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Bishop O’Connell Knights repeat as girls softball champs

| For the Catholic Herald
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Bishop O’Connell High School coach Tommy Orndorff leads his team in the Hail Mary before the start of the WCAC Softball Championship game against St. Mary’s Ryken High School at Academy of the Holy Cross May 5. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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Bishop O’Connell’s Kathryn Sandercock winds-up for a pitch. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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The Bishop O’Connell Knights pose for a team photo with the WCAC championship trophy May 5 after their win over St. Mary’s Ryken High School. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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O’Connell catcher, Meadow Sacadura (center), leads the cheering in the dugout. JOE CASHWELL | FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

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To paraphrase the late Yankee legend, Yogi Berra, the 2018 WCAC Softball Championship game May 5 was like déjà vu all over again.

As in the 2017 championship game, it was held at the same location (Academy of the Holy Cross in Kensington, Md.), featured the same two teams (St. Mary’s Ryken High School of Leonardtown, Md., and Bishop O’Connell High School of Arlington), the same two pitchers (St. Mary’s Ryken’s Cassie Aud and O’Connell’s Kathryn Sandercock), the same weather (rain in the forecast) and the same outcome as O’Connell defeated St. Mary’s Ryken 7-2. O’Connell had seven runs on 11 hits and one error. St Mary’s Ryken had two runs on two hits and no errors.

 

After facing six batters and allowing one run in the top of the first, O’Connell’s Sandercock settled down and retired the side three out of the next six innings striking out 11, giving up only two walks and only one homerun to St. Mary’s Ryken’s third baseman Reagan Sutton in the fourth inning. Sandercock only faced 26 batters in the game

St. Mary’s Ryken allowed five runs in the bottom of the first as all nine O’Connell batters appeared at the plate. Aud also pitched three 1-2-3 innings with two strikeouts. She faced 29 batters, giving up seven runs on 11 hits (eight singles and three doubles).

Winning pitcher Sandercock, in a post-game interview, said of her last game for O’Connell that it “was a great way to go out.” She said the win was a team effort. Despite off-season hip surgery and a tough comeback, Sandercock was named the WCAC Player of the Year and is excited to play at Florida State University in Tallahassee next year.  Her battery-mate, Meadow Sacadura, said she will miss her, but the team will work through it and get better.

O’Connell coach Tommy Orndorff said the three keys to the win were the way his team responded in the bottom of the first with a lead-off double Caitlin Jorae and all nine batters working to score five runs to take a 5-1 lead. Sandercock’s 11 strikeouts had a huge impact, as did a defensive gem by Sophia Rzonca at shortstop off of St. Mary Ryken’s best player to end the fifth inning and potential rally.

See and buy more photos from the game at catholicherald.smugmug.com.

 

© Arlington Catholic Herald 2018