Home Local Sports Milford High School softball doubles up Padua Academy, 8-4: Photo gallery

Milford High School softball doubles up Padua Academy, 8-4: Photo gallery

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The Pandas' Leigh Chesworth gets in under the tag at third base. She scored on a groundout. Dialog photo/Mike Lang

PIKE CREEK — Milford scored four times in the fourth inning to take a lead against Padua, then got some superb defense to prevent a Pandas comeback in an 8-4 win on May 16 at Midway Softball Complex.

The Buccaneers scored three runs with two outs in the first inning, with Mikala Finazzo driving in two with a double, but the Pandas clawed back to tie in their half. Siena Evans and Cate Shrader stroked back-to-back doubles for the first run, and Shrader scored on an error. Leigh Chesworth tied the game when she came home on a groundout by Sophia Ceccola.

The Pandas took the lead in the second. The Pandas loaded the bases with one out, and Lilianna DiMarco singled to score Evans. Shrader was tagged out at the plate on the play.

Milford shortstop Maddison Webb saved a run or two when she moved to her right and speared a Padua line drive with two outs and the bases loaded in the third. The Bucs then went to work on offense.

They loaded the bases with no outs on a single, double and walk. After a strikeout, Lillie Harrison grounded to second base, and the throw home was not in time. Sarah Barrows then singled to center, driving in Rihanna Adams and Adrionna Fountain. An infield single off the bat of Lauren Dickerson scored Harrison.

The Bucs turned a two-out single from Rihanna Adams into a run in the fifth, with Tihanna Adams knocking her in.

Padua had chances to score, but Milford turned to the leather to get out of trouble. In the fourth, a line drive to second base became an inning-ending double play. The Pandas loaded the bases in the fifth, but Shrader’s two-out fly ball was caught a few feet short of the fence. Milford pitcher Briella Salisbury retired the Pandas in order in the sixth and seventh, finishing the game setting down the final eight batters.

Dickerson had four hits, scored a run a knocked one in. Rihanna Adams had two hits and scored twice. Salisbury had five strikeouts. The Buccaneers finished the season 10-8 and will find out Saturday if that will earn them a state tournament bid.

For the Pandas, Evans was on base three times with two hits and a walk, and she scored twice. Shrader had two hits, drove in one and scored another, and Isabella Calamita finished with three singles. Pitchers Chesworth and Eliana Hill combined for five strikeouts. Padua (6-10) wraps up the 2024 season on Friday at Midway against St. Georges at 3:45 p.m.

Photos by Mike Lang.