INDIANS NEED 10 INNINGS, BUT EDGE PALISADES 2-1 IN STATE QUARTERFINALS

Phil Glatfelter was at Lyons Field in Fleetwood on Thursday, where Donegal topped Palisades 2-1 in 10 innings to advance to the PIAA Triple-A girls’ softball semifinals. Here’s Phil’s report from Friday’s New Era:

FLEETWOOD — There was plenty of deja vu in Donegal’s PIAA Triple-A quarterfinal game Thursday at Lyons Field.

No. 9 hitter Laura Gebhart, a freshman left fielder who knocked in the Indians’ first run with a one-out sacrifice fly to center in the third inning, faced the same situation in the 10th, and delivered again, giving the Indians a thrilling 2-1 win over Palisades.

“I was just trying to focus on the ball and try to hit it,” said Gebhart, who also had two RBIs in Donegal’s 3-2 win over St. Basil Academy Monday.

“I just tried to take a deep breath and do whatever.”

The win sends the Indians (23-4) to Monday’s semifinals against Milton, set for 7 p.m. at Brightbill Park in Harrisburg.

Gebhart’s game-winner knocked in another freshman, Kelsey Hannold, who one-hopped a long drive off the fence down the left-field, 265 feet away.

“It was inside, so I needed to drive it to left,” said Hannold, who had to do a quick shuffle back to the third base on the fly ball after initially leaving third early. “I was just happy to help out the team.”

The Indians had a chance to end things in the seventh, but Palisades rallied for a run on three hits and an intentional walk.

The Pirates had plenty of chances to win it there, but a runner was thrown out at home trying to score on a single to center field, which would have tied it at 1.

The Indians easily nailed her at home, on a throw from center fielder Nicky Hess to shortstop Megan Kibler to catcher Taylor Hatt.

Donegal pitcher Abby Hoover, who went the distance for the win, wasn’t out of the woods after that play, with Taylor Rundatz doubling home losing pitcher Krista Morrone.

An intentional walk and a fielder’s choice with no out recorded loaded the bases. But Hoover got a strikeout and pop out to end the inning.

Gebhart knocked in Katie Robinson, who hit a one-out, line-drive triple down the left-field line, with her first sac fly in the third.

Meanwhile, Hoover escaped several small jams during the game, with the Pirates getting their leadoff hitter on in the first, second, sixth and seventh innings.

The Pirates’ leadoff hitter, Brittany Hendricks, led off the bottom of the first with a well-executed bunt, but Ellie Giovino’s sacrifice bunt ended in two outs.

Hendricks never stopped around second and was easily thrown out at third by second baseman Whitney Breneman, who was covering first.

Hoover took the throw and made the tag. More deja vu came in the bottom of the 10th when Palisades began to rally as they did in the seventh.

Two Pirates reached with one out, one via the Indians’ only error of the game. But the game ended with something that wasn’t seen all day, as Donegal perfectly turned a 6-4-3 double play: Kibler to Breneman to Kaitlyn Houseal.

“These kids have worked and worked in practice, and I think it shows out here,” Donegal coach Tom Hartman said. “I think we’re as consistent as anybody on defense.”

Lyons was the site of another memorable Donegal win, two years ago in the state semifinals against Allentown Central Catholic, on the way to the state title. The Indians won that one 2-1 in nine innings.

Of course, Hannold and Gebhart, as freshmen, weren’t part of that.

“You worry about a freshman when things aren’t going good,” Hartman said. “We had five freshmen in the lineup when we won a state title.

The only time you worried was when things weren’t going well. … When things are going good, freshmen are as good as anybody.”

“I was staying calm, but it was kind of nerve-racking,” Hannold said of Thursday’s win.

“But those are the best games because you have to work so much harder for it.”

Now they can only hope there’s more deja vu next week, in Monday’s semifinals and Friday’s championship, scheduled for Friday at noon at Shippensburg University’s Robb Field.

Kibler and Hannold each had two hits for Donegal, and Gebhart had a single to go with her two sac flies. Hoover finished with seven strikeouts and two walks, both intentional.

Mary Beth Sadow was 3-for-4 for Palisades and Morrone and Rundatz each had two hits.