WELLINGTON — Over the years, softball fans have come to expect one-run thrillers when Keystone and Wellington meet in important conference games.
Their expectations have been met twice this season, most recently on Wednesday afternoon. Spurred by Ashley Stromack’s fence-clearing solo home run in the third inning, Keystone defeated Wellington, 2-1, in a Patriot Athletic Conference showdown. The Wildcats won the first meeting by the identical score on April 14.
Keystone, the state’s top-ranked Division II team, recorded its 20th victory in 24 games and, at 11-0 in league play, clinched at least a tie for the Patriot Athletic Conference championship.
It’s the 23rd conference title in the history of the program. It also marks the 18th consecutive year — and 23rd year in the last 24 — that Keystone has won at least 20 games in a season. The last time the Wildcats failed to reach that milestone was 1990, when they finished 19-5.
“These games are a lot of fun because they build character for both teams,” Keystone coach Jim Piazza said. “Wellington is an excellent team and this is an excellent chance for us to prepare for the next level.”
He referred to the sectional-district tournaments which begin next week.
“How many times have we gone through this?” said Wellington coach Tom Roth, recalling the history of close, hard-fought games between the old rivals. “I’ve seen games like this with Keystone so many times. More than enough.”
As she was last month, senior Melanie Conklin was in the pitching circle for Wellington (14-4, 7-3).
“I feel bad for Mel, because she’s pitched well enough to win both times,” Roth said of Conklin’s effort. “If we get a little offense behind her, she gets two wins against Keystone.”
Wellington — which swept the series last year and won the PAC crown — was leading the Wildcats 1-0 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning last month. Then Keystone catcher Taylor Kessinger blooped a two-run double into left field to win the game.
Stromack, the junior first baseman, gave the Wildcats the jolt they needed leading off the third inning when she jacked a 1-1 fastball over the fence in left-center field. It was her first homer of the season.
“It was high and in the middle and I was just trying not to look at another ball or swing at a bad pitch,” Stromack said. “I was just hoping the wind would carry it and it did. When I was between first and second, I saw it was on the other side of the fence.”
It was the only earned run of the game.
Keystone made it 2-0 later in the same inning after pitcher Kara Dill reached on an error, moved to second on Kim Kokoski’s sacrifice, then ran home when second baseman Clare Sullivan drilled a double to the fence in right field.
Wellington was never out of contention. The Dukes broke Dill’s shutout attempt in the sixth after center fielder Michelle Rennie reached on a lead-off error. She went to third on Callie McConnell’s single that bounced off the right-field fence, and later scored on Christy King’s single to left.
In fact, the Dukes mounted several threats, forcing Dill to work her way out of, you know, pickles three times. Dill stranded runners at second and third in the second and fifth innings, and retired the side with the bases loaded in the sixth. The Dukes had the potential tying run — Rennie — on base when Dill got the final out of the game on a pop-up to Kate Yeo at third.
“I got myself into that situation (in the sixth) by walking batters,” Dill said. “But I’m pretty confident with my defense. They’ve been doing a great job and they keep getting better. I’m pretty confident even if (other teams) do put in play, because we’re going to find a way to get them out.”
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