It was a big week for four of the Pioneers' spring sports teams. Both baseball and softball captured Section Two titles with down-to-the-wire victories while the lacrosse teams competed in the semifinals of the L-L League playoffs.

After sweeping the series against Solanco with an 8-2 victory on Thursday, May 5, the baseball team completed another sweep Monday night, May 10. Their 5-2 thriller at Ephrata locked up a second straight Section Two title for L-S (9-1, 11-8 overall).

Tied at 2-2, Peyton Harsh reached on an error to open the seventh. After a fielder's choice and a pop out, Brayden Adams singled and Gio Malatesta (3-4) followed with a two RBI double, raced to third on a throwing error and scored on a second throwing error, giving L-S some breathing room.

In the bottom of the seventh, Malatesta, who entered the game with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, worked out of a jam. After a lineout, and two walks sandwiched around a base hit, Malatesta induced a popout and a groundout to end the game.

"Gio has thrown bullpens all year," said head coach Jeff Swarr. "We just have not had the right opportunity to use him in relief. He is a competitor, and we felt the most prepared to handle the situation. In the words of Todd Garber, "The right decisions are the ones that work, and the wrong decisions are the ones that do." It worked," added Swarr, "so it was the right decision."

Peyton Harsh started the game, scattering six hits and striking out three over 5.2 solid innings.

The following night the Pioneers hosted Octorara. A six-run first inning propelled them to a lopsided 12-2, five-inning nod and moved them one step closer to qualifying for districts.

"Over the last 30 years, we have qualified for districts 26 times," said Swarr. "All of our games are in, so now we scoreboard watch."

Malatesta (3-4 with three doubles, 2 RBI) and Isaiah Parido (2-4 with a double, 2 RBI), sparked the Pioneers' nine-hit attack. Jason Long picked up a two-run homer in the second inning. He also launched a home run against Solanco.

SOFTBALL

The softball team also needed a win over Ephrata to claim a section crown. They did so by scoring nine runs in the second inning and denying the Mounts the rest of the way. It was Lampeter's second straight title and ninth overall.

"Ephrata has a good pitcher," said head coach Earl Rutledge. "We got a couple bloop hits and were aggressive on the base paths. Our defense kept us in the game."

Brooke Zuber and Kara Scranton opened the inning with consecutive singles. With one out, Chloe Meck's fielder's choice scored Zuber and Mackenzie Maki's grounder to first scored Scranton. Maura Savoca followed with a RBI base hit to left, leaving L-S with all the runs they needed.

Keiva Middleton struck out nine and scattered four hits in the shutout.

The Pioneers were coming off a tough 1-0 loss to Solanco on Thursday, May 5.

In a pitchers' duel, Middleton gave up three hits on the day, walked five and struck out nine but was dealt the loss. Solanco's Anna Sexton surrendered ten hits, struck out four and walked two but was awarded the win after pitching out of a two outs, bases loaded situation not once, but twice.

"It was a good game," said Rutledge. "Anna pitched well for them. To give up ten hits and four walks and not give up a run is amazing. We just did not get the timely hits."

Solanco opened the seventh with a bunt single, was sacrificed to second and scored on a double. L-S ended further damage with a double play and threatened in the bottom half with a walk and a two out single by Scranton (3-4).

LACROSSE

The boys' and girls' lacrosse teams qualified for the Lancaster-Lebanon League playoffs which got underway last Tuesday night, May 10. The boys' battled Hempfield at Ephrata while the girls faced Manheim Township. Both teams came away with losses.

It was a back-and-forth game for the boys who trailed 5-3 at the half and 7-6 after three on goals by Colin Sullivan and Stewart McClain (2) but the Black Knights capitalized on turnovers and advanced with an 11-7 win after controlling the final quarter, 4-1.

"We turned the ball over too many times in the game, leading to goals on the other end that cost us the game," said head coach Mike McConomy. "We need to be better on both sides of the ball as we approach district playoffs."

The Knights were only the second team to hold L-S to seven goals or fewer.

Barrett Denlinger (1a) and Jack Filius also scored twice.

The girls suffered a 20-3 loss in their first meeting against the Streaks (April 28) and Tuesday's matchup was a similar result, 16-3.

L-S opened the scoring with a goal by Hannah Cissne and knotted the game at 2-2 on Hannah Gawne's strike. They never regained the lead despite controlling the clock and attempting to limit Township's offense.

Gawne was recently recognized as a first team all-star along with Emaly Garrett. Cissne and Ryan Logan were honorable mention selections while Rowan Kimmel, along with Hempfield's Kelsey Dague, were voted as co-most valuable midfielders. Maggie Visniski, for the senior with the highest GPA or class rank on the team, made the all-academic team.

TRACK

Elly Bruner and Maggie Swarr both turned in hat trick performances to lead the Pioneers to a convincing 105-41 victory over Cocalico last Monday, May 9.

Bruner commanded the jumps with top leaps in the long, triple and high while Swarr delivered in the throws, taking the shot, discus and javelin.

Bruner also ran a leg of the winning 4x100 relay, teaming with Maddie Weichler, Lyndi Wall and Anya Myers for the victory. Wall also won the 100 and finished second behind Weichler in the 200.

Also on the track, Madison Malcolm posted top times in the 100 and 300 hurdles, Martin and Heiser went 1-2 in the 800, Morgan Wright claimed the fastest 3200 and the 4x800 team of Tori Heiserman, Olivia Magagna, J. Martin, and Olivia Tatman ran to victory.

The going was a bit tighter in the boys' 87-63 victory. Teagan Weaver dominated the 100 and 200 sprints and led a sweep in the long jump with Artem Nebel and Yasin Abdi taking second and third, respectively.

Nebel and Abdi also went 1-2 in the triple jump while pole vaulters Luke Wiley, Mitchell Livengood and Aiden Wiley provided another sweep.

Luka Vranich won the mile and anchored the winning 4x400 relay with Eric Doutrich, Aidan Black and Andrew Cramer and Colin Whitaker and Ben Devine went 1-2 in the 800 and joined Cramer and Doutrich for a 4x800 victory.

Black and Doutrich added a 1-2 punch in the 400 and Owen Witmer was the 3200 winner.