WRITTEN BY: JERIC YURKANIN
SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA— The Lakeland Lady Chiefs 12U All-Stars are right back in the heat of another summer tournament run—and right now, they are playing some of their best softball when it matters most.
The Lady Chiefs battled their way into the Tripp Park Tournament semifinals through the losers’ bracket after defeating a talented Abington Heights All-Star team, 6–2, on Friday night.
But before the first pitch was ever thrown, the night had already become a test of patience.
The game was delayed approximately 30 to 45 minutes while everyone waited for an umpire to arrive. Parents leaned against the fence, others sat anxiously in their chairs, players continued warming up, and tired fans repeatedly checked the time as the evening slowly slipped away.
Adding to the tension was the knowledge that a win would force Lakeland right back onto the field for another elimination game later that same night—while a loss would end their tournament run.
It was Friday evening after a long five-day workweek. Parents were exhausted. Fans were restless. The players were ready to go—but there was nothing anyone could do except wait for the umpire to arrive and get the game started.
That is part of softball. Sometimes, everyone at the field is at the mercy of the officials—not only while waiting for a game to begin, but also when close calls happen between the lines.
Anyone who has spent enough time around a softball field has witnessed a call they disagreed with. Sometimes an umpire does not have the best angle. Sometimes the play happens too quickly. Maybe a runner’s foot barely touches the base, or perhaps it comes off the bag for only a split second.
That is the reality of the game. Umpires are human, plays happen fast, and everyone sees the action from a different angle.
Once the game finally got underway, however, the Lady Chiefs put the delay behind them and took care of business.
Lakeland defeated Abington Heights, 6–2, to remain alive in the tournament. Then the Lady Chiefs returned to the field and shut out host Tripp Park, 3–0, in a game that did not end until approximately 9:30 p.m.
By that point, the lights were shining brightly over the field, the air had cooled, and most people had already spent several long hours at the park.
One mother, whose daughter has been one of the Lady Chiefs’ top hitters throughout the All-Star season, sent me a message Friday night that perfectly described the mood around the ballpark.
“We’re all exhausted, but they were great games,” she wrote.
That is tournament softball.
The long nights. The delays. The nervous parents. The tired players. The pressure of knowing that one loss could end the entire tournament run.
But the Lady Chiefs were still standing.
And right now, they are hot.
Lakeland has also received strong production from several hitters throughout its All-Star run.
According to the team’s recorded statistics, E. Fortuner has led the Lady Chiefs at the plate, batting .619 through eight games with 13 hits in 21 at-bats.
L. Mariano has also delivered consistently, batting .414 through 11 games with 12 hits in 29 at-bats. K. Smigiel has posted a .348 batting average through 11 games, while S. Russo has hit .344 across 12 games and 32 at-bats.
Those are the players Lakeland will need to continue producing as the Lady Chiefs prepare for a familiar opponent with their tournament lives on the line.
Lakeland knows this Mid Valley All-Star team well.
The Lady Chiefs’ only loss of the tournament came against Mid Valley in an extra-inning battle Thursday night—a game that could have gone either way until the final pitches.
Mid Valley held a one-run advantage in the fifth inning, but Lakeland refused to let the game slip away. The Lady Chiefs answered with a run of their own to tie the score.
Mid Valley moved back in front with another run in the sixth. Once again, Lakeland responded, pushing across the tying run and extending the fight.
Neither team scored in the seventh inning, sending the game into extras.
Then came the top of the eighth.
Mid Valley finally broke through, scoring three runs and putting Lakeland’s in immediate danger. The Lady Chiefs needed three runs to tie the game and four to win it in the bottom half of the inning.
Lakeland managed to bring one run across the plate, but the rally stopped there. Mid Valley escaped with the victory, handing the Lady Chiefs their first and only loss of the tournament.
Still, there was always a feeling these two teams might meet again.
The way Lakeland had been playing throughout July—and with the talent Mid Valley brought into the tournament—it almost seemed inevitable that their paths would cross one more time.
Now, here they were.
Lakeland versus Mid Valley.
A rematch.
A semifinal.
An elimination game.
One team would advance. The other would see its summer tournament run come to an end.
Here is how the game unfolded:
Mid Valley stepped to the plate first in the top of the opening inning, with Lakeland making a lineup change and sending Katie S. into the circle.
Katie immediately settled in and set the tone. Maria T. struck out and was thrown out at first following a dropped third strike. Katie then struck out Leah P. and Abby K. swinging, retiring the side with three consecutive strikeouts.
Lakeland’s offense went to work in the bottom of the first. Elena F. grounded out to pitcher Abby K., and Leah M. followed with a groundout for the second out.
With two outs and nobody on base, Katie S. worked a walk to keep the inning alive. Skylar R. then lifted a pop fly that was mishandled by the Mid Valley defense, allowing Katie to race home with the game’s first run.
Auden M. followed with a walk before Avery R. grounded out to the first baseman to end the inning.
After one inning, Lakeland held a 1–0 lead over Mid Valley.
Lakeland’s bats went back to work in the bottom half of the inning against pitcher Abby K.
Kendall R. struck out looking to begin the inning, but Coral S. followed with a pop-fly single into right field. Layla G. then drew a walk before Lylah K. struck out swinging for the second out.
With Coral standing at third and Layla at second, Elena F. hit a ground ball that was mishandled by shortstop Emma T. The error allowed both runners to score, extending Lakeland’s lead to 3–0.
Leah M. kept the two-out rally alive by ripping a hard ground-ball single into left field. She advanced to second on the throw as Elena raced home, pushing the advantage to 4–0.
Lakeland’s bats were still hot.
Katie S. followed with a walk, but Skylar R. grounded into a fielder’s choice to third baseman Sabrina K., who retired Leah as she attempted to advance to third, ending the inning.
After two innings, Lakeland held a 4–0 lead over Mid Valley.
Katie S. remained firmly in control when Mid Valley came to bat in the top of the third inning.
Emma T. struck out and was retired at first following a dropped third strike. Katie then caught Mia C. looking before getting Demi D. to swing through strike three, completing her third consecutive scoreless inning.
Through three innings, Katie had struck out eight batters and had yet to allow a Mid Valley runner to reach base.
Mid Valley 0, Lakeland 4
of the fourth inning and worked around a leadoff hit.
Maria T. opened the inning with a ground-ball single, giving Mid Valley its first baserunner of the game. Elena quickly settled in, striking out Leah P. looking before Abby K. grounded out to the shortstop. Sabrina K. followed with another groundout, ending the inning and keeping Mid Valley off the scoreboard.
After four innings: Lakeland 4, Mid Valley 0
Lakeland broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth inning, using patience at the plate and several Mid Valley miscues to push four more runs across.
Layla G. lined out to second base to begin the inning before Lylah K. was hit by a pitch. Elena F. then lined into a fielder’s choice, with center fielder Maria T. throwing to shortstop Demi D. to retire Lylah as she attempted to advance to second.
With two outs, Leah M. kept the inning alive by beating out a ground-ball single to third baseman Isabella H. Elena advanced to third, while Leah later moved into scoring position on defensive indifference.
Katie S. was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Skylar R. followed by drawing a walk, forcing Elena home and extending Lakeland’s lead to 5–0.
The Lady Chiefs continued to show patience. Auden M. walked to bring Leah home, making it 6–0, before Avery R. drew another bases-loaded walk that allowed Katie to score.
Kendall R. then reached safely on a dropped third strike and passed ball. Skylar raced home, Auden advanced to third and Avery moved to second, giving Lakeland an 8–0 advantage.
Coral S. struck out looking to finally end the inning, but not before Lakeland had sent several batters to the plate and added four runs to its lead.
After four innings: Lakeland 8, Mid Valley 0
Elena F. continued to control Mid Valley’s lineup in the top of the fifth inning.
Nina D. grounded back to Elena, who made the throw to first for the opening out. Elena then struck out Isabella H. swinging and caught Emma T. looking to retire the side in order.
Lakeland also went down quietly in the bottom half of the inning. Layla G. struck out and was retired at first following a dropped third strike. Lylah K. grounded out to pitcher Abby K., and Elena F. flew out to second baseman Leah P. to end the inning.
After five innings: Lakeland 8, Mid Valley 0
Lakeland was efficient at the plate despite collecting just three hits, taking advantage of eight walks, two hit batters, and several Mid Valley defensive miscues to score eight runs. Leah M. led the offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, a run scored and a double. Coral S. added a single and scored a run, while Elena F. crossed the plate twice. Katie S. scored twice and reached base four times with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Skylar R. drove in a run and scored once, while Auden M. and Avery R. each collected an RBI with two walks. Layla G. also scored a run and drew a walk. Lakeland finished with eight runs on three hits, four RBIs, eight walks and three stolen bases.
Lakeland’s pitching staff was dominant from start to finish. Katie S. set the tone, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit while striking out 10 of the 12 batters she faced without issuing a walk. Elena F. finished the shutout with 2 1/3 scoreless innings, surrendering one hit and striking out four without a walk. Together, the duo combined for a two-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts and no walks.
Mid Valley’s only offense came from Maria T., who finished 2-for-3 with both of her team’s hits and a stolen base. Abby K. pitched all five innings for Mid Valley, allowing eight runs (three earned) on three hits while walking eight, hitting two batters and striking out seven over 121 pitches.
On this night, Lakeland didn’t just earn another victory—it answered a challenge. After surviving late-night games, lengthy delays and the pressure of battling through the losers’ bracket, the Lady Chiefs returned to face the only team that had beaten them in the tournament. This time, they left no doubt. Behind dominant pitching from Katie S. and Elena F., patient at-bats, timely offense and a strong defensive effort, Lakeland turned a highly anticipated semifinal rematch into an emphatic 8–0 shutout.
The journey, however, was not over. With the victory, the Lady Chiefs advanced to the tournament championship, where they will need to defeat the Moosic Redwings twice tomorrow to capture another summer title. The road had already tested Lakeland’s endurance, resilience and determination, but the Lady Chiefs continued to answer every challenge placed in front of them. Tournament softball is rarely easy, and after everything they had endured over the previous four days, they had earned the right to keep playing. Their summer was still alive—and they were not ready for it to end.
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