Sometimes, the bats just never get started.

Such was the case in yesterday's Mountain Valley Conference softball game between Stroudsburg and Pleasant Valley, as the Lady Mounties pulled out a 4-0 win over the previously-unbeaten (in the MVC) Lady Bears.Stroudsburg definitely didn't suffer from the same misfortune, as two solo home runs and some other timely hits produced the win."This win ranks up near the top with some of the other important wins in our history of our softball program," Mounties' head coach Maynard Franz admitted afterwards. "The intensity our girls showed and the way they hit the ball was just great today."Kalista Gioglio got the day started with a solo home run in the top of the first inning, as she was the second batter of the game. After the Mounties tacked on another run in the second, the 2-0 lead remained steadfast through the fifth frame.The normally-potent Pleasant Valley team sputtered at times, offensively. But that was due to the strong pitching of Madeline Liedberg and the solid defense surrounding the mound."To get this win will definitely serve as a momentum builder, heading into playoffs," Franz added. "We have the league playoffs first and then districts, and with this win, hopefully the girls can feed off it and continue to play well."Both sides will participate in the MVC and District Eleven playoffs in the upcoming weeks and could possibly meet again.However, this time, it was Stroudsburg garnering the victory, as they struck again in the top of the sixth. A RBI double in the frame added insurance to make the lead 3-0 after six, and in the seventh, Katherine Liedberg smacked a shot over the right-center field fence to round out the contest's scoring.Liedberg, who finished the day at the plate going 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs, earned praise from Franz. "She's our leadoff hitter and our nucleus for the team," he commended. "Her intensity was great and she has a keen knack for putting the ball in play."Meanwhile, the Lady Bears had five different players hit singles in the game. However, they were too sparsely spread to manufacture run production."We definitely have to do a better job swinging the bats," Pleasant Valley head coach Steve Caffrey stated. "If we don't do that, we'll make it a lot easier for them, and that was the case today.""Stroudsburg was definitely more aggressive at the plate today and coach Franz had them ready to play," he added.With the loss, the Bears drop to 13-6 overall and 11-1 in the league and play Whitehall this afternoon. "Win or lose, we're in the (MVC) playoffs this weekend."Stroudsburg 110 001 1 - 4 6 2Pleasant Valley 000 000 0 - 0 5 1Liedberg and Kern; Marini and Caffrey. WP - Liedberg, LP - Marini. HR: S - Gioglio (1st, none on), Liedberg (7th, none on).