Lionville Lightning 12U (2017-18) places 2nd in their 1st Tourney of the Spring/Summer at the USSSA '18 Hair Bows & Home Runs!

The Lionville Lightning 12U (2017-18) took 2nd Place in the USSSA 2018 Hair Bows & Home Runs tourney (4/20 & 4/21) at Veterans Memorial Park in Quakertown, PA. 

Sat - Game 1 - Pool Play: Lionville Lightning 12U snagged a late lead and defeated PA Panthers 12U 8-4 on Saturday. The game was tied at two with Lionville batting in the top of the third when.  PA Panthers jumped out to an early 2-0 lead after two innings however Lionville answered with a six-spot in the top of the third inning. Lionville tallied six hits, 2 walks and a handful of stolen bases to take a 6-4 lead half-way through three innings. Lionville scored two more runs in the top of the fourth and the PA Panthers 12U answered with two of their own. Lionville scored when Jocelyn Slonaker doubled on a 1-2 count, scoring one run and Cece Petchkofski singled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run. PA Panthers 12U then answered, scoring two runs. Taylor Hendrick was the winning pitcher for Lionville, surrendering two runs on two hits over three innings, striking out four. Rachel Kleckner threw one inning in relief out of the bullpen giving up two runs on two hits.  Lionville tallied eight hits. Cece Petchkofski and Camryn Eadie each had multiple hits for Lionville; each collecting two hits to lead the team. Lionville was sure-handed in the field, committing no errors. Mavica Mendez led the team with four put outs in total.  Cece Petchkofski was awarded the game MVP for her outstanding play in the field.  

Sat - Game 2 - Pool Play: Rachel Kleckner had all the right stuff on Saturday, as Lionville takes the win, allowing zero runs and besting Lehigh Valley Patriot Flames 8-0. Lionville got things started in the first inning when Cece Petchkofski singled on a 1-0 count, scoring two runs. Lionville then put up four runs in the second inning. Jocelyn Slonaker, Kaitlyn Ward, Kayla Williams & M.J. Nicholson each tallied timely hits in the inning however Kayla Williams & M.J. Nicholson owned the inning, driving in all four runs in the frame. One bright spot for Lehigh Valley Patriot Flames was a single in the fifth inning with one out breaking up Lionville's no hit bid. Rachel Kleckner got the win for Lionville lasting a complete five innings, allowing one hit, zero runs, & striking out five. Lionville totaled nine hits in the game. Jocelyn Slonaker and M.J.Nicholson each collected two hits each to lead the team offensively. Lionville didn't commit a single error in the field with M.J. Nicholson having the most chances in the field with eight.  Rachel Kleckner was awarded the game MVP for her outstanding, one-hit pitching performance.  

Sat - Game 3 - Pool Play:  Lionville took the forfeit win 7-0 vs. the NJ Renegades, who didn't show for the scheduled playing time.  

Lionville finished pool play as the 1-seed in Pool B with a 3-0 record, 23 runs scored & 4 runs against. 

Sun - Quarter Finals - Elimination Play:  Lionville Lightning 12U Slides Into A Blow-Out Win Over Xplosion, taking the 1st game on Elimination Sunday, 14-1 on Sunday.  Lionville got things started in the first inning when Rachel Kleckner singled on a 2-0 count, scoring Cece Petchkofski. Lionville then notched five runs in the fifth inning. Taylor Hendricks, Kaitlyn Ward, and Jocelyn Slonaker all moved runners across the plate with RBIs in the inning. Kayla Williams got the win for Lionville surrendered just one run on one hit over three innings, striking out five. Jocelyn Slonaker threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen with no hits, striking out four while facing only six batters. Lionville had 16 hits in total. Rachel Kleckner, Cece Petchkofski, Kayla Williams, Kaitlyn Ward, and Taylor Hendricks all managed multiple hits with Cece Petchkofski and Rachel Kleckner leading Lionville with three hits each. Lionville didn't commit a single error in the field. 

Sun - Semi Finals - Elimination Play:  In perhaps the best game of Elimination Sunday, Lionville Lightning 12U took the lead late and defeated Impact Panthers 6-5 on Sunday. Lionville opened up the top of the third inning with a monster double to the center-field wall by Kaitlyn Ward, a single by Mavica Mendez to left, a walk by Kayla Williams, a triple by Cece Petchkofski and a double by Rachel Kleckner to left-center.  Kaitlyn Ward, Mavica Mendez, Kayla Williams and Cece Petchkofski all crossed the plate to give Lionville the early 4-0 lead. Impact Panthers knotted the game up at four in the bottom of the third inning. However Lionville pulled away for good with two runs in the fourth inning.  The game was tied at four with Lionville batting in the top of the fourth when Mavica Mendez doubled on a 1-1 count to deep left field, scoring Camryn Eadie. Mavica eventually scored the winning run on a single by Jocelyn Slonaker and a pass-ball/stolen base home. Taylor Hendricks was the winning pitcher for Lionville allowing one hit and one run over two and a third innings, striking out one and walking one. Lionville had eight hits in the game. Mavica Mendez and Cece Petchkofski managed two hits each to lead Lionville. Despite falling down by four runs in the third inning, Impact Panthers tried to fight back. Impact Panthers scored five runs in the failed comeback. The game ended in dramatic fashion as the tying run was nailed at the plate on a throw by Jocelyn Slonaker from right-field and a diving tag by catcher, Mavica Mendez. 

The win advanced Lionville to their 2nd Championship Game in 3 Tournaments.   

Sun - Finals - Elimination Play:  The USSSA '18 Hair Bows & Home Runs didn't end as well as it started for the Lionville Lightning 12U ladies as Lionville fell to the Montgomery Twisters 8-2. The Montgomery Twisters scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to take an early lead.  Lionville battled back with two runs in the top of the fourth on three straight singles by Cece Petchofski, Rachel Kleckner & M.J. Nicholson.  Lionville had the Twisters backs to the wall as what could have been a large Lionville rally, was cut short by a few "questionable" calls that took Lionville out of the inning. The Montgomery Twisters scored four more runs in bottom of the fifth lead by an opposite field line drive triple that hit the right-field line. Taylor Hendricks started the game for Lionville, lasting only three innings, allowing five hits and four runs while striking out one. Rachel Kleckner threw two innings in relief out of the bullpen, allowing four hits and four runs while striking out two. Cece Petchkofski went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Lionville in hits.

Congratulations to the Lionville Lightning 12U ladies who battled hard to a well deserved 5-1 tournament record and a 2nd place finish that qualified them for the USSSA National Championships!​