SELLERSVILLE, Pa. – The Frenchville Her-a-Canes 18-and-under fast-pitch team won four of five games in pool play Saturday and Sunday but did not qualify for the semifinals of the Sellersville Belles Fall Classic II.
Only pool play winners advanced in the 24-team Amateur Softball Association Gold Tournament that drew entries from Eastern Pennsylvania and neighboring states.
The Her-a-canes, the first Central Pennsylvania team to play in a Sellersville Belles tourney, lost only to the Heartbreakers, who blanked Duke\’s Diamonds 8-0 in the semis before falling to the Belles 6-1 in the championship game.
A one-hitter by Holly Lansberry (Curwensville) highlighted the Her-a-canes\’ 4-0 victory over the Northampton Rebels in their first game Saturday. Lansberry struck out 10 and walked five. Ashley Demchak (Curwensville) had half of the Her-a-canes\’ six hits, including a double and a triple.
Mandy Rowles (Frenchville) was the winning pitcher and also paced an eight-hit attack with a single, double and triple in a 6-5 squeaker over the Jersey Jaguars. Lansberry added a double while Cydnee Sankey (Brisbin) drove in three runs.
The Her-a-canes were held to two hits, one a double by Sankey, in the 5-0 loss to the Heartbreakers. Lansberry was tagged with the defeat.
On Sunday, the Her-a-canes bounced the Lehigh Valley Panthers 8-2 and the Bay State Cardinals 6-3.
Rowles hurled a six-hitter against the Panthers and was backed by an 11-hit offense. Brooke Klinefelter (Julian) led the way with two singles and a double good for three RBIs. Lyndz Kephart (Munson) chipped in with two singles. Demchak tripled and Sankey doubled.
Against the Cardinals, Lansberry pitched a four-hitter with 10 strikeouts. Klinefelter again drove in three runs with a double and a triple. Bekka Leitzel (Ridgway) collected three of the Her-a-canes\’ nine hits.