Marian pitcher Morgan Kelly once again did her thing - and her teammates supplied plenty of runs.

The combination of Kelly’s superb pitching, and an offense that clubbed out 15 hits, allowed the Fillies to storm past rival Panther Valley, 10-0, on Monday.

The victory was also a pennant clincher for the Fillies, who won their third straight Schuylkill League Division III championship.

“Whenever you win a championship, it’s something that you are proud of,” Marian manager Joe DeAngelo said. “This was one of our goals coming into the season.”

Marian, which improved to 13-5 overall and 8-4 in the league, earned a berth in the six-team Schuylkill League postseason tournament which gets under way next Monday with quarterfinal round games at Blue Mountain High School’s Patton Field.

Panther Valley falls to 8-11 overall and 5-7 in league play. It needed a win to not only keep the Fillies from clinching, but also keep its own division hopes alive,

Kelly made sure that wasn’t going to happen. The Fillie senior allowed just one hit in recording her seventh consecutive shutout and eighth in the last nine games.

“When Morgan has her pitches working, she can be very tough,” DeAngelo said. “The combination of her riser and her ability to keep her fastball down low makes her very effective. Today was the kind of game that you just let her do her thing.

“Morgan and our catcher Anna Grabosky have been doing this for four years together. So they know each other very well.”

A crushing double off the bat of Morgan Orsulak - the second batter in the game for Panther Valley - helped produce the only threat against Kelly as Janessa Prudent walked following the Orsulak hit. But in a jiffy that was nullified as Grabosky erased Orsulak trying to steal third base.

From there on out it was the Kelly show as she sent the next 15 batters down in order, striking out seven in the process.

Meanwhile at the plate, Marian was shooting single after single. In fact, Marian knocked out 13 straight singles before it got an extra-base hit. Kelly got that one - a double - in the home sixth to drive in Gracie Sandatch, who singled to open the inning. Moments later, Danica Karlick blasted another double, this one driving in Kelly to put the mercy rule into effect and end the game.

“We had some good hits from players up and down our lineup,” DeAngelo said. “It was a nice team effort.”

Marian jumped to a 4-0 lead in the home second as Grabosky and Gracie Gallagher had back-to-back hits, before Kayal Biever laid down a squeeze for a hit and an RBI. DeAnna Pugh then singled home two runs, before an error produced the inning’s final run.

The Fillies pushed home a run in the third on a Zoe Katona infield hit, and then increased it to 8-0 with a three-run fifth.

“We struggled to get any hits against Kelly,” Panther Valley manager Tara Yuricheck said. “But give our kids credit, they never back down.”

HITTING STARS ... Karlick and Gallagher both finished with three hits for the Fillies.

A WHIZ … Panther Valley shortstop Mikayla Yuricheck is one heck of a player. The daughter of the coach made some terrific plays.

FOR PETE’S SAKE … Pete Malaska was a fixture in the PV sports scene for decades, whether playing or as a coach. His passing six week’s ago left an indelible mark in the sports scene at his beloved school. His wife, Donna Malaska, is still on the softball staff where Pete also served as an assistant for many years. The Panthers wear T-shirts with one of Pete’s favorite sayings: “Ground balls aren’t your best friend.” Pete was a best friend to everyone! RIP Brother.

Panther Valley 000 000 - 0 1 3

Marian 040 323 - 10 15 0

Prudente and Orsulak; Kelly and Gallagher. W - Kelly. L - Prudente.