RECAP >> Hannah Palinkas did it all in helping Emmaus open up the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) playoffs with a bang.
The senior pitcher mowed down Easton hitters to the tune of 13 strikeouts, and at the plate, she also drove in the only run her team would need as the Hornets blanked the Red Rovers 4-0 on an overcast day Thursday at Kiwanis Field.
“Hannah has just been controlling these teams lately,” said Emmaus second year head coach Brittany D’Agostino of her ace. “Every single game I know that she’s going to give it 100 percent out there.”
“In this game, even though Easton got a couple of runners on here and there, she never gets flustered out there on the mound. That’s one thing I really appreciate when she’s pitching. (Catcher) Abby (Bartles) keeps her grounded as well.”
The win was the fifth straight for surging second-seeded Emmaus which improves to 15-6 overall and advances to Monday’s semifinal at 5 p.m. at Pates Park in Allentown opposite third-seeded Northampton, which eliminated the No.6 seed, Nazareth 6-3.
Palinkas, who threw 94 pitches in the win, was in control from the start as she had at least one strikeout in every inning and struck out the side in both the second, third and fifth innings. The shutout was the fifth of the season for the hard-throwing right-hander who improved to 12-4 on the season after scattering five hits and walking none.
Emmaus, which missed out on the EPC playoffs a year ago, wasted little time on jumping out to an early lead on Easton starting pitcher sophomore Tess Ruschman as they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Palinkas knocked in both runs with the first of her two doubles on the day, lining a pitch to right centerfield scoring sophomore shortstop Marah Sisoncik who reached on an error and sophomore Kira Ryan, a courtesy runner for senior catcher Abby Bartles who was intentionally walked.
“I try to tell the girls in every single game that we go into it’s obviously best to jump on teams right away,” said D’Agostino. “That’s what they’ve been doing a very nice job of the last couple of weeks.”
The Hornets then added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the third inning and chase Ruschman from the game as Sisonick laced a RBI triple to left field and an RBI single from Bartles.
Easton, which dropped to 12-9 on the season, mounted a little rally in their final at-bat in the top of the seventh inning getting two runners on with one out, but Palinkas shut the door.
Palinkas finished the day 2-for-3 with two RBI, Marah Sisonick was 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored, and Bartles went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Easton was led by senior center fielder Mackenzie Keegan who was 2-for-2.
Emmaus will now turn its attention to a semifinal date with the K-Kids who own a pair of victories over the Hornets this season, 7-4 back on March 28 and 2-0 on April 29. The winner of Monday’s game will advance to Thursday’s final back at Pates Park against the winner of top-seed Parkland and the No.4 seed Freedom.
Follow @Emmaussports.com on twitter for continued updates on the Hornets throughout the post-season.
Easton – 000 000 0 – 0-5-1
Emmaus – 202 000 x -4-5-0
Tess Ruschman, Abbey Jackson (3) and Gillian Walsh. Hannah Palinkas and Abby Bartels
WP – Palinkas, LP – Ruschman
Em – Kresley lf 1-3, P. Sisonick rf 0-2, M. Sisonick ss 1-3, RBI; Bartles C 1-2, RBI; Palinkas 2-3, 2 RBI; Bruckler 1B 0-3, Lenhart dp 0-3, Trexler cf 0-1, Hark 2B 0-2.