Truman beats Pennsbury for first time in 20 years

BRISTOL TWP, PA. » You can fully understand why the ecstatic Truman High softball players were absolutely bursting with delight Friday afternoon.

Or as one of them so succinctly put it with a wide smile on her face as she walked off the field: “We beat Pennsbury.’’

Yes you did, and according to someone who would know, Truman’s 5-1 win over Pennsbury was its first victory over the Falcons in 20 years.

Considering they have always been in the same league, that adds up to a gaudy losing streak of something like 40 games.

“Sure it’s special,’’ said Truman’s first-year coach Lisamarie Bellmonte when asked if beating a team she once helped coach was extra special. “And it’s always a big rivalry when Truman plays Pennsbury.’’

But it also had been a totally one-sided rivalry — until Friday, that is. And you can largely credit senior Tori Baskin for Truman’s historic win.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the second, Baskin came to the plate and hit a bomb over the left field fence against Alyssa Hileman.

With the score 1-0 in the fourth and a runner on base following an error, Baskin crushed an even longer mammoth home run over the left field fence to put her team up 3-0.

For good measure, Kailea Heston then followed up on Baskin’s second home run with a blast of her own to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead. Truman also scored in the fifth on a double by Vanessa Tancini and a suicide squeeze by Elie Olivero.

“They were meatballs,’’ said Baskin of the two pitches she hit out of the park. “This feels so great because we really wanted to win today. I mean it’s been like 20 years since we did.’’

While Truman’s current 2-4 record might not look like much, keep in mind its season has barely gotten started and it has been playing better of late.

“The team is coming together,’’ agreed Baskin. “We are a family. We are all working very hard to make this happen.’’

Junior Hayley Carter got the win against a Pennsbury team that is now 2-8 after winning its last two games. The Falcons had only five hits and failed to take advantage of numerous walks by leaving a ton of runners on base.

Truman also played some fine defense, including a nice sliding catch by Tancini in center field in the sixth inning. Pennsbury also tried to run on Heston, but the sophomore catcher made the Falcons pay by gunning down two would-be base stealers at scond.

“We played our game today,’’ said Bellmonte. “We can play some defense and we can hit. We are starting to put things together.’’

Enjoy it, girls. Not only did you beat the Falcons, but you beat them good.

Pennsbury (2-8) 000 010 0 — 1 5 1 Truman (2-4) 010 310 x — 6 8 1 WP-Carter. LP-Hileman 2B-Daley (P), Tancini (T). HR-Baskin (T) 2, Heston. RBIs: P-Mauro. T-Olivero, Baskin 3, Heston.