Mar 25, 2003 By Rob Burchianti 4 min read

While most high school softball teams go with one ace pitcher most of the season, Laurel Highlands has a different theory. The Fillies prefer a three-girl rotation that includes Angie Shotter, Angie Stafford and Jen Barry.

It was Stafford’s turn on Monday, and the senior right-hander struck out 13 in firing a two-hit shutout as Laurel Highlands defeated visiting Mapletown, 11-0, in a five-inning, non-section game.

“Stafford did an outstanding job of pitching today,” LH coach George Kaiser said. “We hit the ball, we played good defense and we got everybody into the game, and Renee Gmiter is getting some catching experience, because Stafford is our usual catcher.”

Monday’s lineup had Shotter at second base and Barry at third base in back of Stafford.

“I felt pretty comfortable out there with the team behind me on the field,” said Stafford, who used a newly developed change-up on occasion. “I’m working on it, but I still have a long way to go with it.”

“We have a tough section, as always, so you can never have enough pitching,” Kaiser said in support of his three hurlers. “And they give us some versatility.”

“I love playing different positions,” said the effervescent Shotter, who drove in the only two runs the Fillies would need with a long, first-inning triple. “We know we can count on everyone to do their jobs. We still have a lot of learning and uniting to do, but that will come in time.

“Really, it was just great to be out on our field on a beautiful day like this … perfect softball weather!”

Laurel Highlands (1-1) may have felt like the visiting team since it was the first action it saw on its high school field this season, which was previously too wet to even practice on.

“We’d been in the parking lot and gym too long,” said Kaiser, who is assisted by coaches Sam Capranica and Mike Barry.

Stafford, who walked four and allowed only seven base runners, got out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Laurel Highlands got to Maples starter Liz Novak for four runs in the first. After Shotter’s triple, Barry and Keri Smiell added run-scoring groundouts.

The Fillies tacked on two more runs in the second. Mary Oshnack beat out an infield hit and scored on Stacey Batovsky’s triple to left. Abby Martin followed with an RBI single to make it 6-0.

Barry led off the third with a single and scored on Ashley Capranica’s single. Capranica scored later in the inning when she hustled home on Mapletown’s only error for a commanding 8-0 lead.

Laurel Highlands used five consecutive hits to produce its final three runs in the fifth. Gmiter and Barry singled, Terri Johnson smacked an RBI double, and Roberta Capan and Stafford followed with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 11-0.

Stafford wrapped up the game under the 10-run rule with a scoreless fifth. Stafford struck out the side every inning but the second. Shortstop Martin accounted for the only non-strikeout outs that inning by fielding one grounder, and later taking a strong throw by Gmiter and tagging out a runner attempting to steal.

Bavotsky and Barry each contributed two hits and two runs for the Fillies.

Novak went the distance for Mapletown (0-2), allowing 13 hits with three strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter.

“Their team just isn’t as strong as ours,” Kaiser said.

Lady Maples coach Fred Morecraft and assistant coach John Morecraft agreed.

“They’re well coached and they hit the ball well,” Fred Morecraft said of the Fillies. “They put the ball in play.

“We started four freshmen today in Jessica Ocker, Tiffany Pinkavitch, Deanna Ganocy and Ashley Chory, so we have a pretty young squad. But those freshmen come out and play hard all the time and they’re always at practice, working to get better. Both of our hits today were by freshmen.”

Ocker singled to left in the first and Ganocy did the same in the fourth.

“They’re going to make mistakes, but I can live with that,” Morecraft said. “The big thing today is we made the routine plays. We made some mental mistakes, but as we get more experience, we should improve in that area.”

Jenna Ealy reached base twice for the Lady Maples with a pair of walks, and right fielder Terri Poling made a fine catch of Smiell’s hard-hit ball in the third.

Ashley Capranica is hoping for big things for the Fillies this season.

“I definitely think we have a chance to make the playoffs,” said Capranica, who joins with Shotter and Stafford to make a solid senior trio. “I think we’re a very competitive team.”