Sussex Tech softball advances to the state quarterfinals with win over Polytech

The Sussex Tech Ravens held on for a 3-2 win over the Polytech Panthers in the quarterfinal round of the DIAA Softball Tournament last Tuesday in Georgetown. The Ravens’ Cierra Lewis earned the win on the mound, giving up two earned runs with eight strikeouts. Lewis also led the team with two hits and an RBI; Adrianna Heck and Isabella Brittingham each had a hit, and Aleandra Bennett and Paige Krepps each had an RBI.

Lewis opened strong in the first inning with three straight outs. Polytech pitcher Riley Merritt hit Mariah McCabe and gave up a single to Lewis. Merritt forced a fly out to center field to end the scoring threat.

The teams’ pitchers and fielding plays were strong to keep the game scoreless through the first four innings. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Lewis opened with a walk, Heck singled to left field, and on a fielder’s choice, Lewis advanced to third base. A fly ball to center field and a perfect throw to home plate sent Lewis back to third base, and a strikeout ended the Ravens’ threat, and the score remained 0-0.

The Ravens scored first in the bottom of the fifth inning when Brittingham opened the inning with a double. The bases became loaded when Journey Hearne walked, and Kathyrn Calloway was hit by a pitch. Lewis collected the RBI single to left field. The Ravens then scored with bases loaded walks to Heck and Krepps for the 3-0 lead.

The Panthers’ Danica Humphries responded by sending a ball over the center field fence for a home run and a 3-1 score. Lewis struck out two hitters to end the top of the sixth inning.

The Ravens went down in order in the bottom of the sixth inning. In the top of the seventh, and with two outs, Polytech’s Kylie VanHorn and Marissa Hopkins each singled to right field, and Madison Frazier’s single scored VanHorn for a 3-2 score. Calloway gloved a pop-up in foul territory for the final out for the 3-2 Sussex Tech win.

The Ravens went on to play Caravel at the University of Delaware and fell, 1-0, in the semifinal round. Caravel scored in the bottom of the third inning and Sussex Tech was unable to get a hit against winning sophomore pitcher Kaley Arrowsmith. The Ravens finished the season with an overall record of 16-4.