Agape Freedom Sports LLC

WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN

If you had to build the perfect softball player, how would you build her?

What would matter most?

Would it just be talent?

Speed?

Power?

Strikeouts?

Batting average?

Or would it be something deeper than that?

Would you teach her how to handle pressure when the crowd gets loud, the dugouts get louder, and the game starts moving faster than the scoreboard can keep up? Would you teach her how to block out the noise, the negativity, the critics, the naysayers, and the people always searching for excuses after losses instead of accountability?

Would you teach her how to respond when things do not go her way?

Because anybody can smile when they are winning.

But who are you when the game gets hard?

Who are you when an error is made behind you?

Who are you when someone doubts you?

Who are you when the moment gets heavy and everyone in the park is watching?

Would you teach her to respect her coaches? Respect her teammates? Respect the game itself? Would you teach her to be the kind of teammate who picks people up after mistakes instead of tearing them down? The kind of player who understands you cannot change the last play, but you can absolutely change the next one.

Would you teach her to celebrate others just as much as herself?

Would you teach her that “we” always matters more than “me?”

Would you teach her to be coachable enough to play anywhere on the field without complaining? To sacrifice individual attention for team success? To become the type of athlete college coaches notice before they ever even look at the stat sheet?

Because the truth is, players like that rarely just happen naturally.

That mindset has to be built.

Developed.

Instilled over years.

Sometimes from the very first day a young athlete picks up a softball for the first time.

Because by the time some players reach varsity, habits are already formed. Attitudes are already built. Mentalities are already established.

And that is why truly special softball players are rare.

Not because talent is rare.

But because complete softball players are rare.

And that is where Lake-Lehman ace Hannah Chipego enters the picture.

She is one of those rare examples of what happens when talent meets teaching, when ability meets accountability, and when a young athlete is built the right way from the ground up.

Who is Hannah Chipego?

What makes her different?

It is not just the strikeouts. It is not just the velocity. It is not just the college commitment. It is not just the fact that every time she steps into the circle, the entire feeling of the game changes.

It is the way she carries herself.

It is the way she competes.

It is the way she responds.

It is the way she leads without needing to make everything about herself.

And a lot of that starts with her mother and head coach, Nicole Chipego, who has been there from the beginning, building, teaching, instilling, and developing Hannah from the moment she first picked up a ball. Nicole has also been Hannah’s varsity head coach throughout her entire four-year high school career, seeing every inning, every adjustment, every challenge, every milestone, and every moment that helped shape her into the player she is today.

That is rare.

Because building a softball player the right way is not easy.

It takes patience. It takes honesty. It takes discipline. It takes love. It takes knowing when to push, when to encourage, when to correct, and when to remind an athlete that the game is bigger than one player.

Hannah is now a James Madison Division I softball commit. She had other major programs showing interest, bigger names that wanted her arm, her bat, her presence, and her future. But Hannah chose James Madison because she believed in the fit, and even more than that, she wanted to be part of building something.

And that says a lot.

Sometimes it only takes one special player to help change the direction of a program. One player buys in, then another follows. One leader sets the standard, then the culture starts to grow. I have seen it myself, running a men’s slow-pitch softball team from 2016 to 2023 in a very competitive church league. We made three league championship appearances, reached three other semifinals, and won the championship in 2022. Sometimes one player, one leader, and one belief system can help build something bigger than what was there before.

That is what stands out about Hannah.

She is not just chasing a name on the front of a jersey.

She is chasing purpose.

She wants to help build. She wants to compete. She wants to be part of something that grows.

And that says a lot about her. It says a lot about her mom. It says a lot about what has been instilled in her over the years.

Because Hannah Chipego is not just a very talented softball player.

She is a humble one.

A coachable one.

A complete one.

And the numbers back it up.

Hannah Chipego has now thrown 19 career no-hitters, something extremely rare not just in District 2 softball, but across Pennsylvania high school softball in general. Honestly, it is difficult to even find comparisons for a career like this. Most pitchers dream of throwing one no-hitter in high school. Hannah has turned it into part of her identity.

And as of Friday night, the dominance keeps growing.

Hannah currently ranks second in the nation this season in no-hitters with seven, trailing only Kinley Fife of Texas, who has nine. Let that sink in for a second. A pitcher from Northeast Pennsylvania is sitting near the very top nationally in one of softball’s hardest accomplishments. Every no-hitter requires precision, focus, defense, leadership, and mental toughness. To do it repeatedly against varsity competition says everything about the type of pitcher she is.

But Hannah is not just dominating inside the circle.

She also ranks 23rd nationally in ERA and continues to prove she is one of the most complete players in Pennsylvania. At the plate, she currently owns the 52nd-best batting average in the state, putting her alongside some of the biggest names in District 2 softball and our area, including Abington Heights standout Avary Brister, who is hitting .667, and Valley View Clemson commit Abbi Call at .656.

Then Friday night, Hannah reached another rare milestone in her career.

She recorded her 800th career strikeout.

Eight hundred.

Many great pitchers would be thrilled to reach 500 career strikeouts. Hannah has gone far beyond that. And every strikeout tells a story. Every swing and miss. Every frozen batter. Every big moment where the ball left her hand and the game seemed to pause for half a second before the catcher’s glove popped.

That is what makes Hannah Chipego different.

She checks every box.

The talent is there.

The mindset is there.

The leadership is there.

The humility is there.

The work ethic is there.

And when you combine all of that together, you do not just build a great softball player.

You build the type of athlete younger girls start looking up to.

The type teammates trust.

The type coaches dream about having.

The type of player who changes programs, changes expectations, and leaves behind a standard long after her final high school game is over.

“It is honestly hard to put into words just how incredibly proud I am, balancing the pride of a head coach with the heart of a mom. Reaching 800 career strikeouts is a nice milestone, and it is a direct testament to the countless hours she has put in completely out of the spotlight—the extra reps, the early mornings, and her drive to perfect her craft. I’ve had a front-row seat to her journey from the very first time she picked up a ball, through all the growing pains, to watching her evolve into the fierce competitor she is today. As a coach, you love having a dominant presence in the circle who leads by example for the Knights. But as a mom, what makes this so incredibly special is knowing the sacrifice and the sheer willpower it took for her to get here. Seeing her reach this pinnacle right before she takes that next big step at JMU makes me realize how much she has grown—not just as an elite athlete, but as a resilient young woman. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to coach her and to be her mom through it all. I wouldn’t change a second of it,” said Hannah’s mom and head coach, Nicole Chipego.

Now let’s get down to how the game against Berwick unfolded.

Top 1st Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Kaitlyn Brudnicki is hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Addie Butler then hits a ground ball and reaches on an error by the pitcher. Butler advances to second on the same error, while Brudnicki moves to third.

Hannah Chipego draws a walk to load the bases with nobody out.

Julia Sholtis strikes out swinging for the first out, with Brudnicki at third, Butler at second, and Chipego at first.

Andrews pops out to first baseman Schnerr for the second out, with all three runners holding.

Wallace then lines out to third baseman Drauschak to end the inning.

Bottom 1st Inning — Berwick Batting

Ashlyn Klahold leads off with a line-drive single to right fielder James.

Liliana Belles strikes out swinging for the first out, with Klahold remaining at first.

Brown follows with a ground-ball single, moving Klahold to second.

Emma Welsh strikes out looking for the second out, with Klahold still at second and Brown at first.

Lauren Ashworth strikes out looking to end the inning.

Top 2nd Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Gracie James flies out to right fielder Liliana Belles for the first out.

Brislyn Reilly grounds out to third baseman Drauschak, who throws to first baseman Schnerr for the second out.

Jordan Shorts strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Bottom 2nd Inning — Berwick Batting

Morgan Drauschak strikes out swinging for the first out.

Morgan Bankes follows with a strikeout swinging for the second out.

Brylee Weaver strikes out looking to end the inning as Hannah Chipego works another scoreless frame.

Top 3rd Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Kaitlyn Brudnicki leads off with a fly-ball single to center fielder Lauren Ashworth.

Addie Butler lays down a sacrifice bunt and is retired at first, moving Brudnicki to second with one out.

Hannah Chipego flies out to center fielder Ashworth for the second out, with Brudnicki remaining at second.

Julia Sholtis pops out to third baseman Morgan Drauschak to end the inning.

Bottom 3rd Inning — Berwick Batting

Alex Levan strikes out looking for the first out.

Ashlyn Klahold grounds out to second baseman Jenkins, who throws to first baseman Jordan Shorts for the second out.

Liliana Belles strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Top 4th Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Andrews leads off with a fly-ball double to left fielder Alex Levan.

Wallace pops out to shortstop Ashlyn Klahold for the first out, with Andrews remaining at second.

Gracie James lays down a sacrifice bunt, and pitcher Brown throws to first baseman Schnerr for the second out. Andrews advances to third on the play.

Brislyn Reilly then hits a ground ball and reaches on an error by third baseman Morgan Drauschak. Reilly advances to second on an error by shortstop Klahold, and Andrews scores.

Lake-Lehman 1, Berwick 0

Jordan Shorts grounds out to third baseman Drauschak, who throws to first baseman Schnerr to end the inning.

Bottom 4th Inning — Berwick Batting

Brown is hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Emma Welsh follows with a ground-ball single to second baseman Jenkins, moving Brown to second.

Lauren Ashworth strikes out looking for the first out, with Brown at second and Welsh at first.

Morgan Drauschak also strikes out looking for the second out.

Morgan Bankes grounds out to pitcher Hannah Chipego, who throws to first baseman Jordan Shorts to end the inning.

Top 5th Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Kaitlyn Brudnicki flies out to left fielder Alex Levan for the first out.

Addie Butler grounds out to pitcher Brown, who throws to first baseman Schnerr for the second out.

Hannah Chipego then doubles on a fly ball to center fielder Lauren Ashworth. Chipego steals third during Julia Sholtis’ at-bat, but Sholtis strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Bottom 5th Inning — Berwick Batting

Brylee Weaver strikes out swinging for the first out.

Alex Levan lays down a bunt, but pitcher Hannah Chipego fields it and throws to first baseman Jordan Shorts for the second out.

Ashlyn Klahold strikes out swinging to end the inning.

Top 6th Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Andrews draws a walk to lead off the inning. Wallace then flies out to center fielder Lauren Ashworth for the first out, but Andrews tags up and advances all the way to third.

Gracie James follows with a fly-ball single to center field, bringing Andrews home to extend the lead.

Lake-Lehman 2, Berwick 0

Brislyn Reilly keeps the inning going with a fly-ball double to center, moving James to third. Jordan Shorts then lines a single to left fielder Alex Levan. Shorts advances to second on an error by Levan as both James and Reilly come around to score.

Lake-Lehman 4, Berwick 0

Kaitlyn Brudnicki flies out to second baseman Weaver for the second out, with Shorts remaining at second. Addie Butler works a walk, and during the at-bat Shorts steals third.

Hannah Chipego then delivers the biggest hit of the inning, blasting a fly-ball triple to right fielder Liliana Belles that scores both Shorts and Butler.

Lake-Lehman 6, Berwick 0

Julia Sholtis follows with a hard ground-ball single to left field, bringing Chipego home.

Lake-Lehman 7, Berwick 0

Andrews grounds out to end the inning.

But Lake-Lehman breaks the game open in the sixth, plating five runs on timely hitting from Gracie James, Jordan Shorts, Hannah Chipego, and Julia Sholtis to take a commanding 7-0 lead over Berwick

Bottom 6th Inning — Berwick Batting

Liliana Belles draws a walk to lead off the inning.

Brown grounds out to first baseman Jordan Shorts for the first out, moving Belles to second.

Emma Welsh strikes out looking for the second out.

Lauren Ashworth grounds out to shortstop Wallace, who throws to Shorts at first to end the inning.

Top 7th Inning — Lake-Lehman Batting

Wallace strikes out looking for the first out.

Gracie James grounds out to third baseman Morgan Drauschak, who throws to first baseman Morgan Bankes for the second out.

Brislyn Reilly pops out in foul territory to first baseman Bankes to end the inning.

Bottom 7th Inning — Berwick Batting

Morgan Drauschak strikes out swinging for the first out.

Morgan Bankes also strikes out swinging for the second out.

Brylee Weaver draws a walk to keep the inning alive, but Alex Levan strikes out looking to end the game.

“The team has a bunch of confidence not only in ourselves but in each other. Knowing that your teammate trust you and has confidence in you also gives you the confidence to make those defensively plays. Hannah did an amazing job in the circle, hitting all her spots and Hannah knows we have her back to make the plays and she has our backs. We have such an amazing bond on this team. We are always making jokes, having fun together, and constantly laughing. Having that great bond is such an asset on a team because the communication, understanding, and commitment to each other is why our team works so well together. “ Said Lake Lehmans Hayley Wallace

Final Score: Lake-Lehman 7, Berwick 0

Hannah Chipego and the Lake-Lehman defense shut the door once again as the Black Knights roll to a dominant shutout victory over Berwick.

“Facing Hannah is definitely a challenge because she is such a great player. She pitches and hits well, and is just a great athlete. The challenge with hitting her is that she can work any of her pitches at any time, and her confidence she has on the mound. My mindset when facing her has been to try to jump on the first good pitch, because she will try to use her full arsenal the deeper I  get in the count to make me swing and miss.  I admire the hard work Hannah has put in over her career to be one of the best to do it in our area. She is a standard for players to look up to.” Said Berwick’s Ashlyn Klahold.

Hannah Chipego once again looked like one of the most dominant pitchers in Pennsylvania Friday night, tossing a complete-game shutout while striking out 16 batters and allowing just three hits in Lake-Lehman’s 7-0 victory over Berwick.

 “I knew I had to go into the game with intensity and trusting my mechanics. I had to trust the field behind me and know that they had my back.” Said Lake Lehman Senior Pitcher, Hannah Chipego 

Hannah continued: “No matter what I try to keep my intensity and pitch like it’s a 0-0 game until the end. As a pitcher I feel the most important part of the game is not carrying the at bat to the mound or mound to the at bat. Doing well just helps me keep my team up.”

 Chipego also made a major impact at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base. Julia Sholtis added an RBI single, Jordan Shorts drove in two runs, and Gracie James delivered an RBI hit during the sixth inning explosion. Lake-Lehman finished with eight hits overall while taking advantage of four Berwick errors that helped extend key innings.

“it’s Hannah’s mental toughness and the way she completely commands the circle pitch after pitch. She is pitching with the maturity, focus, and drive that she will need to be successful heading into the post season. Her consistency sets the absolute tone for our entire dugout. When she is out there dealing like she was tonight, the defense plays loose and confident behind her, and the offense knows we are always in the game. The team completely feeds off her poise, and having that kind of lockdown presence in the circle makes everyone wearing a Black Knights jersey believe we can win any game we step into.” Said Nicole Chipego 

Berwick battled early and actually threatened in multiple innings against Chipego. Ashlyn Klahold, Emma Welsh, and Morgan Brown each collected hits for the Bulldogs, but Chipego repeatedly shut the door whenever traffic reached the bases.

“Hannah is so much more than just an amazing pitcher in the circle. She is just a great friend and teammate. She’s always there for us, keeping everyone positive and makes sure nobody gets down. She always giving her teammates advice and has some of the best knowledge in softball. She always pushes her teammates to do better and is constantly supporting everyone. She is such a big light, always keeping the energy up, and always making everyone smile. Hannahs leadership means a lot to this team and the impact she has made goes way behind what she can do in the circle.” Said Lake Lehman’s Hayley Wallace

Berwick struck out 16 times as a team and could never find the timely hit needed to shift momentum. Defensively, the Bulldogs kept the game close for five innings behind pitcher Morgan Brown, who threw a complete game while allowing eight hits and striking out four, but Lake-Lehman’s pressure eventually became too much during a six-run sixth inning that completely broke the game open.

“We were really able to battle with them for the first 5 innings, even in our last two meetings with them. They are a great all around team on both sides of the ball, and hopefully battling with good teams like that will help us be better prepped for the district playoffs.” Said Ashlyn Klahold 

This game felt like another reminder of why Lake-Lehman remains one of the most dangerous teams in the state entering playoff season. Championship-caliber softball is built around elite pitching, timely situational hitting, and forcing opponents into mistakes, and the Black Knights checked every box Friday night. Even in a scoreless game through three innings, Lake-Lehman never looked rattled. 

“First off, I’m incredibly proud of the resilience and focus the girls have shown lately. What the Black Knights are doing best right now is playing connected softball. Our presence in the circle has been an absolute anchor for us, and the defense is playing with a lot of confidence behind our pitching. They are trusting each other, communicating well, and making the routine plays look easy, which is exactly what you want to see at this point in the year. As for where we still want to see growth, you can never be too comfortable at the plate. When the postseason starts, the margins get incredibly thin, and runs are at a premium. I want to see us continue to refine our situational hitting—moving runners over, putting the ball in play with two strikes, and really capitalizing on those high-leverage moments with runners in scoring position. If we can elevate that offensive execution and maintain our current defensive standard, we’ll be in a great spot going into the playoffs.” Said Lake Lehman Head Coach Nicole Chipego 

They stayed patient, trusted their ace, played clean defense, and eventually overwhelmed Berwick with depth and pressure. And when Hannah Chipego is controlling the circle the way she is right now, every inning starts feeling shorter for opponents and every mistake starts feeling bigger.

“During the sixth inning we all came into the dugout after being on the field and had a talk. We all said we need to loosen up and just hit the ball. Once we got our bats going we kept the momentum up and it changed the tone of the game. “ Said Lake lehman Kaitlyn Brudnicki 

Kaitlyn continued: “I think our team takes very much pride in our defense. We work very hard on our defense at practice because we know Hannah needs us behind her to back her up. “

Kaitlyn added: “As the postseason gets closer I think as a team our mindset right now is taking every last game at a time and focusing on the little things we can fix. Where we are growing the most is trusting each other and not just relying on one person to carry us through the games.”

Lake Lehmans head coach Nicole Chipego has a lot to say and proud of her team. 

 “That level of composure is exactly what separates good teams from great, playoff-ready teams. Early on, their pitcher was hitting her spots and keeping us off balance, but our girls didn’t panic or press at the plate. They stayed disciplined, kept putting together quality at-bats, and trusted that if they kept making adjustments, the game would eventually crack open. In the postseason, you are going to face elite pitching, and you aren’t always going to jump out to an early lead. Knowing that we have the maturity to grind it out, lean on our defense to keep a zero on the board, and then absolutely capitalize when the moment arrives—that is the exact mindset we need. Just being patient and trusting the process.”

And maybe that is the real story of this game.

Lake-Lehman never blinked.

They did not chase the moment. They did not press when the bats were quiet early. They did not let a scoreless game feel bigger than it was. They just kept trusting the circle, trusting the gloves behind Hannah Chipego, trusting the next at-bat, and trusting that eventually pressure has a way of finding the team built to handle it.

Then the sixth inning arrived.

One swing became two.

One baserunner became momentum.

One run became a wave.

And once Lake-Lehman felt the game start to tilt, the Black Knights did not just take the lead — they took control.

By the time the final strike snapped into the glove, this was no longer just a 7-0 win over Berwick. It was another chapter in Hannah Chipego’s remarkable career, another reminder of what Lake-Lehman can become when pitching, defense, patience, and timely hitting all meet in the same dugout.

And it was one more answer to that question from the beginning.

How do you build the perfect softball player?

You build her through discipline.

You test her through pressure.

You shape her through coaching.

You strengthen her through teammates.

And then one day, under the lights, with the postseason getting closer and everyone watching, she steps into the circle, reaches 800 career strikeouts, drives in runs with her bat, leads without saying too much, and leaves behind something bigger than a final score.

She leaves behind a standard.

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