Home Local Sports Long ball, strong pitching are the difference in Delmarva Christian’s softball win...

Long ball, strong pitching are the difference in Delmarva Christian’s softball win over Padua

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The Royals' Kandice Schlabach begins her slide into home for an inside-the-park home run. Dialog photo/Mike Lang

PIKE CREEK — Lilli Showacre stymied the Padua bats, holding the Pandas to two hits and striking out 14 to lead Delmarva Christian to a 7-0 softball victory April 23 at Midway Softball Complex.

She and Pandas pitcher Lauren Schurman were locked in a scoreless duel into the third, when the Royals got on the scoreboard. Grace Fetterman tripled to right field, and the next batter, Kandice Schlabach, did her one better with an inside-the-park home run.

Delmarva Christian struck again in the fifth, scoring again in a hurry. Schlabach and Showacre walked, setting the table for Erin Parker. She ripped a ball into the right field corner and circled the bases for a three-run inside-the-parker. Showacre drove in Fetterman and Schlabach in the seventh with a single to complete the scoring.

Meanwhile, Showacre was strong in the circle. She struck out at least one batter in every inning but the second, and in three innings she retired the side on strikes. The Pandas picked up singles from Payton Pickard in the second and Layla Umbriac in the sixth, and they earned one walk and had a batter reach on an error. Twice, Padua runners reached third base, but they went no further.

The Royals finished with 10 hits. Three players had two hits each, and Schlabach scored three runs. Delmarva Christian improved to 4-3 and hosts Caravel on Tuesday at 4:15 p.m.

Schurman struck out 12 Royals. The Pandas are back at Midway on Monday, when Polytech visits for a 3:45 p.m. start.

All photos by Mike Lang.