The Minersville players and coaches line up for pregame introductions before a 7-0 victory against Delmar (MD) on Sunday. Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball
BRISTOL, CT – For the eighth time in the history of Minersville Little League, its majors softball team has made it to the regional tournament, the last step before the Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, North Carolina, which the program made once back in 1983.
This year’s team, led by manager Matt Withelder, has dominated the sectional and state tournament, going a combined 6-1 in both tournaments. Their only loss came to Bullskin in the first state title game in Union City by a score of 9-1.
During their first two games in Bristol, they defeated the 2023 World Series champion league from Massapequa Park (NY) on Saturday 10-2 and beat the 2022 World Series winning league from Delmar (MD) on Sunday by a score of 7-0.
Their next contest is the winner’s bracket title game against the 2-0 Toms River (NJ) team, one of the dominant Little League softball programs in the Mid-Atlantic.
Below is a recap of Minersville’s first two games at Breen Field.
Miners with a statement win to start the Mid-Atlantic Regional
Aly Heffron attempts to make a diving play at shortstop in a 10-2 victory against Massapequa Park (NY) on Saturday. Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball
Payton Withelder tossed a complete game and had a great defense backing her up in a 10-2 victory on Saturday afternoon against Massapequa Park (NY).
Even though New York scored one run in the top of the first, Minersville had no problem responding right back.
Aly Heffron, Payton Withelder, Maddie Graver, Kenzie Gressens, and Emalyn Daubert, the first five hitters in the lineup for the Miners, all hit singles without any outs. Those five hits were responsible for the first three runs for them. After two straight strikeouts, Gressens scored on a wild pitch and Daubert tried to join her in scoring, but the New York catcher Gabby Meyer tagged her out just in time.
After a strikeout and a groundout, Meyer singled on a hard hit groundball to Heffron at shortstop. The Miners defense responded back and got the third out with a flyout to Grey Hopkins in left field. A groundout and two straight strikeouts for Minersville did not allow them to keep the damage going into the bottom of the second.
Going to the third inning, a groundout to Graver at second, a popout to Graver, and a 5-3 groundout from Finley Frantz to Addison Burlile kept New York scrambling for answers. After two straight strikeouts, Heffron went from an 0-1 count to a walk on four balls in a row. Another strikeout followed to strand her (Heffron) at first to conclude the third.
To start the fourth inning, Withelder, the Minersville pitcher, and Sophia Nislow were battling it out throughout a twelve pitch at-bat that included nine foul balls in a row after a 1-0 count. Nislow won that battle, hitting a single to Heffron. What followed was a popout to Burlile, a flyout to Mallory Hopkins in center field, and a groundout to Burlile kept the game at 4-1, where it was since the bottom of the first.
In the Miners’ next attempt to expand their lead, Graver started with a groundout. Gressens followed up with a walk and Daubert hit an opposite field double to right field. In what turned out to be a good decision by Matt Withelder at third base, he had Shea Holley attempt to lay a bunt down with two strikes, which ended up going right down the third base line to load the bases.
After a rain delay that lasted more than two hours, Burlile drew a four pitch walk to make the score 5-1. A successful fielder’s choice by Frantz scored Daubert and Holley. Mallory Hopkins singled to score Burlile, but a popout followed, then Kendalyn Mike drew a walk. On the next at-bat, Frantz scored on a wild pitch to make the score 9-1, but the end of Grey Hopkins’ plate appearance (same one as Frantz’s score) was a strikeout.
To start the fifth inning, Kate Pignetti hit a ball over Grey Hopkins’ head in left field which turned out to be an in the park home run, making the score 9-2 to start a rally attempt for New York. After a groundout to Heffron and a strikeout, back-to-back singles were hit by Emily Cullinan and Ashlin Lynam. Those two runners were stranded on base due to another popout to Burlile.
Heffron led the inning off with a strikeout, but Withelder walked. Graver singled to center field, and Gressens singled to shortstop. Withelder scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat (Daubert up), where she popped out to Emma Kusterer at first to make the game 10-2 with two outs.
Another walk was drawn by the Minersville offense, this one by Holley, but her, Graver, and Gressens were left on after a strikeout concluded the inning.
In New York’s attempt to keep the game going another half inning, there was a groundout to Withelder, a flyout to Grey Hopkins, and a groundout to Heffron concluded the first game of the regional tournament for Minersville.
Minersville (PA, 1-0) – 4 0 0 5 1 X
HITTING
Aly Heffron (SS) (1-2, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 K)
Payton Withelder (P) (1-2, 2 runs, 1 walk, 1 K)
Maddie Graver (2B) (2-3, 1 run)
Kenzie Gressens (RF) (2-2, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 walk)
Emalyn Daubert (C) (2-3, 1 run, 2 RBI)
Shea Holley (1-2, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 K)
Addison Burlile (1B) (0-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 2 K’s)
Finley Frantz (3B) (0-2, 1 run, 1 RBI)
Mallory Hopkins (CF) (1-2, 1 RBI, 1 K)
Grace Wetzel (0-2, 1 K)
Kenadlyn Mike (0-1, 1 walk, 1 K)
Grey Hopkins (LF) (0-2, 2 K’s)
Doubles – Daubert
Stolen Bases – Heffron, M. Hopkins
PITCHING
WP – Withelder (6.0 IP, 6 hits, 2 earned runs, 2 K’s)
FIELDING
Errors – NONE
Massapequa Park (NY, 0-1) – 1 0 0 0 1 0
HITTING
Sophia Nislow (2B) (2-3, 1 run)
Milla Sollitto (SP) (0-3)
Giuliana Cretty (3B, C, 3B) (0-2, 1 RBI)
Ashley Larmann (1B, P) (0-2)
Kate Pignetti (LF) (1-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 K)
Emma Kusterer (3B, 1B) (0-2)
Gabby Meyer (1-2, 1 K)
Emily Cullinan (CF) (1-2)
Ashlin Lynam (RF) (1-2)
Sofia Monahan (SS) (0-2)
Ruby Ponticello (P) (0-2)
Home Runs – Pignetti
Stolen Bases – Nislow 2
PITCHING
LP – Sollitto (0.0 IP, 5 hits, 4 earned runs)
Ponticello (3.2 IP, 3 hits, 5 earned runs, 4 walks, 7 K’s)
Larmann (1.1 IP, 2 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks, 3 K’s)
FIELDING
Errors – Nislow
From start to finish, Minersville easily handles Maryland
Kenzie Gressens slides safely into third base on a triple in a 7-0 victory against Delmar (MD) on Sunday. Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball
The Miners had control of the game right from the start. With Maddie Graver’s spectacular pitching performance to the offensive production throughout the game, they were able to take care of Delmar (MD) by a score of 7-0 on Sunday.
To start the game, both teams went 1-2-3 at the plate in the first inning. Minersville had a groundout, a popout, and a flyout while Maryland had a groundout, a popout, and another groundout.
After another groundout for the Miners, Kenzie Gressens got the first hit of the game with a triple over Allie Russell’s head in center field. Shea Holley followed up with a single, but Gressens was held at third. Addison Burlile laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Gressens and advance Holley, who stole second base earlier in the at-bat. A strikeout concluded the inning for Minersville’s offense.
In the bottom of the second, Delmar started with a groundout, but Riley Medford hit a single to Mallory Hopkins in center field in the following at-bat. A lineout to Finley Frantz at second base and Graver’s first strikeout got the defense off the field.
Minersville started the third inning with a strikeout, then Grace Wetzel took a four pitch walk. Kendalyn Mike then hit into a fielder’s choice which got Wetzel out, but an error allowed her (Mike) to also take second. Another strikeout followed to prevent Pennsylvania from expanding their lead. Maryland went 1-2-3 again with a groundout to Frantz and two strikeouts.
Aly Heffron began the top of the fourth with a single to center field. Payton Withelder hit a successful fielder’s choice to Claire Ford at shortstop, then Graver followed up with a single to load the bases with no outs. Emalyn Daubert hit a two-RBI single to center field to bring Heffron and Withelder in to make the score 3-0. An error by Maryland allowed Gressens to reach first base and Graver to score to expand the lead to four runs. A double play which included Daubert being tagged out attempting to score along with a groundout concluded the threat caused by the Minersville bats. The third 1-2-3 inning happened for Maryland with a groundout to Graver and two strikeouts.
Mallory Hopkins led the fifth inning off with a line drive to right field and advanced to second on another Delmar error. In Frantz’s at-bat, Hopkins advanced to third on a wild pitch, then she (Frantz) hit into another successful fielder’s choice to bring Hopkins in to make the score 5-0 in Minersville’s favor. A sacrifice bunt caused the first out, but Frantz touched second and ended up at third thanks to aggressive base running. Mike hit a groundout to Harper Shockley at second base, but Frantz scored to expand the lead to six. A flyout by Grey Hopkins ended another productive inning for the Miners. Once again, Maryland went 1-2-3 with a groundout to Frantz, a lineout to Heffron, and a groundout to Withelder at third.
Pennsylvania started the sixth with a groundout, but Withelder, Graver, and Daubert followed up with three walks in a row. In Gressens’ at-bat, Withelder scored on a wild pitch to make the score 7-0. She (Gressens) then hit a popout and a groundout followed. After two straight groundouts for Maryland to Holley at second base, Russell took a four pitch walk for Maryland. A groundout to Wetzel at first base wrapped the game up and gave Minersville another big win.
Minersville (PA, 2-0) – 0 1 0 3 2 1
HITTING
Aly Heffron (SS) (1-3, 1 run)
Payton Withelder (3B) (0-2, 2 runs, 1 walk)
Maddie Graver (P) (1-2, 1 run, 1 walk)
Emalyn Daubert (C) (1-2, 2 RBI, 1 walk)
Kenzie Gressens (RF) (1-3, 1 run, 1 RBI)
Shea Holley (2B) (1-3)
Addison Burlile (1B) (0-1. 1 RBI)
Mallory Hopkins (CF) (1-2, 1 run, 1 K)
Finley Frantz (2B) (0-2, 1 run, 1 RBI, 1 K)
Grace Wetzel (1B) (1 walk)
Kendalyn Mike (LF) (0-2, 1 RBI)
Grey Hopkins (0-2, 1 K)
Triples – Gressens
Stolen Bases – Holley
PITCHING
WP – Graver (6.0 IP, 1 hit, 1 walk, 5 K’s)
FIELDING
Errors – NONE
Delmar (MD, 0-1) – 0 0 0 0 0 0
HITTING
Riley Phillips (3B) (0-2)
Claire Ford (SS) (0-2)
Rowan Preston (P, 2B) (0-2)
Olivia Gattis (RF) (0-2)
Riley Medford (C) (1-2)
Allie Russell (CF) (0-1, 1 walk)
Samantha Timmons (1B) (0-2, 1 K)
Kendall Givens (0-1)
Rylynn Twilley (0-1, 1 K)
Kennedy Griffith (0-1, 1 K)
Rachel Wright (0-1)
Joanna Miller (LF) (0-1, 1 K)
Harper Shockley (2B, P) (0-1, 1 K)
PITCHING
LP – Preston (5.0 IP, 6 hits, 6 earned runs, 1 walk, 3 K’s)
Shockley (1.0 IP, 1 earned run, 1 walk)
FIELDING
Errors – Ford, Gattis, Preston
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CREDITS
- All stats were provided by the Pennsylvania GameChanger
- The names for non-PA players were provided by the box score on GameChanger
