The Hempfield softball team has slugged its way to five consecutive victories, the last two of which were by huge margins.

On Friday, April 16, the Knights stroked 14 hits as they defeated Solanco in a Section One and Two crossover game at home. On Monday, they blanked Lebanon 15-0 in a contest that ended after three innings. The wins improved Hempfield's record to 6-3 and to 4-3 in league play.

In a tight Section One race, Hempfield is chasing first place Penn Manor (7-1), Manheim Township (5-1) and Warwick (5-2).

"All of the teams that are ahead of us we have to play again," head coach Terry Shreiner pointed out. "We're in pretty good shape - two games off the lead. We plan on making a run for districts."

Shreiner praised the lineup for consistent hitting as the offensive force is awakened.

"We're pretty solid from one through nine," he stated. "For a young team, we're starting to put it together. Lately we've been able to hit like I thought we should have been hitting at the start of the season. Hitting is contagious as they say."

In the Lebanon game, Bella Rankin had a big day, going 3-for-3.

"We were patient and swung at strikes," Shreiner said.

In the Solanco game, Mikayla Hughes and Olivia Cover each hit a home run.

Pitching a complete game in that one was Courtney Gurthrie, who struck out eight, walking only one. Guthrie and freshman Carley Ernst have held down the pitching duties.

"I have two very solid pitchers," Shreiner said.

VOLLEYBALL

Coming off a Monday night win at home, the volleyball team took to the road for a Section One match at McCaskey. The Knights blanked the Red Tornado 3-0 and improved to 5-1 in league play.

Monday's win was against Dallastown in a non-league match. The Knights held back the Wildcats 25-18 and 25-21 in the first and third sets with a strong 25-12 set sandwiched in between.

Ryan Givens served three aces and pounded 14 kills in the Dallastown match.

Grant Lorelli and Mason Orth each finished with 11 digs while Adam Gimenson and Caden Bonner put up three blocks each.

Givens had 14 kills in the 3-0 (25-15, 25-14, 25-12) victory at McCaskey. Bonner registered four blocks and served up two aces while Orth led with 12 digs.

BOYS' LACROSSE

With two decisive victories, the boys' lacrosse team improved to 7-0 on the year. Coming off a tight 11-9 defeat of Manheim Township, the Knights dominated Palmyra 17-5 in a Saturday morning non-league contest. On Monday, April 19, they improved to 5-0 in league play with a 16-7 home victory over Penn Manor.

A.J. McAlpine scored four goals and assisted five times against Palmyra. Max Grube also scored four times.

Ryan Heuston, who had a pair of assists, and Jason Hilton each tallied two goals. Single goals were scored by Toby Marco, Dom Nottoli, Julian Morales, Stephen Pitts and Zach Antesberger.

Grube, Marco, Pitts and Hilton each recorded one assist.

Matty Wiest finished with five saves in goal.

Grube tallied five goals and three assists against Penn Manor. Antesberger also notched a hat trick while Pitts and Heuston each scored twice. McAlpine, who had two assists, Hilton and Dan Sears each scored once.

Wiest recorded 10 saves.

BASEBALL

The baseball team improved to 5-6 with two straight wins in which the Hempfield pitching allowed only one run. The Knights blanked Lebanon 6-0 on the road Monday. Two days later, they took care of Conestoga Valley 9-1.

Tim King struck out 12 batters and only allowed one walk while scattering five hits against CV.

The Bucks scored one in the top of the first but Ethan Seitz's two-run single in the home half put Hempfield in front for good. Austin Dunlap padded the lead with an RBI triple.

Hempfield scored five times in the third. Peter Fiore drove in one run. Dunlap and Cam Berger each stroked two-run singles to cap the inning.

Dunlap pitched a two-hit shutout in Lebanon. The southpaw struck out eight.

Seitz had a sacrifice fly for an early Hempfield run. Stephen Katch, Luke Fiore and Seitz added seventh inning RBI base hits.

TRACK

The boys' team improved to 3-1 after outrunning, out-jumping and out-throwing Warwick 112-38 on Monday, April 19. The Warwick girls defeated Hempfield 126-24.

In the mid-distance races, Owen Jackson got two victories with a 53.53 first-place finish in the 400m and a 2:04.74 in the 800m.

Aidan Hodge won the 1,600 (4:27.79) and the 3,200 (10:08.29).

Tanner Hess sprinted to two first-place finishes, winning the 100m in 11.45 and the 200 in 23.44.

Hess also won the shot put (43-1).

The boys' squad won all three relays, including the 4x800 where Joe Fahrney, Isaiah Hollinger, Sam Freedman and Chris Titter registered a winning time of 9:02.94

Tate Martin won the high hurdles in 17.26. Thomas Minnich won the triple jump (38-11) and Russ Haines tossed the discus 121 feet. Elijah Hinton's 19-0 long jump was best on the day.

TENNIS

Hempfield wrapped up the regular season by posting two victories. Last Monday they edged McCaskey 4-3, improving to 2-5 in the league. Tuesday afternoon they downed Central York in a non-league match, finishing the season at 3-9.

In that 4-1 defeat of Central, the Knights swept the singles matches while Eli Worley and Trent Meyers teamed up for a 6-0, 6-1 doubles victory. In the second doubles, the duo of Gavin Chamberlain and Jonah Comeaux opened with a 7-5 victory only to suffer a close 6-4 loss and a 10-7 defeat in the tiebreaker.

Eric Jordan and Carson Weigle each won their respective singles matches 6-1, 6-1. Alex Cooke took number three singles 6-1, 6-0.

Cooke was a winner in singles and doubles play at McCaskey. He overcame a 6-2 loss to George Fenimore at number one singles by surging back for a 6-1 win and a 10-7 tiebreaker triumph. He also teamed with Weigle for an 8-1 win at first doubles.

Weigle also won his singles match in a close contest - losing 7-5 but winning 6-1, 10-7.

Jordan paired with Chamberlain at number two doubles. They fell just short in an 8-6 final while Worley and Meyers won at third singles, 8-2.

Jordan was involved in a close singles match as well, winning 6-2 but losing the next two sets 6-3, 10-6.

GIRLS' LACROSSE

There are two teams looking to stake a claim on the L-L League girls' lacrosse championship - Manheim Township and Hempfield. Coming into the week of April 19, the two teams were tied with identical records of 6-0 in league play while Township held a slight edge in overall record (8-2 to 7-2).

And with a 17-3 victory on Wednesday, Hempfield improved to 7-0 by beating Conestoga Valley on the road.

Haylee Eide and Kelsea Dague each racked up five goals while Whitney Hershey and Brynne Axe each scored twice. Rega Gillisse added a goal while Catherine Molitor assisted on two.

Eryn Murphy collected five saves in goal.