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LEWISTOWN--Strodes Mills lives by its motto #ALLGASNOBRAKES, and the offense certainly lived up to that motto as Strodes Mills secured itself the Little League Majors softball championship, on Tuesday, over the Reedsville Rockets by the final score of 13-4 at Green Gables.
"I'm proud of the team with all the adversity they faced this season," Strodes Mills coach Aaron Thornburgh said.
The bats came out swinging for Strodes Mills in the bottom half of the first inning as they put up six runs in the frame.
Layla Osman scored the first run of the ball game on a passed ball. Carly Dickson followed by jacking a double to left field that brought home Addie Thornburgh to make it 2-0.
Both Dickson and Emily Porch scored on throwing errors to extend the lead to 4-0.
Ava Gipe then singled to center field to score Sarah Bennett before Brenna Benny scored on a wild pitch giving Strodes Mills a 6-0 lead.
Reedsville answered in the top half of the second inning scoring two runs thanks to a double to center by Macy Pietzsch that drove in Tatum Miller. Pietzsch later scored on a wild pitch.
In the bottom half of the same inning, Strodes Mills added another run as Porch reach base on an error at third, allowing Dickson to score.
Strodes Mills came back for more in the bottom of the third adding three runs in the frame, starting with Benny scoring on an error at third. Thornburgh's infield single drove in Osman and Dickson singled in Grayce Napikoski for the third run of the inning.
The Rockets continued to fight as in the top half of the fourth, they scored two more runs as both Miller and Morgan Sheetz scored on a throwing error by the catcher.
Strodes Mills scored its final three runs of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning as Dickson hammered a double to left-center to score Napikoski. Dickson later scored on an error and Bennett grounded out to second to drive in Porch.
Overall, Strodes Mills was led by Dickson who went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs along with two doubles and a triple. Osman went 3-for-3 and scored twice, Thornburgh went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Porch batted 2-for-4.
"Batting had always been our strong suit, but I'm overly proud of our defense and how they flashed the leather tonight," Coach Thornburgh said.
Dickson also pitched all six innings in the circle for Strodes Mills collecting seven strikeouts and no walks.
"She was amazing," Coach Thornburgh said. "Controlling the speed of the game, not letting them get comfortable in the box."
For Reedsville, Miller went 2-for-3 and scored twice, Shaylinn Shaffer had a hit in the game as well and Pietzsch was 1-for-2 with an RBI.
"We hit pretty well. It takes three parts to the game to win and that's pitching, hitting and fielding," Reedsville coach Jason Treaster said. "Today, we pitched and hit, we just didn't play very good defense."
Jemma Kanagy was in the circle for the Rockets and went five innings and nabbed four strikeouts with three walks for the evening.
"Pitcher was very decent," Coach Treaster said. "She throws strikes--doesn't throw hard--but relies on the defense to get the job done behind her and that just didn't happen today."
Strodes Mills finishes the season with a overall record of 9-1 while Reedsville finished off the year with a record of 5-3. Treaster was very proud of his team's season.
"The season was pretty successful," Coach Treaster said. "Can't sneeze at a second place finish."
Strodes Mills 13, Reedsville 4
R 020 200 4-4-10
SM 613 03X 13-11-1
WP: Carly Dickson. LP: Jayda Kanagy. SO: Dickson 7 (S); Ja. Kanagy 4 (R). BB: Ja.Kanagy 3 (R). 3B: Dickson (S). 2B: Layla Osman, Dickson 2 (S); Macy Pietzsch (R). MH: Osman 3-3, Addie Thornburgh 2-4, Dickson 3-4, Emily Porch 2-4 (S); Tatum Miller 2-3 (R). RBI: Thornburgh, Dickson 2 (S); Pietzsch (R).