight-run third inning and a two-hit shutout from senior Carrie Mensch in a dominating 10-0, five-inning win over the Eagles at the Danville Area High School.
Mensch allowed only two singles to Line Mountain's Nicole Erdman, but was otherwise in control. Just one Eagle (0-18, 0-17 SVL) reached second base and no one advanced farther with Mensch fanning nine and walking just one in five quick innings.
"It was a good bounce back game for us," said DHS coach Dwayne Heeter, whose team was eliminated from playoff contention with Monday's loss to Jersey Shore. "We were relaxed and put the ball in play at the plate. Since it was her last game at home, Carrie wanted the ball and she delivered."
Mensch got all the support she needed in the first when freshman Rachel Leister singled with one out, stole second and scored on a wild pitch. After Mensch retired the side on 11 pitches in the second and third innings, the Ironmen broke it open with eight runs on six hits in the third.
Danville opened the inning with four consecutive singles from Leister, Courtney Zampetti, Mensch and Nicole Wallize. Wallize's single plated two runs and after back-to-back walks, Kylee Dragano hit a blooper into right that glanced off an outfielder's glove for a two-run single.
Mensch capped the big inning with a two-run single, her second hit of the frame, to give herself a 9-0 lead.
The inning was a brilliant combination of balance by the Ironmen. Zampetti and Mensch, two seniors, combined for three hits in the inning. Dragano, a junior, had a two-run single, while Wallize, a sophomore, also had a two-run single. Leister, a ninth-grader, started the inning with a base hit and Autumn Albertson, another freshman, drove in a run.
"Up and down the lineup we produced," said Heeter. "It wasn't like it was one or two players. It was everybody. And it was experienced kids and kids who have been thrown into the fire the last couple of weeks getting the job done. That was great to see."
Mensch continued to cruise in the late innings. After allowing a single to Erdman to lead off the fourth, Mensch got a strikeout and a popout before issuing her only walk. She then fanned her sixth batter of the game to end the threat. The senior closed her time inside the circle on her home field in fine fashion, needing just 11 pitches to strike out the side in the fifth.
Mensch also had a big hand in ending the game an inning early. Zampetti singled to lead off the fifth and Mensch followed with a ringing double off the left-center field fence. Wallize followed with a groundout that plated Zampetti with the 10th run, ending the game early.
"We could have gone through the motions, but the girls did a nice job out there," said Heeter.
The Ironmen are 8-11 overall, 8-9 in the SVL. They close out the season today at Mifflinburg.

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