Connellsville blasts BVA

The Connellsville softball team came out of the gate swinging on Wednesday and never stopped until the Falcons had pounded 15 hits in a 16-3 non section home win over Belle Vernon.

“All nine of our girls can put the bat on the ball,” said Falcons coach John Burd. “Hopefully, we can keep it up.”

On the Belle Vernon side, coach Tom Rodriguez lamented that his team also came out swinging, but the Leopards’ bats went cold after the first inning.

“Five of our first six batters got hits, and then we only had two (hits) after that,” Rodriguez said.

Belle Vernon (1-2) came right after the Falcons in the top of the first inning, when Mailey Hayes, Kaylee Sypolt and Bella Williams all singled.

But Connellsville catcher Kalyn Cole threw out Sypolt on a perfect throw to second baseman Addison Lloyd to help minimize the damage.

A single by Williams drove in Hayes, and Lauren VanDivner doubled to drive in Williams. Van Divner scored the third run on a groundout by Mia Zubovec.

Unshaken, Connellsville (2-0) tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Cali Leichliter led off with a triple, and Belle Vernon pitcher Maddie Grisnik walked Maggie Orndorff, Kalin Cole and Kaylee Roadman. Leichliter and Orndorff scored and Molly Greenawalt doubled to drive in Roadman.

An unusual double play helped the Leopards get out of the inning when shortstop Sypolt threw to Hayes at third base and Hayes tagged out two runners to keep the score tied at 3-3.

Lily Crawford singled to lead off the top of the second, but Lloyd, Leichliter and Roadman teamed up on a double play to end the threat. That began a run of seven consecutive batters retired by pitcher Mackenzie Victor, that was ended by the Leopards’ only other hit, a single by Taylor Beech, in the fourth inning.

In the meantime, the Falcons sent eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the second. Liz Painter and Lloyd reached base and both scored on a throwing error. Cole doubled home Orndorff, and Greenawalt doubled to drive in Cole for a 7-3 lead.

In the third, Orndorff singled to drive in Riley Dreves and Leichliter, and Cole homered to drive in Orndorff.

Trailing 11-3, Belle Vernon (1-2) almost got out of the fourth inning without giving up a run. But a two-out line drive by Lloyd was dropped in the outfield, to open the floodgates.

Leichliter followed with a single, Orndorff walked, and Cole tripled to drive in her fourth, fifth and sixth runs of the game.

Kaylee Roadman singled in Cole and Greenawalt singled to drive in Roadman for a 16-3 lead.

Victor retired the Leopards in order in the top of the fifth to clinch the game by the 10-run mercy rule.

“Our pitching is a little down this year,” Rodriguez said afterwards, adding that Grisnik pitched well in the 4-3 loss to Derry Area the previous day.

Belle Vernon hosts Albert Gallatin for a non-section game on Friday.

Paul S. Brittain / For MVI Sports