Tide girls move on

Will the third time be a charm for the Columbia girls' softball team?


That question will be answered Tuesday when the Crimson Tide meets Section 4 rival Annville-Cleona in the semi-finals of the District Three Class AA playoffs. The two qualified for the semi-finals with opening round wins Thursday.

A-C, who finished second behind the Tide in Section 4, blanked Littlestown, 4-0. The Tide, the Section 4 champs, got past Bermudian Springs, at Spring Grove, 9-1.

And there will be plenty at stake on Tuesday.
For the winner, they get a trip to the District Three championship on Thursday and also qualify for the PIAA tournament. The loser sees their season end.

And the Tide girls only lost four games this season – two of them were to A-C. There was a 2-0 loss at Glatfelter Field on April 14 and a day after wrapping up their first Section title, the Tide girls lost a meaningless 8-2 decision to the Little Dutchmen.

Last Thursday, playing for the first time in a week, the Tide girls were a little sluggish, but still had enough juice to record their second district playoff win in two years.
The Eagles reached Tide hurler Emily Detz for four hits, three in the sixth when they scored their lone run and one in the fifth. Detz struck out 10.

The Tide didn't get the scoreboard until the second. Jenna Plastino led the inning off with a walk, but was forced at second when Vallesa Carollo grounded into a fielder's choice, Alex Slick then singled, but Carollo later scored on a ground out.

In the third, the Tide went up2-0 on a single by Detz, a couple of wild pitches and she scored when Bermudian booted Kayla Lambert's ground ball to third.

The Tide got some breathing room in the fourth. Carollo scooted around the bases with an inside-the-park and a homer to lead off the inning. A walk to Slick and wild pitch scored another run. The final run came on a double steal executed by Megan Seibert and Detz.'

In the fifth, the Tide added a single run scored by Ashlyn Phillips on a ground out off the bat of Carollo.

In the sixth when the Tide scored their final three runs of the game, Jenai Plowden, Detz and Emily Hooper touched the plate.