In the season opener for the Garden Spot softball team on Monday, March 29, the Spartans found themselves trailing Lancaster-Lebanon League rival Donegal 11-1 early on.

The Indians scored six times in the first inning and three more runs in the second, taking advantage of some Spartans fielding errors.

Going into the fifth inning, head coach Kim King had one request for her batters.

"I told them 'Just get the bat on the ball - make them make the play," King explained. "I told them that even though we were down by 10 runs, we need to make something happen."

The Spartans started a one-out rally that plated seven runs.

A walk, a bunt single and a succession of line drive singles pushed across the first couple of runs in the seven-run rally.

The game ended with Donegal posting a 13-8 victory. But the Spartans came away with a moral victory while freshman Sydni King and first-year varsity left fielder Lindsay Lapp each got their first varsity hits.

The Spartans played three games in as many days, including a walk-off win on Wednesday under a steady drizzle at home.

Sandwiched in between was a loss at Manheim Central.

"We were supposed to play them on Friday, but their field wasn't ready," King explained. Starting pitcher Amelia Mercado drove in all three runs in a 7-3 loss to Central. She struck out four and walked four.

"We had one inning that was shaky and that hurt us," King said. "Of the seven runs I think only four were earned.

"I feel a lot of our teams in our league are going to struggle with pitching - not having had last year with COVID," King stated. "You're also going to have a lot of inexperienced players.

"I tell the girls that as long as we get better with each game, the second time around against each team we're going to do better," continued the coach.

The offense was led by Mercado and Sydni King, each with three hits.

Wednesday's walk-off win was proof of the steady improvement for Spot. The team went into the seventh inning trailing Cocalico 8-7.

In the sister act version of Garden Spot softball, Ally King, a senior, hit a double to the fence to score the tying run. Sydni King drove in the game-winning run with a grounder up the middle.

"Amelia had five strikeouts," King noted. "It was terrible weather to pitch in. She has pitched all three games for us so far and been doing a really good job."

Ally King finished with two doubles. Abby O'Neill had two hits as well - a single and a double. Mercado tripled and singled.

"I'm just so proud that they went out and fought hard to the end," King stated.

TENNIS

Garden Spot lost to Elizabethtown in a non-league tennis match on Friday, March 26. The Bears claimed a 7-0 win.

Cole King and Christian Merk had a close match at number three doubles, losing 8-3. Ani Kulkarni lost 6-2, 6-2 in number four singles. Dylan Esbenshade suffered a 6-1, 6-2 loss at number two singles and Nate Vreeland lost 6-0, 6-2 at third singles.

Garden Spot fell to 1-4 on the year.

BOYS' VOLLEYBALL

The Spartans have volleyed up three straight wins to start the season. After blanking Schuylkill Valley in a non-league match in the season opener, the Spartans topped Manheim Township 3-0 on Monday, March 29 followed by a 3-1 Section Two victory at Lancaster Mennonite the next evening, improving to 1-0 in league play (3-0 overall).

The Mennonite match tested the resilience of the Spartans, who took the opening set 26-24. After the Blazers evened things up with a 25-20 win, Garden Spot played tough defense to earn 25-10 and 25-16 victories.

Tanner Laukhuff and Joseph Sharp tied for the lead in kills with 12 each. Sharp also registered three blocks. Derrick Lambert finished with 10 kills while Tyler Martin served up two aces. Jordan Martin added 47 assists.

In the Township match, Spot forged a commanding 2-0 lead with 25-6 and 25-9 victories before finishing the sweep on a 25-18 triumph.

Sharp finished with nine kills while Jordan Martin tallied 28 assists, one block and six aces.

Tyler Martin was tops with 15 digs. Jack McCarty also notched one block.

GIRLS' LACROSSE

The girls' lacrosse team posted its first win of the year with an 11-6 non-league victory over Conrad Weiser on Monday, March 29.

A pair of youngsters helped the team with its offensive onslaught. Freshman Gwen Varley scored six times and recorded one assist while sophomore Brielle Moyer finished with a hat trick.

Garden Spot's 19-shot attack also included one goal each by Emily Ferris (2 assists) and Tavita Kauffman.

Senior goalkeeper Lexi Horning provided quick reflexes to help secure the win. She recorded eight saves.

The Spartans did not have an answer for Lampeter-Strasburg's Riley Dawson, who scored six times in the Pioneers 14-3 L-L League victory at New Holland on Tuesday, March 30.

Moyer, Varley, and Emma Gruber each scored one time for Spot.

BOYS' LACROSSE

The Spartans played back-to-back matches in the final week of March, coming up short against Lampeter-Strasburg and at Conrad Weiser.

In the non-league game at Weiser on Monday, March 29, the Spartans netted two fourth-quarter goals in a 12-4 loss. Zane Fisher scored two goals while Gavyn Naranjo, who also had an assist, and Ayden Naranjo each tallied one goal. Logan Lesley provided one assist.

Gabriel Myer, Garden Spot's senior goalie, faced 25 shots and recorded 12 saves.

With eight goals from attacker Connor Nolt, the L-S Pioneers defeated Garden Spot 18-6 on Tuesday.

Gavyn Naranjo was the scoring leader for Garden Spot, posting a hat trick while also assisting on another goal. Fisher had two goals and an assist while Lesley capped the scoring with one goal.

Myer grabbed 10 saves and Cole Leaman finished with two.

BASEBALL

Garden Spot fell to 1-2 on the year with a 6-3 loss at Cocalico on Wednesday, March 31. Joel Martin, who finished with three base hits, and fellow junior Nate Simmons each had one RBI as did senior Mason Graybill. Both teams finished with 10 hits.

Cody Brullo, who also stole a base, scored one of Garden Spot's runs. Martin and Justin Petersheim each scored once.

TRACK

The boys' team lost a close 74-72 meet to Cocalico at home on Monday. Alex McFalls won the 800 in 2:15.4 and the 1,600 in 5:03.5.

Alan Krock had the winning pace of 11:39.3 in the 3,200. Finn Wenrich dashed to victory in the 400 (55.2).

In the field events, Tristin Sadowski's 5-6 high jump was good for first. Aiden Durante took the pole vault at 8-6 and the triple jump with a 33-8.5 measurement.

In the girls' meet, Cocalico won 83-67 despite the Spartans winning the 4 x 800 relay with Martin, Bevalee Tshudy, Julia Hoover and Melanie Esh.

Esh also won the 1,600 (5:56.7) and Bryna Kelly the 300 hurdles in 49.19. Kelly's 5-0 high jump was also good for first.