INDIANA, PA. – The 2022 Little League Girls Softball 10-12-year-old Pennsylvania State Tournament is officially underway in Western Pennsylvania.

Anthracite/Towamensing, playing in the opening game of seven-team, double-elimination tournament, fell to Devon Stafford, Verwyn, Paoli Little League 19-1 on Wednesday evening.

Fresh off capturing both District 18 and Section 6 titles, Anthracite/Towamensing couldn’t match the suburban Philadelphia team in its state opener.

“We ran into a super good team,” Anthracite/Towamensing coach Tommy Goida said. “We were just outmatched. They hit the ball everywhere.

Our defense definitely didn’t help us out either as we committed four errors.

“But I feel we can rebound from this. That was a really good team out there, and a tough team to play in our opener.”

Leadoff hitter Danika Blazosky drew a walk to open the game for Anthracite/Towamensing and eventually scored to give her team a 1-0 first-inning lead.

That lead was short lived, however, as Devon answered with three runs in the botton of the first, getting RBI singles from Katie Mikita and Taylor Kuch.

After pitcher Kiera Norton struck out the side in the top of second inning, the Devon offense erupted for nine runs in the bottom of the frame to blow the game open

“We were tense today, and we didn’t play our game,” Goida said. “Our way is loose, fun, girls chanting on the bench, everybody alive, and as soon as we had a few things go wrong, we were silent.

“We also have to make them make plays. We have to force the issue, and we need to make them get us out. We didn’t do that today.”

Devon added seven more runs in the third inning, and the game was called in the fourth because of the mercy rule.

Pascale Nehlsen (three singles, two runs scored, two RBIs), Mikita (two singles, two runs scored, two RBIs), Lainey Furman (single, triple, two runs scored, two RBIs) and Abby Kilgarriff (two singles, three runs scored, two RBIs) all had huge games offensively for the winners - as the top four hitters in the Devon batting order combined for nine of its 12 hits.

“The top of their lineup was incredible,” Goida said. “That’s what got them going. They are a really strong team and great hitters.”

Sammy Wolfe had two hits for Anthracite/Towamensing.

The locals will try to stay alive in the tournament when they take on the loser of the Clinton County vs. West Suburban game on Friday at 5 p.m.

“That was a big team that has a lot of experience out there. They played a lot of games in tournaments, and it showed,” Goida said. “But we won’t quit. We battled all day today. We know we’re a strong team. We know we deserve to be here.

“These girls deserve to be on the field with these other teams, and we will get another chance to show that on Friday.”

DEVON’S CREDENTIALS ...

A/T’s opening night opponent came in as the champions of District 27 and Section 8.

TOUGH ONE

… Anthracite/Towamensing suffered its first loss of the postseason, after winning a combined five straight games in the district and section tournaments.

TURF CITY

… It was the first time this season that Anthracite/Towamensing dealt with a turf infield. Goida said it caused some problems getting used to it Wednesday night, but plans to grab some practice Thursday morning during the teams’ day off.

LONG TRIP .... Anthracite/Towamensing had a 225-mile, three-hour-and-45-minute trip to play in in the state tournament.

BRACKET UPDATE

… The tournament went from an eight-team field to a seven-team field after a team from Section 7 pulled out.

Anth./Towa. 100 0 – 1 2 4

DSBP 397 x – 19 12 1

Wolfe and Lawless; Norton and Guerin. W – Norton. L – Wolfe.