Following a week in which the Garden Spot baseball team played four games in five days, they opened a new week with a victory, shutting out Octorara 3-0 at home on May 3.

Senior Mason Graybill pitched a 10-hit shutout.

"It was great seeing him come through on Senior Night," said head coach Greg Reiff. "They [Octorara] had opportunities up and down. He would bear down every single time and not allow a run.

"We also played great defense behind him," Reiff added.

Graybill was almost a one-man show. The old cliche of "he helped his own cause" stood true in this game.

"He also doubled to drive in two runs in the first inning," Reiff pointed out. Ty Stanley scored one of those runs with a double himself. Evan Myers went 2-for-3.

Another senior, Justin Petersheim, went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Spartans, who improved to 3-11 with the win, lost a tough game the previous Friday to Cocalico. The Eagles came back from a 7-3 deficit, scoring six runs in the final two frames to escape with a 9-7 win.

The Spartans got six innings from starter Josh Tudor, who allowed only one earned run while striking out eight and walking three.

"We played very well," Reiff said. "We took advantage of their miscues.

"We were moving runners and scoring runs," continued the coach. "We had the lead going into the top of the seventh inning. Tudor got to his pitch count limit."

What followed was a revolving door of pitchers as Reiff tried to bring in arms that could help get the team out of a jam.

"We gave up a walk and a double," Reiff said. "I brought in George Rohrbaugh."

Stanley recorded the three outs in that final frame. The Spartans threatened in the bottom half of the inning.

"We got the tying run to the plate, but couldn't score," Reiff said.

Cody Brullo and freshman Caiden Murphy each had two hits and a run.

SOFTBALL

The softball team raised it league mark to 7-6 thanks to victories over Cocalico and Octorara.

In a 9-2 win at Cocalico on Friday, April 30, the Spartans won with a complete team effort.

"Everyone had a hit," Kim King, the Spartans' coach said. "We also had a couple of sacrifice flies. Our girls were putting the ball into play."

The Spartans' defense actually sparked the offense.

"One of their hitters had a single and our right fielder had an error on it," King explained. "The center fielder picked it up and on a great relay from our shortstop, we got the out at home."

In the third inning, the Spartans loaded the bases on singles by Abby O'Neill and pitcher Amelia Mercado and a walk by Sydni King. Emma Royle had a sacrifice fly for one run. Lindsay Lapp also drove in a run that inning.

One big blow was a triple by Brittany Esh - a hit on which the senior outfielder circled the bases.

"She crushed it," King said. "There was a bobble in the outfield, so it was scored as triple and an error. But it could have gone as a home run too."

Mercado was masterful, throwing a complete game and striking out six.

Garden Spot improved to 7-7 overall with the 11-5 win at Octorara on Monday, May 3, in rainy conditions.

Lapp and King had two hits each to help pace the offense.

VOLLEYBALL

The Thursday night victory at Elizabethtown for the boys' volleyball team was a crucial one.

The Bears roared back from a 1-0 deficit to win the next two sets 26-24 and 25-21 before the Spartans regained enough momentum to post a 25-20 win and take the tiebreaker set 15-11.

The victory improved the Spartans' league record to 9-0 with Manheim Central (8-1) on their heels.

Tanner Laukhuff led with 16 kills. Griff Witmer, who had four crucial kills in the first set, finished with two aces and six blocks. Jordan Martin dished out 39 assists while Tyler Martin added 10 digs.

GIRLS' LACROSSE

Sandwiched around a 24-0 loss to district powerhouse Manheim Township - a setback on Monday, May 3 - were Garden Spot's 7-3 victory at Elizabethtown (Friday, April 30) and their Tuesday evening 9-8 defeat of Cedar Crest in L-L League girls' lacrosse action.

In that E-town match, the Spartans opened the second half with a 3-1 advantage and outscored the Bears 4-2.

Gabrielle Mansi, Gwen Varley and Brielle Moyer scored two goals each. Ashton Gonzalez also scored.

In the 9-8 victory at home, the Falcons and Spartans were tied 5-5 after a wild first half. Lexi Horning made eight saves.

Emma Gruber had a hat trick. Brielle Moyer led with four goals while Mansi and Gonzalez each netted one goal.

BOYS' LACROSSE

Those who have been following the boys' lacrosse team have surely seen improvements in the second half of the season. Garden Spot improved to 4-12 with a pair of good performances that netted one win and a close loss.

The Spartans lost a tough 12-10 match to LCD/LC on Thursday, April 29.

The Cougars took a 4-1 lead into the second quarter and saw the Spartans pick away at that lead until it was 5-4 LCD at halftime. Both teams notched four goals in the third quarter until the Cougars pulled away with a slight edge in the fourth.

The Garden Spot offense recorded 32 shots on goal to 27 by the visitors. Gavyn Naranjo had a hat trick (1a). Zane Fisher (2a), Ayden Naranjo and Logan Lesley, each scored twice. Ayden Naranjo and Lesley each recorded an assist.

Cole Leaman racked up 10 saves.

The following day, the Spartans topped Daniel Boone 16-2, improving to 4-11 on the year. In the non-league victory Gavyn Naranjo was virtually unstoppable with eight goals and one assist. His brother Ayden Naranjo scored once and assisted four times while Fisher came away with another hat trick. Lesley (2g, 1a), Jared Patton (1g,1a), Tom Andress (1g), Blake Weaver (3a), Michael Zook (1a) also contributed.

The Spartans were solid in goal thanks to Leaman (10 saves) and Coline Howe, who had two saves.

In the 14-7 loss at Conestoga Valley on Tuesday, Fisher and Gavyn Naranjo both had hat tricks. Lesley scored the other Spartan goal.

TRACK

The boys' squad came up short in an 83-67 loss on Monday at home, falling to 0-6 with the loss to Solanco (3-2). The girls' team improved to 2-4 with a 96-55 win.

Finn Wenrich was a multiple winner for the boys, taking the 200m and the 400m.

Part of what made this a close track meet was Garden Spot winning two relays. In the 4x400, it was Wenrich, Jaxon Kulp, Sean Kelch and Alex McFalls while Kulp and McFalls teamed up with Tom Watt and Joel Benedick in the 4x800.

Kulp also won the 100m while McFalls claimed the 800 and Alan Krock took the 1600.

Nicole Kelch was in two winning relay teams. She teamed up with Isabelle Stauffer, Melanie Esh and Lauren Horning in the 4x400 and anchored Cloe Martin, Julie Hoover and Kaleigh Watkins in the 4x800.

Esh won the 1600 and 3200m while Kelch took the 800 and Horning the 400.

Bryna Kelly won both hurdling events. Kelly took the high jump while Logan Martin won the javelin and Elyse Mundorff took the triple jump.