Daily Times Sports: Women's Charity Classic - Appco's/Duke's posts an easy repeat

By Harry Chaykun, Special to the Times


RIDLEY TOWNSHIP - Whether the players are veterans or youngsters, the Appco's Sports World/Duke's softball team goes about its business in every game with the motto of "let's have fun."

Manager Mike McGrath talked about how "it never gets old" after Appco's/Duke's defeated Casey's, 13-3, at Father Nall Field Sunday afternoon to earn the 2015 Women's Charity Classic title in a game that was halted after 4½ innings by the 10-run mercy rule.

The defending champs had beaten Casey's, 16-5, in the winners bracket final, then turned in a pair of sparkling defensive plays, including a double-play to end the game, in support of winning pitcher Vicky Pecunia.

Renee Stewart went 3-for-3 and knocked in three runs, Lynee Schlack, who was named the tournament's most valuable player, got a pair of hits and a walk in her three trips to the plate.

Marissa Seifried was 3-for-3 with two RBIs, Cindy Rabideau also had a 3-for-3 performance, and Becca Stanley belted a two-run homer for Appco's/Duke's.

"This has been such a great team to coach," McGrath said. "We have veteran players who know how to get things done. And it's great to see the younger players come along and keep things going. Lynee and Chris Camac were the younger ones not that long ago, and now Becca Stanley is a young player and she's so good."

"This weekend we really hit the ball and made plays on defense. We went up to the ASA of PA state tournament and went out in two straight games and only scored four runs. That's the way the game can be."

With her team leading, 6-3, in the top of the fourth inning, Schlack fielded a hit in right field with a runner on first base and no outs and made a good relay throw to Camac, who cut down the runner going to third.

In the bottom of the fourth, Stewart had a two-run single and Schlack, Seifried, Camac and Brooke Berger got runs home with hits to boost Appco's/Duke's lead to 10 runs.

With two runners on and one out in the top of the fifth, Casey's Kristine Sambucco hit a line drive to left-center field which Stanley nabbed before tossing to second base to complete a game-ending double play.

"I was a little choked up when they said I won the (MVP) award," Schlack said. "It's been great being part of this team, and I'm happy playing wherever they need me, if it's the infield or the outfield."

"We have people like Marissa (Seifried) who always give us words of wisdom. Today's were, 'You control your own destiny.' And that's the way it happened."

Stanley is about to begin her junior year at Wilmington University.

"I enjoy playing behind Vicky (Pecunia)," she said. "You know she knows the hitters, and you know if they like the ball outside she'll pitch them inside. I've been with this team three years, and we've done well."

Sara Eccles tripled with the bases loaded in the third inning to give Casey's its runs.

In the winners bracket final:

Appco's/Duke's 16, Casey’s 5 >> An 11-run second inning made it easy for the defending champs. Berger (five RBIs), Camac (two RBIs) and Schlack all went 3-for-4.

In losers bracket contests:

Christopher's Footprints 13, Buck Frank 2 >> The winners scored all of their runs in the top of the first inning. Andrea Peterson went 3-for-3 with a double and Sarah Church and Jill Brennan added two hits apiece, and Carole Lovelace and Kirsten Gilfoy added defensive support to back the pitching of Church.

Casey's 22, Christopher's Footprints 16 >> Sambucco was 5-for-5 with a homer, Eccles and Lexi Law had four hits and Kathleen Chermol chipped in with three hits for Casey's.