Spring Sports

SHIPPENSBURG – Allison Updike has a new number.

She also has a PIAA gold medal to go with it.

The Tamaqua junior capped a phenomenal spring by winning the State title in the Class AA javelin Saturday morning at the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University.

Updike had already clinched first place by hitting four of her first five throws in the 150-foot range when she uncorked a personal best 161 feet, two inches as a victory heave on her final attempt.

SALISBURY TOWNSHIP - It didn't help matters for the Northern Lehigh baseball team that it was pitted up against a three-time defending District 11 Class 2A champion.

What made matters even worse was the fact that Pine Grove's starting pitcher Dave Hafer didn't make it any easier for the Bulldogs to try and pull out a victory in the district semifinals at Salisbury on Thursday.

Hafer simply crushed the hearts of those inside Northern Lehigh's dugout. He finished with a complete game four-hitter, allowed one walk, one hit-batsman, and struck out 12.

A major thunderstorm that had very heavy rain, sharp lightning, marble-size hail, and tree-bending winds forced the suspension yesterday of Lehighton-Central Catholic baseball game at Northwestern.

The game will resume in the top of the second inning at 4 p.m. today at the Sam Balliet Stadium in Coplay.

The storm was an anomaly of sorts in that only a mile from Northwestern High School, at the Route 309 and 143 intersection, there was sunshine.

In most of the TIMES NEWS area, there was only a distant rumble of thunder.

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS - Martina Herring was in a zone. She had command of almost every pitch, but her riser was really on the money.

The Palmerton sophomore saved her best game of the season thus far, striking out 17 batters, walking two and scattering three hits in a 4-2 eight inning victory over North Schuylkill in a District 11 2A quarterfinal on Thursday afternoon.

It is believed to be the first Palmerton district playoff win since 1996 and 11th of the season for a team who had just won two games the past four seasons.