The softball team is at that point in the season where every game is a playoff game. After holding off L-S 1-0 on Thursday, May 5, Solanco played three games in three days and won twice. A win over Cedar Crest at home Monday would have clinched second place in Section Two and a league playoff berth. The hosts led 8-2 after four innings but struggled after that and fell short 16-12.

One night later, in a must-win situation, Solanco brought its 'A' game to Elizabethtown and clinched that final playoff berth, their first since 2018, with a solid 5-1 victory.

"We played well right from the start," said head coach Brett Miller. "I think the way we played the night before wore on them. We had to move on. They were focused and we got a good effort up and down the lineup.

"Anna pitched one of her best games of the season," he continued. "She had two or three innings with ten pitches or less and the defense made the plays behind her."

Solanco opened the scoring with a single run in the second and pushed two across in the fourth. Sexton singled and was replaced by Sara Defrancesco on a force out. Alyssa Schlagnhaufer and Josie Janssen (3-3) followed with base hits. Emily Sims (2-3) made it 2-0 with a sac fly and Kendal Janssen's (4-4) base hit added another run.

Two innings later, K. Janssen's base hit to center pushed in J. Janssen, who reached on a bunt, and Sim's who followed with a single.

"Kendal has been coming up with some big hits over the last two weeks," said Miller.

The Bears, who finished with four hits on the day, connected for two in the seventh and prevented the shutout.

Wednesday afternoon Solanco blanked Pequea Valley 15-0. Becca Foulk led the way with four RBIs, Marlee Haupt added three and Sexton belted a pair of doubles as the visitors wrapped things up in four innings.

Grube pitched a one-hitter with five strikeouts and one walk. The Braves went to the plate just 13 times.

Prior to the Cedar Crest loss, Solanco earned a hard-fought victory over L-S, handing the section champs a 1-0 loss. J. Janssen bunted, moved to second on a sacrifice by Sims and scored on K. Janssen's base hit in the seventh inning.

Solanco finished with three hits on the day. L-S pounded out 10.

"That was a big win for us," said Miller. "Anna (4k, 2W) made the pitches that were necessary and we made the plays behind her."

BASEBALL

With just two wins under their belt, the baseball team was looking to play spoiler when they hosted Lampeter-Strasburg Thursday, May 5. The Pioneers, looking to the post-season, took care of business, leaving Quarryville with an 8-2 win.

In a game that featured 24 total hits, and five errors (all by the Mules), Solanco jumped in front early, scoring one in the first inning. A two out base hit by Nate Harnish plated Austin Wenger, who singled to center with one out.

L-S took the lead for good in the second inning. Two singles and an error plated two runs. They scored single runs in the fourth and fifth and broke things open when a two-run homer highlighted a three-run sixth. Both teams traded runs in the seventh.

"We finished with 11 hits," noted head coach John Girvin, "but they were all singles. We're struggling to get those extra base hits right now. Our gap hits are just being gathered up."

Weston Beiler went 3-3. Harnish followed with a 2-3 day while Braden Herr, Kaden Strong (1 RBI), Wenger, Blake Cheyney, Ty Burger (1 RBI) and Kody Moyer all added one base hit each.

Brayden Herr took the loss, striking out two, walking four, and giving up eight hits and two earned runs over five innings. Sawyer Weyman gave up four hits and three runs in the sixth and Strong struck out two in the final frame.

In back-to-back games last Monday and Tuesday, May 9 and 10, the Mules suffered loses to Exeter Township (3-1) and Elizabethtown (10-6).

"Exeter has 11 seniors on their roster," Girvin noted. "We have two. We had four errors and three contributed to their runs."

On the plus side, Ty Burger went the distance, finishing with 10 strikeouts and one walk while scattering three hits. "It was a superior game for Ty," praised Girvin.

Solanco's lone run came in the fifth inning when Weston Beiler reached on a dropped infield popup, stole second and scored on Brayden Herr's base hit.

Nate Harnish finished with two hits and Dillon Dean added one.

At home against the Bears the following day, Solanco found itself in a one run game after six complete innings but gave up four runs in the top of the seventh and suffered a four-run defeat.

"They had two singles, a double and two walks that inning," Girvin noted. "They found the spots."

The Bears opened the game with a lead-off homer and never trailed. Solanco knotted the score at 3-3 in the second. Dean singled with one out while Kody Moyer and Avery Jacobsen drew walks. Herr's walk pushed in one run while Austin Wenger followed with two run single.

Burger's run scoring single in the fifth cut the lead to 5-4. Both teams traded runs in the sixth with Moyer scoring on a wild pitch.

TRACK

Katie Urbine and Elijah Reimold ignited Solanco's lopsided victory over visiting Lebanon last Monday, May 9. Urbine won the 100, 200, pole vault and long jump, sparking Solanco to a 91-95 victory while Reimold's hat trick (long, triple and pole vault) triggered a 99-51 result.

"That was the first time Katie ran the 200 this year and she broke her PR from last year," said head coach Jen McDowell, "and Elijah had his longest triple jump."

Backing Urbine in the field was Hannah Wood with a first in the javelin and seconds in the shot (PR) and discus and Paige Althoff with the longest triple jump.

Solanco got a boost on the track, winning two of three relays. Christine Wagner, Olivia Singleton, Groff and Daria Neaves started the action with a winning 4x800 while Carly Rose, Haylee Byers, Althoff and La'Niecia Taylor commanded the 4x100.

Also on the track, Emma Baxter was first in the mile and Emma Housekeeper won the 400.

The boys showed their muscle in the field, giving up just 11 points. Brian Caldwell PR'd in the discus by over seven feet to lead a sweep there with John Sankus and Connor Smith, who settled for first in the javelin.

Noah Baber and Reimold went 1-2 in the high with Baber following Josiah Forren in the long.

Trent McDowell, who ran his fastest 110 hurdles for a victory, finished a triple sweep with Trenten Henry taking third.

Riley Ford was the standout on the track, winning the 100 and 200 sprints and anchoring the winning 400 relay with Jonathan Morales, Forren and Michael Banguna, who, along with Morales, provided a 200 sweep.

Solanco also won the 3200 relay with the Hartigan brothers along with Wyatt Tomison and Anthony Solis-Morales.