NTL SOFTBALL: NEB POUNDS THEIR WAY PAST GREENWOOD IN STATE OPENER (2025-06-02)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — NEB’s extra focus on hitting over the past few practices paid off on Monday as they pounded out 15 hits in their 17-2 win over Greenwood in three innings during PIAA, Class A softball playoff action.

After Greenwood hit a 2-run home run in the top of the first it was NEB as the Panthers came back with five in the bottom half, six in the second, and six more in the third to get the mercy rule win, their first state win since beating Millersburg back in 2017.

“It’s been a while,” said NEB coach MaKaylah Leljedal. “I am so excited for the girls, and this group of seniors. It was across the board, everyone put into it.”

In the circle Makenna Callear went three innings for the win, striking out five of the 12 batters she faced. She gave up two hits, no walks, and one earned run.

“I was really excited to do it for my team, and just go out there and throw strikes,” said Callear. 

Despite giving up the 2-run homer in the first the senior pitcher was unfazed.

“I was just confident in my team’s hitting abilities,” Callear remarked. “I was like, ‘let’s just go in there and hit the ball.’ We’re going to keep playing good on defense, and we’re just going to keep pushing the game.”

And back her up with their bats they did as they went 15-for-28 on the day.

“I felt like we did pretty good at that, the best we’ve done in a few games, at least,” said catcher Hannah Berger.

Kiarra DeLancey (3-for-4) had a double with three runs scored, while Kelsea Moore (3-for-4) had a double, two runs scored, and 3-RBI.

Callear (2-for-3) scored three times, with Berger (2-for-3) also scoring three times with an RBI.

Zaelea Lane (2-for-3) scored, and drove in two runs, as Izzy Kapr (1-for-3) had 3-RBI on the afternoon. Orissa Gardner (1-for-2) scored and drove in a run, as Ava Lambert (1-for-2) had 2-RBI, and crossed home once.

Makenzie Clark, Toni Herb, and Abby Keeney all scored, with Keeney also driving in a run.

“They were very aggressive on the base paths, but they were also very smart while they were doing it,” said Leljedal. “I’m so very proud of them.”

In the first Greenwood’s Kamryn Walton reached on an error, then saw her teammate, Jayden Brosius take the first pitch from Callear and put it over the centerfield fence to make it 2-0 Wildcats.

Callear would give up another hit before getting out of the inning.

“I said we’ve just got to keep pushing,” Leljedal told her team. “Don’t let one bad inning make the whole game.”

Callear and DeLancey would get back to back singles to start things off in the bottom of the first, then Moore tied things up with one swing of the bat, hitting a double that scored the two Panthers.

Berger then drove in Moore for a 3-2 lead. A Gardner hit, followed by Herb reaching on a fielder’s choice loaded the bases.

That set up run scoring ground outs from Lambert and Lane for a 5-2 lead. 

Going up three helped settle Callear down in the circle.

“I think we were all a little jittery,” she said. “It’s the first state game, we’ve never gotten here before for us, so it was really exciting. But I definitely think after going through all of it that first inning, the second inning was a lot calmer, and we were ready to go.”

After taking Greenwood down in order in the second Callear, DeLancey, and Moore all had singles to load the bases in the bottom half of the inning.

An error off the bat of Berger brought in Callear and DeLancey for a 7-2 lead. An RBI ground out from Gardner scored Moore to make it 8-2.

After a second out Lambert singled in Berger to keep the inning alive for a 7-run lead. Lane then reached on a hit, followed by Kapr driving in Lambert and Lane with a single for an 11-2 score.

DeLancey would lead off the third with a double, followed by Berger reaching on a single two batters later. 

A Gardner hit brought in both of them to make it 13-2. Herb and Keeney then reached to load the bases for Lane, who drove in Clark with a hit to make it 14-2.

Kapr then singled in Herb and Lambert for a 16-2 ball game. After a walk to Callear, and a second out, Moore singled in Kapr to end the contest.

The Panthers will now face District I champions, Dock Mennonite, on Thursday at a time and place to be determined. Dock Mennonite beat the District XII champions, Maritime Academy, 15-0 in their first round state game.

Leljedal plans on keeping things loose in practice as they continue to focus on hitting.

“Batting is one thing we really need to work on,” Berger said. “Putting the ball in play is important.”

——

PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING

Print Friendly Version