Ava Arnold and Lilianna Lenceski each had two hits and drove in two runs Monday as Old Forge advanced in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class A softball tournament with an 8-2 victory over Bucktail at the University of Scranton.
The Lady Devils have won 10 straight to improve to 18-4. They have won 13 of the last 14 with the only exception a game against Class 3A state quarterfinalist Mid Valley.
Old Forge moves into the Class A state quarterfinals Thursday at 2 p.m. against District 11 champion Tri-Valley (21-2) at Bloomsburg University.
Arnold and Lenceski were among four players with two hits.
Talia Piragas and Meghan Marianelli each had a double among their two hits.
Piragas led off the bottom of the first inning with her double, igniting a four-run inning that put the Lady Devils ahead to stay. She later scored a second time.
Marianelli scored one run and had a sacrifice fly to drive in another.
The closest Bucktail got was 4-1 in the fifth inning, but Old Forge came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning and two more in the sixth.
Karen Sickle struck out 11, working her way through eight hits and five walks to strand 12 runners and get the win. She ended five of the first six innings by getting strikeouts with at least one runner on base.
MORE COVERAGE
Old Forge’s subregional and district championships: ROUNDUP: Lady Devils win titles – NEPA Sports Nation.
Photo Gallery: First Round PIAA Class A Softball Photo Gallery Old Forge vs. Bucktail – NEPA Sports Nation.
