Connie Mack U-11 Athletics defeat Yankees 13-10

The U-11 Yankees and Athletics met for the second time this season at Dellwood North. The Athletics won 13-10 in a hard-fought game with plenty of hits and few bases on balls.

Despite loading the bases in the top of the first inning, the A's were unable to score due to the Yankees experienced fielding. A's leadoff batter Kaitlyn Schinaman reached on a walk but was out on the force at second when Allison Staebell put the ball in play and was safe at first. Staebell advanced when Megan Mallon and Lizzie Pittari walked but was out at home when Rachel Callea hit back to Yankees pitcher Heather Sidell, who quickly scooped up the ground ball and flipped it to catcher Samantha Hyatt preventing Staebell from scoring. Sidell finished the inning with a strikeout for the third out.

Athletics ace pitcher Megan Mallon took the mound in the bottom of the first, getting the leadoff Yankees batter out on strikes. The next four Yankees put the ball in play and were able to score the three-run limit for the inning. Terese Regan hit a sharp liner down the third base line but was held to a single on Lizzie Pittari's alert fielding. Regan advanced to third with steals and scored when Heather Sidell hit a blooper in front of home plate which stymied the A's fielders. Heather Sidell advanced on her cousin Taylor Sidell's single and both Sidells scored when Sarah Shallowhorn drove the ball to deep center field.

The Athletics' most reliable hitter Melissa Mallon led off the second with a single. She advanced on a sacrifice from Taylor Gibbon fielded by Hannah Morrison at second who threw to Terese Regan at first for the out. Mallon was stranded on third when the next two A's batters struck out.

The Yankees extended their lead to six runs in the bottom of the second with successive singles from Rachel Lackner, Bethany Jones, Samantha Hyatt, and Shannon Moore.

The Athletics were able to put three runs on the scoreboard in the third starting with singles from Schinaman, Staebell, and Megan Mallon. Callea tallied two RBIs with a hit to right field and Melissa Mallon got the third RBI on a sacrifice fly caught by Taylor Sidell. A's pitcher Callea held the Yankees to one run in the third scored by Regan, who walked and scored on a hit by Taylor Sidell.

Callea struck out one batter, fielded a grounder and threw to Melissa Mallon for the out at first. Mallon also got an unassisted put out at first.

The A's drew closer with three runs in the fourth inning sparked by a deep hit to center field from Brigid Ryan scoring Sophia Militello, who had reached on a walk. Singles from Schinaman, Staebell, Megan Mallon and Pittari completed the scoring.

The Yankees added three more runs to bring the score to 10-6 on the solid hitting of Bethany Jones, Brianna Barbarossa, Hyatt, Morrison, Regan and Heather Sidell.

The Athletics were able to score three runs in the fifth inning starting with a lead off single from Callea. Rebecca Regan and Gibbon drew walks and Callea scored when Ryan worked the count for a walk. Schinaman and Staebell each drove in a run with singles to complete the scoring. Megan Mallon returned to the mound for the Athletics in the bottom of the fifth. Taylor Sidell hit back to the pitcher but was safe at first on an overthrow. The next three Yankees batters were out on strikes, holding Sidell at third.

The A's bats came alive in the final inning scoring four runs on singles from sisters, Megan and Melissa Mallon, Militello, a double hit to right field by Gibbon and a sacrifice for an RBI from Callea, giving the Athletics the lead for the first time of the night.

The Yankees threatened to take back the lead when the bases were loaded on walks but three strikeouts for pitcher Megan Mallon saved win for the Athletics. Megan was assisted by her sister Melissa who caught a third strike foul tip for the out.

Yankees pitcher Barbarossa had three strikeouts and A's pitcher Megan Mallon had six strikeouts.

Athletics 13, Blue Jays 12

On a sunny but cool Saturday morning, the Blue Jays and A's showed the fans that hitting, pitching, and fielding have all been improving as the season warms up.

The third encounter of the season between these teams proved an enjoyable competition for the players and their fans.

The Blue Jays opened the first inning by scoring two runs as Claire and Mary O' Neill drove M.C. Duggan, and Alexandra Sommer home.

The A's came back in the bottom of the first. Alison Staebell walked, stole second and scored on Melissa Mallon's drive into left field. Mallon scored on Brigid Ryan's hit to second. Taylor Gibbon singled and scored on Megan Mallon's single up the middle.

Blue Jay Duggan led off the second with a walk, stole second and later scored on Brooke Garand's single. Elizabeth Feeley and Mary O'Neill drove home Garand and Kelsey Sommer.

Athletic Katelyn Schinaman opened the bottom of the second with a single to left. Rebecca Regan walked and Samantha Dispenza was hit by a pitch loading the bases for Staebell, who singled and drove home Schinaman. Melissa Mallon's double scored Regan and Dispenza, bringing the score to 6-5 A's after two innings.

The Blue Jays scored three times in the top of the third. Leadoff batter Elise Bradley was hit by a pitch and scored ahead of Duggan and Garand.

The A's kept pace as Ryan and Gibbon singled and scored on Megan Mallon's line drive to center field. After three, the score was tied at 8-8.

The bats continued to warm in the fourth. Claire O'Neill led off with a home run. Mary O'Neill followed with a walk and stole second before scoring on Elise Bradley's single. Bradley scored on Garand's single to right center. The A's kept pace as Lizzie Pittari, Dispenza and Rachel Callea were driven home by Staebell, Melissa Mallon and Kelsey Dwello. The fourth ended with the teams deadlocked again at 11-11.

The fifth inning saw Claire O'Neill come to the plate with the bases loaded. She drove the second pitch deep into center field where Melissa Mallon caught the towering hit and doubled the runner off second base for the defensive play of the game. Alert base running by Sommer put the Blue Jays in the lead, 12-11.

Ryan, in relief, recorded a strikeout to strand Feeley at third base. In the bottom of the fifth, Claire O'Neill struck out three A's in a row, stranding Brigid Ryan at third with the potential tying run.

In the top of the sixth, A's closer Megan Mallon gave up a lead off single to Duggan before striking out the next three batters on 11 pitches to hold the Blue Jays scoreless.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sophia Militello and Pittari led off with walks. Rebecca Regan loaded the bases before Callea single to center, scoring Militello and Pittari with the tying and winning runs.