H.S. Softball: Lake-Lehman powers way past Holy Redeemer
Apr. 15—WILKES-BARRE — Lake-Lehman's promising season last year came to an end with an extra-inning loss to Holy Redeemer in the District 2 Class 3A softball semifinals.
That game wasn't really on the Black Knights' agenda during a rematch with Redeemer on Monday. They are more concerned about the here-and-now instead of the past.
Still, Lehman avenged that loss in a big way as Kirsten Finarelli belted two home runs as part of a 12-hit attack as the Black Knights defeated Redeemer 11-1 in six innings in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game.
Lehman defeated Redeemer 14-3 and 10-1 during the 2023 regular season, but Redeemer won the district playoff game 6-5 in eight innings.
"This isn't our main focus," Lehman coach Nicole Chipego said. "We just want to take one game at a time and we really didn't think too much about it from last year."
Finarelli, who has verbally committed to Penn State, slammed an RBI double off the center-field fence in the second inning. Lucy Honeywell did the same two batters later. Finarelli then led off the fourth and sixth innings with homers to center field.
An RBI single by Honeywell and an RBI double by Haylee Makarawicz in the fifth increased Lehman's lead to 11-0.
In all, Lehman had six extra-base hits. Hannah Chipego had an RBI double in the Black Knights' four-run first inning. Kaitlyn Brudnicki doubled and scored in the sixth.
Chipego was also strong in the circle. She brought a no-hitter into the fourth inning before Redeemer's Abby Williams rolled a single down the left-field line with one out. Anne Carter and Katie Genovese had singles in the sixth, the only other time the Royals threatened to score.
"Live and learn, that's what it boils down to," Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said. "You've got to come ready to play every single game no matter who you're playing. If you're not ready to play, things like this happen."
Defending divisional champ Lehman (4-0 Div. 2, 7-1 overall) and Redeemer (2-1, 3-3) will play at Lehman on April 29.
Lake-Lehman 11, Holy Redeemer 1 (6 inn.)
Lake-Lehman'AB'R'H'BI
Bucknavage cf'2'1'0'1
Chipego p'4'2'1'1
Finarelli c'3'3'3'3
Brudnicki ss'3'2'1'0
Honeywell 2b'4'2'3'2
James rf'3'0'1'1
Makarawicz 3b'3'1'2'1
Yusko 1b'3'0'2'1
Wallace lf'4'0'0'0
Totals'29'11'12'10
Holy Redeemer'AB'R'H'BI
Boylan cf'3'0'0'0
Pecuch 3b-p'3'0'0'0
Williams ss-p'2'1'1'0
Carter p-ss'3'0'1'0
Genovese c'3'0'1'1
Gryboski 1b'2'0'0'0
Stetz-Madden 2b'2'0'0'0
Hayden lf'1'0'0'0
Lombardi rf'2'0'0'0
Totals'21'1'3'1
Lake-Lehman'421'103 — 11
Holy Redeemer'000'001 — 1
2B — Chipego, Finarelli, Brudnicki, Honeywell, Markawicz. HR — Finarelli 2.
Lehman'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO
Chiepgo (W)'7'3'1'1'1'9
Redeemer'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO
Carter (L)'2.0'4'6'5'1'0
Pecuch'3.1'7'5'5'1'0
Williams'0.2'0'0'0'1'1
