SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
(Presented by Center City Print)
KAREN SICKLE, Old Forge junior pitcher
Time period: May 8-14
Game One: Sickle tossed a three-hitter when Old Forge shut out visiting Honesdale, 11-0, in six innings May 8 in a Lackawanna League Division 2 game. She struck out 16 and did not walk a batter.
Game Two: Sickle struck out 18 while throwing another three-hit shutout May 10 during a 1-0 victory at Dunmore in a Lackawanna Division 2 game.
Game Three: Sickle fired a no-hitter May 11 when Old Forge won its third straight shutout with a 13-0 romp at Nanticoke in non-league play. She struck out seven and walked two.
Season batting: In just five plate appearances, Sickle is 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a hit by pitch.
Season pitching: Sickle added her second no-hitter in 10 days during Wednesday’s 10-0, five-inning, divisional victory over Riverside. Including that game and Monday’s 12-2 win at Lakeland, which were not part of the award week, Sickle is 15-5 with a 2.35 earned run average. In 128 innings, she has 236 strikeouts against 47 walks while allowing 78 hits.
About Karen: Sickle has been Old Forge’s primary pitcher for all three of her high school seasons.
About the Lady Devils: Old Forge will be the top seed and have a bye into the District 2 Class A championship game. The Lady Devils are 15-5 overall, including 11-3 in Lackawanna Division 2 where Wednesday’s win landed them sole possession of second place out of eight teams.
