PIKE CREEK – Caitlin Pontak scattered four hits and struck out 11 as Newark Charter shut out Padua, 8-0, in softball April 24 at Midway Softball Complex. The Patriots did not allow the Pandas to get a runner past first base in winning their fourth consecutive game.
Newark Charter got things started early, scoring two first-inning runs. Madi Turner doubled and Bella Hagen singled with one out. Turner scored on a single by Peyton Vivian, and Hagen came in on an error. They added a run in the second. Sami Sobocinski doubled to open the frame and scored on a Hagen single to center field.
Pontak, meanwhile, was dealing for the Patriots. Through four innings, she allowed only a two-out single in the second by Katie Twardowski. In addition to her strikeouts, Pontak retired nine Pandas on fly balls or popups; only one batter was out on a ground ball, and that was in the sixth inning.
The Patriots doubled their lead in the fifth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out. Padua pitcher Mel Grant induced the second out with a short fly ball, but the Patriots scored a run in the confusion that followed. The ball was thrown home, and Abigail McCann, the runner at first, headed to second. When the ball was thrown to first, Vivian took off from third, and she beat the return throw to the plate. Camryn Quirk followed with a double to the fence in left-center, scoring Ashlee Trala and McCann.
Newark Charter added two more in the sixth.
For the Patriots, Sobocinski had three hits and a run batted in, while Hagen also had three hits and scored twice. Newark Charter (8-2) host Wilmington Charter at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Twardowski had two of Padua’s four hits. The Pandas (4-4) travel to Conrad on Thursday at 3:45 p.m. to meet the Red Wolves.
