After opening the season with five straight wins, Solanco's softball team suffered four straight losses before getting back on track with a much needed 17-0 win over Lebanon Wednesday, April 27.

The recent losses were crossover games against Manheim Township (7-2 on April 22) and Penn Manor (12-5 Monday the 25th).

Down 3-0 after two complete, Solanco scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to close the gap against the Streaks but gave up a four-spot in the bottom of the fifth and never recovered. They left 11 runners on base including bases loaded in the sixth and seventh innings and had runners thrown out at both home plate and third base. They also committed three errors.

Two hits by Emily Sims led Solanco's eight hit effort.

Three days later, the visiting Comets pounded out 15 hits, took advantage of five errors and finished on top 13-5.

Solanco scored four of its five runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead in half, 10-5. Haupt's three run triple was the big blow and followed Becca Foulk's RBI single. The Comets made a pitching change after that and Solanco's biggest threat was two on in the fourth.

Holly Grube, who started in the circle and gave up three earned runs, led with three hits. Foulk added two.

"We've had opportunities, but we have to cash in, or we'll struggle to be competitive," said head coach Brett Miller. "Errors have been a contributing factor as well as putting together a consistent lineup. Taryn Britigan (second base) is out with an injured wrist so more shuffling.

"This group is a feisty bunch and will just keep battling."

That battling left them with a 17-0 shutout over Lebanon, their fifth of the season. Grube tossed a no-hitter with four strikeouts and one walk. Sims led with three RBIs while Foulk, Haupt, Sara Defrancesco and J. Janssen pushed in two runs each.

BASEBALL

After a 13-3 loss to Cedar Crest Thursday, April 21, the Mules dropped a tough one against Manheim Township, 3-0, one day later. It was their third shutout by three runs or less.

The Streaks needed just five hits to score a single run in the first and two in the third. Blake Cheyney, Kody Moyer, and Ty Burger accounted for Solanco's three hits.

"We had some opportunities, leaving six runners on base, including the bases loaded in the fifth," said head coach John Girvin. "We just missed the clutch hit."

On the hill, Sawyer Weyman, with three strikeouts, took the loss. Dilon Dean walked one batter in relief.

"Dilon made his debut performance and pitched three scoreless innings," Girvin noted.

Solanco managed seven hits against the Falcons but gave up 16 and committed two errors. Tied at 2-2 after two innings, Crest exploded for ten runs in the third to put the game out of reach.

Last Monday, April 25, the Mules faced Penn Manor at Clipper Stadium but came up short again, 3-1. Ty Burger's single up the middle plated Blake Cheyney who led off the sixth with a base hit. The Comets scored one in the third and two in the fifth for the early lead.

Nate Harnish and Avery Jacobsen also collected hits but were left stranded.

"Ty pitched a nice game with seven strikeouts and three walks and Sawyer Weymen set them down in the seventh," said Girvin. "It was a great experience to play at the stadium.

"We moved some people around these last two games and that has made for a more solid defense," added Girvin. "Now if the hits would find the holes..."

In a thriller Wednesday, Solanco nipped Lebanon 8-7 in eight innings. Tied at 6-6, Solanco pushed ahead in the eighth when Jacobsen reached on an error and Herr was hit by a pitch. Both moved up on a passed ball. Cheyney's sac fly plated Jacobsen and, after an intentional was to Harnish (2 RBI), Burger answered the call with the game-winning base hit.

The Cedars sent seven to the plate in the bottom half and collected three hits but only scored once.

TRACK

Saturday, April 23, the track teams split up and competed in two different invitational meets. At Shippensburg, Katie Urbine not only won the pole vault but set a new meet record and a school record when she cleared 12-7.

"That height puts her second in the state," noted head coach Jen McDowell.

Also competing, Trent McDowell tied his best time in the 110 hurdles, the 4x800 relay posted their best time of the season and Hannah Wood tossed a season PR in the discus.

At the Leonard Stephen Invitational at Wilson, Noah Baber earned Solanco's highest finish, clearing 6-1 in the high jump for fourth place. Emma Housekeeper (100), Emma Baxter, Christine Wagner, Daria Neaves and Emily Powl (4x800 relay), John Sankus (discus PR), and Curtis Hills, Evan Kline, Thomas Houghton, and Liam Barry (4x800 relay) all earned seventh place finishes.

One day earlier, the track teams finished their meet with Lampeter-Strasburg by hosting the pole vault competition. Elijah Reimhold, with a personal best 12-7, grabbed first place but it wasn't enough as the boys dropped a tough one, 76-74.

After a weekend of personal bests, the boys team improved to 3-2 overall with a 95-55 victory over visiting Manheim Central on Monday and were once again, strong in the field. Reimold notched a hat trick, taking the long and triple jumps and the pole vault. Baber's six-foot high jump completed a jumping sweep for the Mules.

Forren and Baber followed Reimold to sweep the long jump and Armstrong and Coleman were second and third in the pole vault for another Solanco sweep.

In the throws, Braden Caldwell won the shot put (44-8), with Sankus and Smith grabbing second and third.

"That was a big PR for Braden," said McDowell. "We only predicted a 75-75 meet score, but the boys were determined to win and did just that. Definitely a team effort."

Highlighting the track, Joey Hartigan led the winning 4x800 relay team (Jimmy Hartigan, Wyatt Tomison and Anthony Solis-Morales) with a ten second PR and also clocked the fastest 3200 with his brother Jimmy taking second.

Anthony Solis-Morales was also first in the mile and Ian Althoff's 55.4 took the open 400.

The girls squad turned in solid performances but couldn't match the undefeated Barons and suffered a 92-58 result.

Wood, winning the shot (33-1) and discus (100.7) and taking second in the javelin, and Urbine, with a nine-foot vault, the top 100 time and a second in the triple, paced the scoring.

Christine Wagner's winning 13:14.9 in the 3200 was Solanco's only other first place finish.

"We figured the girls would score 48 points and they did better than that with some great throws and races," McDowell noted.

Also placing in three events was Olianna Oravatiz with a second in the long and thirds in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.