Avon Grove tops Coatesville in battle of softball unbeaten

WEST GROVE – Avon Grove got contributions from all over the line-up, and strung together enough hits in key spots to give starting pitcher Elle Burns a nice lead to work with as the Red Devils improved to 7-0 overall (4-0 Ches-Mont National) with a 6-2 win over visiting Coatesville Monday afternoon in a battle of softball unbeatens.

“We come in with an attitude of respect everyone, but fear no one,” said Avon Grove coach Dennis Ryan. “Tip of the hat to Coatesville, they are a tough team who showed why they are off to such a great start. We just fight and compete on every pitch, and the results speak for themselves.”

The Red Devils grabbed the early lead, manufacturing a run without a hit in the first inning when Emerson Voit worked a lead-off walk, swiped both second and third, and came in to score on an RBI groundout from Gabby Beltran.

Both pitchers, Burns for Avon Grove and Grace Landis for Coatesville, were on their games early on, with neither team registering a base hit until Coatesville’s Olivia Wilkins evened the game at 1-0 with a solo home run in the top half of the fourth.

“We definitely had our chances, but just didn’t take advantage the way Avon Grove did,” said Coatesville coach Bill Mendenhall. “But we’re making the adjustments we need to make, and keep improving from game to game. We’re doing the little things right, and we’ll just look forward to the next challenge Wednesday against Downingtown West.”

Avon Grove’s bats came alive in the bottom half of the fourth, as the Red Devils took the lead with three runs on three hits, including back-to-back RBI doubles from Leah Clendenon and Peyton Smerkanich. The Red Devils tacked on a couple of insurance runs in the fifth highlighted by an RBI single from Mykayla Sycalik, who knocked in two with the base hit.

Burns earned the win in the circle, going the distance while allowing two runs—just one earned—on six hits. Burns struck out five and walked two.

“We knew this was going to be a tough game coming in,” said Burns. “We all just tried to keep up the pressure on the pitcher, and have each other’s backs. It feels great to come away with the win. This is two good teams that will go far, and we’ll see each other again. But it definitely feels good to be the one’s coming out this 7-0.”

Down 6-1 going into the seventh, the Red Raiders (2-1, 6-1 overall) were not quite ready to go gently into the night.  Ali Burke was hit by a pitch to start the inning, coming around to score on a single from Cameron Popoff.  After Sherry Taylor reached on a fielder’s choice, Danielle Sweigert drove a ball deep to the gap in right center. But centerfielder Clendenon ran it down, making a beautiful over the shoulder catch just shy of the fence.

“That was just one of those moments, with the game on the line, that really gets the adrenaline going,” said Clendenon. “I just got after it, and once I made the catch, I saw how lucky I was that I didn’t run into the fence. This win is definitely a confidence booster, and we’ll just keep making the positive adjustments and improving game to game.”

Avon Grove 6 Coatesville 2

Coatesville                            0 0 0 1 0 0 1 – 2

Avon Grove                          1 0 0 3 2 0 x – 6

HR — Wilkins 2B — Clendenon, Smerkanich.

WP — Burns LP – Landis.