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Health & Fitness

Sixth-Inning Rally Lifts Hatboro-Horsham High to Softball Win Over Conestoga

Val Sadowl's two-run triple sparks Hatboro-Horsham High to a five-run outburst and a comeback win over Conestoga.

When softball coach Joe DiFilippo made some changes in the 2012 non-conference schedule, the reason was to prepare his Lady Hatters not only for the rigors of the Suburban One League season, but also for the defending state champion's playoff run. 

The Lady Hatters almost got more than they bargained for Wednesday when a late comeback was needed to squeak out a 5-2 victory over visiting Conestoga High. 

Val Sadowl's two-run triple sparked a five-run uprising in the sixth inning — once again the Lady Hatters' lucky frame — as Hatboro-Horsham overcame a 2-0 deficit to improve to 3-0 on the season.

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The Pioneers (2-1) hit the Lady Hatters in the chops in the first inning when Morgan Noad followed a bunt single with a two-run homer to dead center field off all-state pitcher .

Shaffer settled down to blank Conestoga on two hits the rest of the way, striking out seven, but she had to wait awhile for the Hatboro-Horsham bats to finally awaken.

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DiFilippo watched his team scratch out just two hits in the first five innings. "They were a very well-coached team. That was a real good test for us."

But a pitching change proved to be Conestoga's undoing as the Lady Hatters came up with another sixth-inning charge, reminiscent of several wins during the 2011 playoff run, including that 4-3 victory over Pennsbury in the PIAA 4-A title game. 

Second baseman Jackie DiPietro got the winning rally started with a double to left field and third baseman Chrissy James followed with a stinging single to right to push DiPietro to third.

First baseman Maria Spinosa cut the Pioneers' lead in half with a suicide squeeze, beating out the bunt as DiPietro scored. 

Then Sadowl, Hatboro-Horsham's senior shortstop, drilled a liner over the right fielder's head to score James and Spinosa and give the Lady Hatters the lead.

After center fielder Heather Lutz walked, Sadowl scored and Lutz moved to second on a passed ball and right fielder Nicole Casagrand picked up an RBI with a single to center.

"They don't give up," DiFilippo said, after watching his team pull out another late win. "We have a lot of senior leadership."

In junior varsity action, the Lady Hatters received a well-pitched game from freshman Emily Wallace, but some defensive lapses led to several unearned runs in a tough 5-3 loss.

Wallace also had a pair of hits, including an RBI single that cut Conestoga's lead to two runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Hatboro-Horsham couldn't get any closer as it fell to 1-2 on the season.

Center fielder Maggie Leisch contributed a pair of hits and just missed hitting a long home run when the ball curved a couple of feet foul of the left-field line in the third. Leisch also saved a pair of runs with a diving catch late in the game to keep Hatboro-Horsham in striking distance.

Both Hatboro-Horsham softball teams will be back in action on Thursday when they host Crestwood High at 4 p.m.

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