Pa. Girls | Methacton clinches crown with 4-0 win

Methacton

not only clinched the Suburban One American Conference softball title yesterday, it accomplished the feat by beating the second-place finisher,

Plymouth Whitemarsh

, 4-0.

The Warriors have won all 14 of their games in conference play.

The key development in the season for the Warriors was the luxury of switching last year's all-league pitcher, Amanda Sbei, to her more natural position of shortstop.

The development of Molly Walsh fueled that preseason move and Walsh was once again brilliant in beating the Colonials, giving up just three hits, striking out nine and walking none.

The key hit for the Warriors (14-2 overall, 14-0 league) came in a four-run third, a two-run single by Sbei.

In other conference games:

Amber Macho went 4 for 5 as Upper Dublin won at Upper Merion, 10-4.

Morgan Falana pitched a three-hitter for host Cheltenham in a 3-1 win over Wissahickon.

District 12 Class AAAA. In a first-round game, Ashley Robinson pitched a two-hitter and slammed a three-run homer for Lincoln in its 15-0 win over visiting University City.

In the other scheduled first-round game, Rebecca Cimorelli pitched a two-hitter and struck out eight as Girls High thumped visiting Fels, 16-1. Cimorelli also had a double and a triple.

Pioneer Athletic. It's all over but the waiting for Boyertown in the conference title race.

The Bears (15-3 both league and overall) beat visiting St. Pius X, 2-1, to finish their regular season. If Owen J. Roberts beats Upper Perkiomen today, the Bears will play the Wildcats in a special playoff for first place. If the Indians win, Boyertown takes the title.

J.P. Norris went 3 for 3 as Spring-Ford survived a strong challenge from visiting Pottstown, 4-2.

Kelsey Shultz pitched a complete-game three-hitter for Owen J. Roberts in its 4-0 win at Lansdale Catholic.

Jen Beaver's two-run double in the three-run sixth inning was the key hit of the game for the Wildcats (14-3 both overall and league).

Julie March went 2 for 2 and Courtney Heming pitched a complete-game six-hitter as host Phoenixville nipped Pottsgrove, 2-1.

Catholic Academies. Amanda Fernandez was dominating on the mound for host Nazareth Academy in its 8-0 win over Sacred Heart. Fernandez gave up five hits in seven innings, striking out 12 and walking none.

The Pandas (12-3) also got three hits apiece from Kate Steffieri and Gianna Cipolloni.

St. Basil, the regular-season champion, won at Mount St. Joseph, 7-3, behind Erin Gallagher's three-hitter.

Gallagher struck out eight and walked two. Kelli Lyons contributed a pair of clutch two-out RBI singles for the Panthers (16-1, 13-0).

Bicentennial. Sophomore righthander Morgan Klemmer pitched a four-hitter as Morrisville topped visiting Calvary Christian, 5-1.

Nonleague. Megan Pauley, Marcie Fitzpatrick and Krissy Dahl all were 2 for 3 for Agnes Irwin in a 10-0 win over visiting Friends' Central. Emily Nagel pitched a five-inning no-hitter, the first of her career.

Radnor

's Hannah Granger and

Penncrest

's Karen Shump were the big winners at the Central League championships at Lower Merion.

Granger won the 1,600 and the 3,200, while Shump took the shot put and the discus.

Liz Jones scored nine goals in leading

Phoenixville

to a 21-9 nonleague win at

Upper Darby

. Jones now has 30 goals in her last five games.

Pioneer Athletic. Allie Kakareka scored eight goals, including the 100 and 101st of her career, in Spring-Ford's 12-10 win at Perkiomen Valley.