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From PennLive.com: http://highschoolsports.pennlive.com/news/article/4949493391502803251/columbia-knocks-cedar-crest-out-of-lancaster-lebanon-league-softball-quarterfinals/

From Lebanon Daily News: http://www.gametimepa.com/ci_18063538?source=rss

Fro Sunday News: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/390035

Strikeout for Cancer

When the Columbia girls' softball team faces Eastern tomorrow at Glatfelter Field, the team will hold its second annual Strikeout for Cancer game.
It starts at 10 a.m. Pre-game ceremonies are expected to begin around 9:30.

Also, tomorrow's baseball game has been rescheduled for Wednesday.

Tide girls win with fifth inning rally

While coaching third base prior to the start of the bottom of the fifth inning and his team locked in a tie game with Tulpehocken, Tide coach Brad Brubaker asked for anyone listening – “how does water get to the second floor?” He answered “pressure.”


And that’s what the Columbia softball team did turn up the pressure in their half of the fifth inning, plating four runs en route to a 6-2 District Three Class AA playoff win at Garrett Park in Willow Street.

The Tide now advances to the quarter-finals of the Class AA tournament against Berks County power house Kutztown on Thursday at a site and tie to be announced early Wednesday.

So what did the Tide do to up the pressure and win their first-ever district playoff game?

They took advantage of some wildness of three Tulpy pitchers, who threw in the inning got some big hits.

Emily Groft opened the big frame with a four-pitch walk off Tulpy starter Jenna Daub. The walk finished Daub’s hot afternoon. She was replaced by Heather Koenig, who was greeted with a ground ball to short off the bat of Emily Detz and Groft easily beat the throw to second and the Tide had an inning going.

After Alexis Eckman sacrificed the two runners over, Ashlyn Phillips worked another walk to juice the bases. Jenna Plastino then drilled a Koenig pitch to left for a two-run single.

Vallesa Carollo continued the inning with a well placed bloop hit over first, which ended the afternoon for Koenig. She was replaced by southpaw hurler Bailee Shies, who was able to get out Allison Michener on a pop out.

She couldn’t get out Kayla Lambert, who ripped a double to center, scoring Marina Benavente, who was running for Phillips and Plastino.

Now that Columbia had a huge 6-2 lead, it was up to Detz to shutdown Tulpy down on the mound.

Outside of a weak double off the bat of Tulpy’s Ashley Rank, which glanced off Michener’s leg and face at short and two walks in the seventh, Detz was able to shut Tulpehocken down.

For the game, Tulpy had just one solid hit off Detz. That was in the second inning when Rank crushed a triple to left. She scored with two outs when Sarah Wise got a bloop hit just over the glove of Groft at second.

Tulpy used a couple of bloopers in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Daub led the inning off with a blooper to right and Rank followed with a well placed hit over first. Daub scored on an infield out and Detz was able to get out of the inning.

Columbia, who was limited to one hit over the first three innings, finally rattled Tulpy starter Daub.

Phillips ripped a solid single to left to start the inning and Plastino reached on a four-pitch walk. Carollo then walked to load the sacks. Michener then crushed a single to center to tie the game.

It looked as though the Tide was about to break the game open.

But it didn’t happen.

Kayla Ortman batting for Lambert crushed a ball to shortstop, who booted the ball. The Tulpy shortstop did recover to force Carollo at third, but in the confusion over whether the ball off Ortman’s bat was caught or not, Michener started going back to first from second and got caught in a rundown and was tug out, basically ending the inning.

Detz allowed five hits for the game, but only one of them, Rank’s triple was a screamer. She struck out nine and walked two.

Winning wasn't important today

When the Columbia and Reading Central Catholic girls' softball teams battled this morning at Glatfelter Field, who won and who list wasn't important.
The two were playing a non-league game with proceeds going to the fight against cancer.
In honor of the event, the Tide girls and coaches donned special pink jerseries for the game. Thost shirts as well as special Columbia Softball shirts were sold at the game, with proceeds going to the fight against cancer.
In addition, relatives of players and coaches, who beat cancer were recognized and those who lost relatives to the disease, had a moment of silence held in their honor.
Also, a number of businesses including Kline's Septic, Kleen-Rite, Associate's Real Estate and others donated money for each strikeout Tide fireballer Emily Detz recorded. She had 13 for the game, which raised a little more than $1,000.
And the future of the high school softball program was also on display as the four softball teams from the CBAA program were introduced.
As for the game itself. The Tide less than 24 hours earlier saw their chances for a league playoff berth go out the window with a loss at Annville-Cleona were ready to play.
Detz was brillant in the circle. She retired the first 18 batters she faced, 11 by strikeout, before allowing a leadoff double in the seventh. That runner scored on a stole base and wild pitch.
It was the only headache all day in the Tide's 7-1 win, which was the team's 12 of the season.
Columbia had a big chance to break the game open right from the start. They loaded the sacks on a walk to Detz and base hits off the bats of Jenna Plastino and Allison Michener, but failed to score.
In the second, Brittany Germer doubled with one out, but RCC threw some leather around, getting a fly ball double play to end the inning.
In the third, Columbia got on the scoreboard.
Detz and Vallesa Carollo walked to start the inning and they dented the dish on a booming double to left off the bat of Ashlyn Phillips. Platino followed with a single and Alexis Eckman running for Phillips scored when Michener singled. A sac fly off the bat of Germer scored the fourth run of the inning.
The Tide salted the game away with a two spot in the fifth.
Plastino crished a triple to center. She was replaced by Emily Nobile, who scored when Michener grounded out. Another one plated following aq single off the plate of Kayla Lambert, a walk to Germer and Emily Groft reaching on an error.
Columbia scored its final run of the game in the sixth on a double by Phillips and run scoring single from Plastino.
The Tide girls will close the regular season Monday with a home game against Lancaster Mennonite at 4:15 p.m. and then sit idle until May 21 when District Three playoff action starts.

Tide girls continue their dominance

Emily Detz threw a two-hitter and struck out a career-high 19 batters as the Tide downed previously unbeaten Annville-Cleona 1-0 at Glatfelter Field.

Columbia's lone run came in the second when freshman DP Marina Benavente drew a two-out walk, then freshman Valessa Carolla smashed a double to the right center field gap and scored Benavente.


Detz yielded a leadoff double to A-C shortstop Chris Ditzler, then struck out the side to move the Crimson Tide into sole possession of first place in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Columbia improves to 4-0 in Section 4 and 5-1 overall, while Annville-Cleona drops to 3-1 in Section 4 and 5-1 overall.

On Wednesday, the Tide closes out the first half of the League season with a game at Lancaster Mennonite.