Pa. Girls: Pottsgrove pulls upset in Class AAA softball

Pottsgrove's 10th straight win was its most impressive of the season and arguably the upset of the softball season on Friday.

The eighth-seeded and visiting Falcons (14-8) posted a 6-4 stunner over top-seeded Nazareth Academy in the District 1 Class AAA quarterfinals, thanks largely to the hitting of Jess Kurtz, who went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, including a three-run homer in the third inning.

Marissa Kinneer took care of the rest, pitching all seven innings and holding the potent Pandas (18-2) to just six hits. The Pandas had won the last two District 1 Class AAA titles.

In other AAA quarterfinals:

Jamie Lachall outdueled Sam Esque to pitch Sun Valley to a 5-2 win over Springfield (Delaware County).

Lachall scattered six hits in the seven-inning complete game and her teammates helped her by spotting her a 4-0 lead.

The sixth-seeded Vanguards (11-6) got two hits apiece from Alie Alkins, Katie Maloney and Mallory Racine. Alkins also drove in a pair of runs.

Lachall struck out five and walked two.

Esque allowed only seven hits in the loss for the third-seeded Cougars (13-4).

Christy Von Pusch pitched a no-hitter and struck out 18 as fourth-seeded Radnor coasted to an 8-0 win over No. 5 St. Basil. The Red Raiders (15-5) got two hits apiece from Issy Schaefer, Britnee Mallory and Michelle Tolan.

District 1 Class AAAA. Spring-Ford's post-season winning streak stands now at three after rallying for a 5-3 win at Souderton.

The Rams, who shook off the disappointment of dropping a 3-1 game to Boyertown in the Pioneer Athletic Conference championship game seven days ago, used a four-run sixth inning to pull out the win.

Kristin Robinson pitched 51/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win. Allie Sasek went 3 for 3 at the plate and Briana Kofer scored a pair of runs for the Rams.

After beating No. 19 seeded Garnet Valley, 10-0, on Monday, the 14th-seeded Rams took down No. 3-seeded Bishop Shanahan, 4-2, on Wednesday and now Souderton, the No. 6 seed.

That earned the Rams (18-5) a date on Tuesday against either second-seeded Hatboro-Horsham, an 8-0 winner over No. 10 Downingtown West.

In other quarterfinals:

Neshaminy's Lauren Quense pitched a two-hitter in a 2-1 win over Owen J. Roberts.

Quense struck out nine and walked seven for the fourth-seeded Redskins (16-3).

Taylor Shultz pitched well for the fifth-seeded Wildcats (19-3), allowing three hits.

The teams took a 1-1 tie into the fifth when Dana Knapp led off with a double, advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on Diana Lampalombara's suicide squeeze bunt.

Bicentennial. While most teams are well into their postseason, Morrisville and Plumstead Christian used the open date to finish up regular seasons and it turned out to be memorable for the Bulldogs' Amber Sesar, who pitched a no-hitter for host Morrisville in the 7-0 win, striking out eight. The Bulldogs (14-4 overal, 10-4 league) also got a pair of hits and two RBIs from Casey Hollopeter.