Pa. Girls: Garnet Valley squeaks by Downingtown West in softball

Garnet Valley

did not get many scoring opportunities against

Downingtown West

ace Caroline Raymond, but made the most of the ones it got in a PIAA Class AAAA softball quarterfinal yesterday.

The fourth-seeded Jaguars (16-3) made good of both their chances in a 2-1 win over the fifth-seeded Whippets (18-4), as Raymond walked a batter in the first inning that led to the first run.

Their second run came as a result of a passed ball.

In between, ace Courtney Spina matched Raymond pitch for pitch, giving up just two hits, striking out 12 and and walking none.

Christine Schlichter walked and went to second on a passed ball and scored when Spina lined a ball over the third baseman's head for the Jaguars only hit of the game.

They scratched across the eventual winning run in the fifth when Cecily Scavicchio walked and Courtney Fox was hit by a pitch. Fox was picked off but, during the rundown, Scavicchio was able to reach third. She scored on a passed ball.

Lindsay Adams hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to drive in Downingtown West's only run of the game.

Spina, a junior, is working on some pretty impressive numbers. She has been involved in all 19 of the decisions for the Jaguars and has a 0.41 ERA. In the 10 games prior to Downingtown West, Spina has tossed nine shutouts. The Whippets' run was the first scored against Spina in 44 consecutive innings.

In other quarterfinal games:

Visiting

Upper Darby

stunned top-seeded

Pennsbury

, 4-1, getting three runs in the top of the second and good pitching from Alicia DeSanto.

Amanda McCann opened the inning with a walk and that was followed by Natalie Parise's single and Jackie McBride's homer over the right field fence.

DeSanto scattered eight hits, but, just as important, got some terrific fielding support by her teammates, notably centerfielder McCann, who had six putouts. One catch was against the fence the other came while running toward the infield at full speed.

Amanda Sadowl pitched a one-hitter and Julie Wambold hit a two-run homer for host

Hatboro-Horsham

in a 5-0 win over

Cheltenham

. Wambold, a freshman, drove in older sister Katie Wambold, who reached on a base hit. The Hatters (20-1) also got a pair of doubles from Heather Hannum.

The Royals advance to a Tuesday date against Pioneer Athletic Conference champion

Owen J. Roberts

, who advanced with a 5-0 win over

Central Bucks South

. Owen J. Roberts is now 20-1.

District 1 Class AAA.

Amanda Fernandez picked a good time to pitch the fourth no-hitter of her season for host

Nazareth Academy

in a 1-0 win over

Lansdale Catholic

.

Fernandez hooked up in a scoreless pitcher's duel with the Crusaders' Kellie Fitzpatrick after the Pandas got to Fitzpatrick with a first-inning run.

Fernandez went all seven innings, striking out eight and walking one. During the regular season, she had three no-hitters, one a perfect game.

Giannina Cipolloni singled and stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch. Alicia Keough's infield single scored Cipolloni.

The Pandas (20-1) earned a first-round bye.

In other quarterfinal games:

Marple Newtown

earned a semifinal date against Nazareth Academy by beating

Upper Merion

, 2-0. Julie Sebastian allowed just one hit in the complete-game shutout. She struck out 10 and walked one. The Tigers (16-4) scored a pair of unearned runs against Theresa Esposito in the fourth inning.

The Marple Newtown vs. Nazareth Academy game will be played at a neutral site to be determined.

Host

Kennett

got a four-hitter from Emily Ruf in a 7-1 win over

Sun Valley

. The Demons (17-4) broke the game open with four fifth-inning runs.

Second-seeded

St. Basil

blanked visiting

Phoenixville

, 4-0, as Erin Gallagher pitched a one-hitter. Becca Clayton's two-out single in the seventh broke up Gallagher's no-hitter. Gallagher hit a three-run double in the four-run sixth inning.

District 1 Class A.

Joceyln Hickey pitched a complete game and went 3 for 3, leading

Christopher Dock

past

Delco Christian

, 8-2, in a quarterfinal game.

Hickey, who posted her fifth win of the season against just one defeat for the Pioneers, did not give up an earned run in pitching the six-hitter.

Christopher Dock advanced to a Tuesday semifinal date against fellow Bicentennial League member Morrisville at a location to be determined.

Delco Christian's Alyssa Mattoucci and Lynnae Cepielik had two hits apiece.

Rowan pitched the first four innings of the game, giving up six runs, seven hits and four walks.

Turner came into the game for the final two innings and gave up two runs on two hits and walked a batter.

In the other quarterfinal,

Calvary Christian

topped

Phil-Mont Christian

, 5-2, as Kelli Reichenbach, Kate Stauffer and Ashley Kane had RBI singles in a three-run sixth inning.