Big inning bounces Eagles

Audubon scores nine unearned runs in fourth inning to put Pennsville out of South Jersey softball playoffs, snap Eagles’ 15-game winning streak

SOUTH JERSEY GROUP I SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Thursday’s Semifinals
(1) Audubon 12, (4) Pennsville 0
(3) Haddon Twp. 9, (2) Buena 1
Saturday’s Championship Game
(3) Haddon Twp. (19-6) at No. 1 Audubon (18-5)

By Al Muskewitz
Riverview Sports News

AUDUBON – It’s amazing how one play can change the course of an entire game, but when you have a lineup like Audubon’s sometimes that’s all it takes.

The Pennsville softball team was expecting a tight game in their South Jersey Group I semifinal with top-seeded Audubon Thursday, a game the Eagles knew they needed to be at the top of their game. 

An error in the infield with two outs in the fourth inning opened the door to nine unearned runs that propelled the Green Wave to a 12-0 victory to snap the Eagles’ 15-game winning streak, deny them an undefeated May and end their season.

“You can’t make mistakes against teams like that; they’re a good team,” a tearful Pennsville coach Beth Jackson said after breaking the Eagles’ post-game huddle.

It was still anybody’s game going to the bottom of the fourth and the Eagles came thisclose to keeping it that way. But they also were that close from it getting away, too.

The Green Wave had a runner at third with two outs and the Eagles were effectively one pitch from getting out of it, but shortstop Avery Watson mishandled Peyton Marrone’s sharp grounder and then threw the ball past first baseman Bella Rappa when she recovered. It allowed the run to score and opened the floodgates.

The next seven Audubon batters all delivered hits and the next nine reached safely. Ava Grebel got the tidal wave rolling with an RBI double off the base of the short 182-foot left-field fence. Abigail Tole and Emma Speyerer both ripped two-run triples. The Eagles (18-5) also made three more errors that either allowed runs to score or runners to take an extra base.

“We tell the girls all the time just putting the pressure on the defense is key – putting balls in play, hitting balls hard,” Audubon coach Erin Small said. “It doesn’t always have to be a hit, just put the pressure on the defense, allow them to make a play or make a mistake.

“We were able to string some good hits together along with some mistakes and it’s contagious. Hitting is contagious. Fortunately, we were on the good side of it today.”

Aubudon reached Pennsville starter Savannah Palverento for three runs in the first inning before Jackson lifted her for Sierra Stultz with one out. Stultz stomped out that fire on seven pitches and got out of a second-and-third jam in the third inning to keep the Eagles in it.

“I was thinking I had to keep them from scoring and I had to do my job and hit my spots,” Stultz said.

“That’s been her whole (approach) all season; she’s done her job, she’s always ready to go,” Jackson said. “I know she’s ready, but I’m always asking her, but that just helps me give her a mental check. She’s done her job all year and always done it with a smile.”

The smile turned to frustration in the fourth. Stultz got two of the first three hitters on infield outs, but things were about to change – and quickly – as the Wave began making contact with the good pitches she was throwing.

Audubon ended up getting nine hits in the big inning and 14 in the game. Speyerer, Grebel and Tole had three apiece. Tole was a homer short of the cycle. The Green Wave have scored 40 runs in their three playoff games.

“We were hoping for a big inning, we just had to really sit back on her,” Small said of Stultz. “Her speed was a little slower than the first (pitcher). When she first came in we were popping up, we were reaching, so our timing was off. 

“We just felt like after getting through her at least one time we felt confident we’d be able to put some hits together and we were fortunate enough to do that behind some of the mistakes they made as well.”

Pennsville’s bats, meanwhile, loud throughout the winning streak, were silenced by Audubon pitcher Emily Bobo. She held the Eagles to three hits over the first four innings, struck out eight – two in each inning – and turned back their two threats when it was still a game.

The Eagles put two on with one out in the first, but their next two hitters struck out. They loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but Bobo got out of that with an infield fly and her final strikeout. Audubon has not allowed a run in the playoffs and has shut out four of its last five opponents.

“You have to hit the ball to get runs in,” Jackson said. “We knew we were going to see good pitching and tried to prepare for it as best as possible, but it was probably the best pitching we’ve seen all season from all 23 games.”

The Green Wave (18-5) will host third-seeded Haddon Twp. (19-6) Saturday in the South Jersey Group I championship game.

NOTES: It was the first time the Eagles had been shut out all season and the first time they’d been shutout since last year’s season opener (Clayton 8-0) … Bella Farina, Lilly Birney and Stultz had Pennsville’s three hits … The Green Wave held Rappa hitless in three plate appearances, denying her a 50th hit at Pennsville and 100th in her career. She finished with 97 career hits … The five losses are the fewest for a Pennsville softball team since it went 22-5 in 2014. The Eagles were trying to get to the SJ finals for the first time since 2019.