SOFTBALL: Phillipsburg Scores 12 in the Sixth Inning to Defeat Belvidere

PHILLIPSBURG, NJ - Shortstop Shantalina Blake had the big blow in the uprising with a go-ahead three-run homer as Phillipsburg High School scored 12 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Belvidere 12-2 in a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex Tournament first round softball game on Wednesday at Ruth Gibbs Softball Complex.

“The is a good example of how crazy the game of softball can be,” P’burg coach Kristin Polet said. “I don’t know if it can be explained. Hitting is contagious right? And this was a prime example of that “

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The 10 ^th -seeded Stateliners (7-7 overall) advance to play at Delaware Valley (9-2) ) in a second round game on Saturday. The Terriers defeated the Stateliners, 10-6, on April 20 after coming back from a 5-2 deficit after two innings.

Belvidere starting pitcher Mia Lawson, a senior, was in a pitcher’s dual with ‘Liner freshman Hannah Wodtke for the first four innings before the County Seaters scored two runs in the fifth inning on Madyson Denker’s single.

Lawson allowed just two hits in the first five innings, a bloop behind first base and a bunt, while striking out seven and not walking a batter as Belvidere, seeded 19 ^th out of 20 teams, had visions of a major upset dancing in its heads. The County Seaters entered the game with a 1-12 record and nine consecutive losses.

The Stateliners needed somebody to spark the offense and they ended up building a bonfire before Kayla Melsky ended the game in mercy rule fashion with an RBI single to left field.

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Speedy number nine hitter Sara Segeda was that spark after reaching base with her third bunt base hit of the game to open the bottom of the sixth.

“It was a crazy game,” said Segeda, a senior second baseman who also started on the volleyball team in the fall. “Honestly, I thought it was a miracle. We really came together at the end. I do love to bunt because it’s a big advantage for me. I was a right-handed batter but they switched me and now I slap and bunt as a lefty.”

Alexis Forder followed with a slow roller to left for a single to set up Blake, who absolutely drilled her second home run of the season on a line drive way over the centerfield fence with two strikes on her to give P’burg a 3-2 lead.

“I don’t know. We just kept the energy up in the sixth inning,” said Blake, a key reserve for the basketball team in the winter. “We were all just seeing the ball so well. I was just trying to put the bat on the ball there. I haven’t been hitting too well lately.”

“Shantalina is a sophomore and two-year starter at shortstop and you can tell how hard she’s worked on her hitting,” Polet said. “And it’s really paid off. She’s just a true athlete and has a great attitude. Every time she steps to the plate she wants to make a difference. And that’s huge considering we’re talking about a 15-year, 16-year old kid. She has a great mentality when she’s on the field.”

Blake is second on the team this season with a .400 batting average while junior first baseman Ava Colentrelle leads with a 409 average. They share the team lead in hits with 18.

In all, Phillipsburg sent 15 batters to the plate in the sixth inning and 12 delivered hits. Senior right fielder Riley Santos, now batting .361 on the season, had two doubles in the inning while Forde, Colentrelle, and Segeda all had two hits.

‘Liner sophomore Sam Lane, who entered the game with two outs in the fifth, got out of a tough jam with runners on second and third with a strikeout. She retired all four batters she faced, three via strike out.

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