Steve Luse
CRESAPTOWN — Adria Lewis cracked a two-run home run with two outs in the top of the seventh inning to account for the winning run as top-ranked Fort Hill defeated third-ranked Allegany, 4-3, for the Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference championship and a share of the City League title in high school softball Wednesday afternoon at Hudson Field.
The Sentinels will be opening defense of their Maryland Class 1A state championship with a 16-1 overall record and a 15-game winning streak. The victory also avenged a 2-0 loss to Allegany in the second game of the season that resulted in both teams being 3-1 in the City.
Fort Hill claimed the AMAC title with a 12-1 record. Three conference games were canceled.
With a first-round bye, the Sentinels will face the winner of Friday’s game between Southern Garrett and Catoctin on Monday at 4 p.m. at Long Field in Constitution Park.
Allegany closes the regular season with a 16-3 overall record and a 13-3 AMAC mark. The Campers are seeded second in the West Region playoffs and will play the winner of the first-round game between Hancock and Boonsboro on Monday at 5 p.m.
Fort Hill’s Cierra Miller survived a three-run third inning and finished with a five-hitter to remain unbeaten in seven decisions. The junior right-hander had nine strikeouts and three walks.
“I always go back to how this team plays together and that’s what wins games,” said Fort Hill coach Mike Bittner. “After being down 3-0, we battled back to beat a very good Allegany team. We got the clutch hits and played very good defense. It is now a new season and we’ve got to think of winning five more games.”
With two outs in the top of the final inning and Destiny James standing on first base, Lewis was down to possibly her last pitch when she sent a Hayley Stankan two-strike fastball over the left field fence for her fifth home run of the season.
“I was down in the count and felt a little nervous,” said Lewis. “But I knew it wasn’t over and it only takes one pitch. I knew it was gone when I hit it. I was so excited, but I knew I had to make sure I touched all the bases.”
Bittner questioned why Allegany didn’t just walk Lewis.
“I wouldn’t have pitched to her,” said the Fort Hill coach. “She can flat-out hit the ball and she hits in the clutch.”
Allegany coach Rick Twigg personally took the blame for the loss.
“I went to the well once too often when I called for a high fastball when I should have called for a high-high fastball,” said Twigg, who calls all the pitches.
“I thought Hayley pitched well with all the rain. It was a well-played game by both teams and they made the big plays.”
The Campers took advantage of the only Fort Hill error to score the three runs in the third.
Stankan opened the inning with a single and Becky Ellsworth reached on an error that let the first run score.
Beth Szymanski sent in the second run with a fielder’s choice and after a walk to Audrey Eisentrout, Hilary Lyons made it 3-0 with a single.
“Cierra didn’t get rattled after going down 3-0 and didn’t lose her composure,” said Bittner. “She pitched a very good game.”
Miller was confident her team would come back.
“I depend on my team and I knew they would come through when I needed,” she said. “Our defense really came through and I knew Adria was going to hit the ball.”
Fort Hill cut the lead to 3-2 with two runs in the fourth. Olivia Stanley reached on an error and with two outs scored on a single by Lindsey Fisher. Huber followed with the second of her three singles to drive in the second run.
Shari Beavers led off the Fort Hill sixth inning with a triple but was left stranded, leaving the Campers ahead 3-2 at the time.
Steve Luse is a Cumberland Times-News sportswriter. Contact Steve Luse at sluse@times-news.com.
