Five-run fifth fuels Serra victory

By JOSE NEGRON

jnegron@yourmvi.com

Serra Catholic head coach Denny Willaman didn’t downplay the importance of Friday’s game against Seton LaSalle. 

He knew that after three straight section losses, his team needed to get back on the right track. 

One big inning certainly helped the cause. 

The Eagles were locked in a scoreless tie for four and a half innings before exploding for five runs in the fifth en route to a convincing 7-1 victory over the visiting Rebels in Section 2-2A play. 

The win, for the moment, puts Serra (5-3, 3-3) in a tie for fourth place in the section with Seton LaSalle (3-5, 3-3). 

“We needed this one,” Willaman said. “This was a good win and we’re right there with them now.” 

All nine Serra Catholic hitters came to the plate in the team’s big fifth inning. 

Isabella Countryman got things started with a single up the middle before Hope Lyons laid down a bunt and reached on an error, which allowed Countryman to move over to third. Lyons later moved to second on defensive indifference and then, with one out, Caroline Malandra delivered with a two-run double into the gap in left-center field to put Serra ahead 2-0. 

Malandra’s lone hit of the game lit a spark for an offense that mustered just two hits through the first four innings off Seton LaSalle pitcher Casey Barten, who finished with 10 strikeouts. 

“We have been tweaking the lineup a lot and I really like the one we went with today,” Willaman said. “Caroline’s batting average is high, but the bottom of the lineup has been struggling to get on base. We changed things up and dropped (Chloe) Honick and Countryman in the lineup so there would be runners on base for Caroline at the top. It was really nice for her to come up in that spot.”

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