Upper Dublin fell to District 2 champion Abington Heights 7-0 in a PIAA 5A State Tournament semifinal contest Monday. Check out the TNT (Tuff ‘n Tuffer) recap.
#2-1 ABINGTON HEIGHTS 7, #1-3 UPPER DUBLIN 0
The Flying Cardinals saw their historic postseason run come to an end in Monday’s PIAA 5A state tournament semifinal. The Cardinals fell behind 5-0 in the second inning and never could solve the mystery of Syracuse University commit Adrianna Condrad.”
The Comets’ junior ace allowed just three hits in the shutout win, striking out 14.
Twice, however, the Cardinals loaded the bases – the first time in the third inning after Sarah O’Brien singled, Maddie Small was safe on a fielder’s choice, and Dooley Hennessey drew a walk. Condrad coaxed a popup to third for the inning’s second out and struck out the next batter she faced to end that threat.
In the fourth inning, Paige McKenna had a one-out single, Kate Brannigan drew a walk, and O’Brien picked up her second hit of the day to load the bases. A pair of strikeouts ended that threat.
Condrad did not allow a hit the rest of the way.
“We couldn’t get that timely hit,” UD coach Heather Boyer said. “The girls showed great resilience and grit. All the way to the last out, they gave their best effort. We didn’t get the lucky bounces we needed today, but they definitely gave it their all.”
One thing is certain – the bar has been set higher after UD’s successful postseason run.
“I told them after the PW game that we lost in extra innings for the potential to come up with the school’s first Suburban One championship that – ‘No matter what happens, I’m proud of you,’” Boyer said. “They’ve done everything and anything we’ve asked of them.
“Even today, down to the last out, they were trying their best to put it all out there on the line and give it their best shot. We had opportunities.
“The resiliency, the grit, the effort, the team cohesion they developed throughout the last few weeks – I don’t think they realized their full potential until they started to see the success in the postseason. So, it was good they were able to experience that and really come together as a team and enjoy the experience and enjoy each other as a group.”
This year’s team opened the season with its share of question marks.
“We had four great seniors that graduated last year, leaving holes at first, second, third and catcher,” Boyer said. “I told them in the preseason, ‘I loved the team we had last year, and I am never going to forget the contributions that Bella (Fiore), Madden (Reilly), Kaitlyn Zacharia and Lizzie Tambourino gave us, but it’s now this season, so we can’t reflect back on what could have been last year, so make your identity,’ and they definitely did that this year, which was a great thing to see.”
Boyer bids farewell to a pair of special seniors – Kyla Garrison and Maddie Small.
“They both have given me all they had for the last four years,” the UD coach said. “Maddie was our right fielder, and she was at a crossroads back in her junior year. She’s going on to play volleyball at Ursinus next year, and she plays at a really high club level, so she felt torn.
“She’s like, ‘I don’t know if I can continue. I have tournaments for volleyball, and I’m going to miss some softball here and there for it. I don’t know if I can do this.’ I said, ‘Look, let me know what the dates are, and we’ll work with you.’ She did miss a game here or there, but it wasn’t anything super significant. I think once she had the okay that ‘Hey, I am going to give you everything I have when I am here.’ She let me know with plenty of notice - it was complete transparency, and we filled the gaps when she was gone the best we could, but there was never a doubt that when she was in softball season, she was 100 percent there, and I am very grateful for her to do that. Too many athletes specialize, and it’s sad to see them have to do that, so I’m glad she was able to manage it. I think she really enjoyed the experience as well.”
Garrison rewrote the record books during a stellar four-year career in the circle for the Cardinals.
“She’s given us everything she’s had the last four years,” Boyer said. “It was cute after the game – a lot of the girls were teary-eyed as you would typically expect because they are saying good-bye to seeing their friends, girls you are not going to see on a regular basis anymore.
“A couple kids said, ‘How are you not sad? How are you not crying?’ And she’s like, ‘I’m mad, I wanted to win.’ Looking at her, you wouldn’t necessarily see that. She doesn’t have that nonverbal edge to her where you would expect that, but once you talk with her a little bit, you realize how much of a true competitor she is.”
Garrison allowed six hits while striking out nine and walking three. The big blow in the game came in a five-run second when – with the bases loaded – Eva Kane hit an inside-the-park home run.
By the numbers: Upper Dublin: Kyla Garrison (7.0 IP, 6H, 7R, 7ER, 3BB, 9K)
Sarah O’Brien (2-for-3)
Abington Heights: Adrianna Condrad (W) (7.0 IP, 3H, 0R, 3BB, 14K)
Eva Kane (1-for-3, 1HR, 4RBIs, 1R)
Upper Dublin closed out its season with an 18-9 overall record.
Abington Heights 050 200 0 7-6-0
Upper Dublin 000 000 0 0-3-1
- Log in to post comments
