Providence softball misses chance to climb into first place
BURBANK — A chance to move into a first-place tie with Archer and a shot at the Liberty League title was had by the Providence High softball team when the teams met Thursday afternoon.
The Panthers came into the contest undefeated in league and the Pioneers’ lone setback was a two-run loss to Archer in April.
Both teams slugged it out to the tune of 19 runs, with Providence surrendering six- and five-run innings in an 11-8 loss to Archer at Olive Park. It was a contest far removed from their first meeting, which was won by Archer, 2-0.
With the loss, the Pioneers are 7-6 and 4-2 in the Liberty League and trail Archer (11-2, 5-0) by two games. The win gave the Panthers a share of the league championship, as they end the regular season with league contests against Oakwood on Monday and Yeshiva on Wednesday.
Providence can secure a second-place league finish with a victory against Oakwood on Wednesday in its regular-season finale. The Pioneers defeated the Gorillas in the teams’ first meeting Tuesday, 14-4.
“I think we have to get over this loss, concentrate on beating Oakwood and then get ready for the playoffs,” Providence catcher Christy Hoffman said. “Today was still a loss and nobody likes to lose, but we hit the ball today and I think a game like this can really help us and get us charged up for our remaining games.”
When the Pioneers and Panthers first squared off April 25, Archer came away with a 2-0 win in a game that featured just nine hits. But in the rematch, 19 runs came in just four innings and the teams combined for 23 hits.
“I’m happy and I told the girls that I’m very proud of them,” Providence Coach Joel Curtis said. “We played [Archer] tough in both games and I can only be proud of that.
“Giving up the big innings has kind of been a problem for us, but lately we had gotten away from that and we weren’t having them as much. But Archer is a great hitting team and they showed that today.”
Things started well for the Pioneers, who jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, spearheaded by a two-run inside-the-park home run from Hoffman (two for four with two runs scored).
The lead held until the fifth when Archer brought 12 batters to the plate, scoring six runs to take a 6-4 lead.
Providence battled back in its half of the fifth, pushing across four runs to jump back out in front, 8-6. Josephine Flores (two for four) had a two-run single to right in the inning.
But the Panthers pushed back to take the lead for good with five runs on six hits in the sixth inning.
Carla Galvez was two for four with two runs scored for Providence.
Archer starting pitcher Kamryn Bellamy had 12 strikeouts.
Twitter: @jefftsports
