There’s a Ring to This Victory

LAKEWOOD — It was no surprise that Calvary Chapel pitcher Keri Przygocki was quick to credit her defense after the Eagles beat Lancaster Paraclete, 2-0, to win the Southern Section Division V softball title Friday at Mayfair Park.

Przygocki pitched a six-hitter but needed several outstanding plays to finish her amazing streak of four consecutive shutouts (28 innings) in the playoffs.

The most important play was made by shortstop Christy Ring, who also had three hits and scored both runs for Calvary Chapel (27-5), which won its first section softball title.

Paraclete had runners on first and third with two outs in the sixth inning when Lisa Ament hit a grounder toward the hole. Ring went to her right, backhanded the ball and threw to first to get Ament on a close play.

“I was scared,” Ring said. “I knew I had to be quick to get the runner out. I was praying the whole time.”

Paraclete, which had its 19-game winning streak stopped, certainly had its chances, getting leadoff singles in the third through the seventh innings. In the third, catcher Amanda Hallaway threw out a runner trying to steal second, and in the fourth, Hallaway quickly got to a bunt and forced the runner at second by a half step.

In the sixth, third baseman Kori Przygocki raced to field a bunt and made the throw to second for another force out.

“We challenge them to hit the ball by us,” Calvary Chapel Coach Rose Imbriano said about having her infielders play close. “I encourage everyone to try and catch the ball in the air. I’m just really happy for my kids. They worked so hard.”

Ring, a left-handed hitter, lined a single to right to open the bottom of the first and took second on Lindsey Stice’s bunt single. The runners advanced on a groundout and Ring scored when Hallaway’s line drive went off third baseman Alena Valdez’s glove for an error.

Ring singled to left again in the second with two outs, then stole second. She went to third on a passed ball and scored when Stice hit a grounder that was just out of the reach of Valdez for a single.

After that, it was up to Keri Przygocki, who had five strikeouts and walked none in improving to 15-3.