HS Softball: North Schuylkill leads Pottsville in suspended game

North Schuylkill's Brigid Flynn pitches to Pottsville's Jo Barnhart during the first inning of Tuesday's Schuylkill League Division I softball game at Dot Seidel Field. Catching for the Spartans is Lindsay Brouse. The home plate umpire is Jim Toomey. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Well, they tried.

With rain pelting Schuylkill County for days on end, Pottsville agreed to move its Schuylkill League Division I home softball game from grass and dirt at the CACL Complex to the artificial surface at North Schuylkill’s Dot Seidel Field.

Conditions looked favorable Tuesday during pregame, but by the top of the second inning, umpires saw lightning in the distance, prompting them to halt the game and send the teams to safety. Soon after the stoppage at 4:44 p.m., the skies opened up, and heavy rain with lightning and thunder followed. With it still raining steadily at 5:30 p.m., officials suspended the game. The contest will resume at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Dot Seidel Field. The Spartans’ regularly scheduled Schuylkill League Division I game against Lourdes will follow.

With one more league victory, North Schuylkill will clinch its fifth straight berth in the Schuylkill League playoffs. With two wins, the Spartans will capture their first Schuylkill League Division I championship since 2021.

North Schuylkill (13-3, 10-2 D-I) got off to a strong start. Batting first as the visitor on their home field, the Spartans tallied three runs on three hits and an error for a quick 3-0 lead.

With one out, Lyza Holmes roped a double to the gap in left-center field. She took third on a wild pitch and scored on Brigid Flynn’s infield single. Flynn advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on Lindsay Brouse’s sacrifice fly. Jordanna Frie then reached second base on a throwing error and came around to score on Olivia Jones’ RBI single to center field.

Flynn, a North Schuylkill junior right-hander, set down the Crimson Tide (9-8, 5-6) on six pitches in the bottom of the first inning to maintain the 3-0 lead.

After Pottsville recorded the first out in the top of the second inning on a groundout, the Spartans’ Gianna Capone lined a single to right field. At that point, umpires saw lightning and suspended the game. The contest will be picked up from that point, with Capone on first base with one out and Kylie Meskunas scheduled to come to bat.

All other softball action Tuesday was rained out. Check the scrolling scoreboard on the homepage for details.