Tamaqua's Paige Bumbulsky (23) bats during a non-league softball game at Schuylkill Haven on March 19, 2026. Bumbulsky hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning of Tamaqua's 8-7 win. The Hurricanes' catcher is Aisley Jenan. The home plate umpire is Bob Merwine. (Photo by Eli Doyle)

SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Tamaqua’s softball team learned something about itself.

The Blue Raiders are never out of a ballgame.

Trailing for most of the 2-hour, 16-minute, season-opening marathon, Tamaqua rallied for seven runs in its last two at-bats to stun Schuylkill Haven 8-7 on Thursday in a non-league game on the Haven campus.

The Hurricanes (0-1) owned leads of 2-0, 5-1 and 7-4 but couldn’t hold on.

“It was amazing. … for them to come back and keep fighting … big plays when we needed them,” Tamaqua coach Tony Zancofsky said. “And comebacks. We kept saying, ‘We’re coming back. We’re coming back.’ And then when they came back on us the next inning with three more, sometimes that really puts the kibosh to it. But they came back again, and I’m really proud of them.”

Down by three in the top of the seventh, Paige Bumbulsky blasted a three-run home run over the center field fence to tie the game 7-7. Later in the inning, Sophia Sitlinger reached on a fielder’s choice and came around to score the go-ahead run on an error for Tamaqua (1-0).

Naomi Knitter slammed the door with a 1-2-3 seventh to earn the win with 2.1 innings of solid relief. Sitlinger, the first baseman, made a slick, backhanded pick of a hard, one-hopper off the bat of Danica Snyder to prevent a Haven rally.

Schuylkill Haven took advantage of walks and miscues to put runs on the board. Joie Schoffstall smacked an RBI single and circled the bases on a three-base error to give the Hurricanes a 2-0 lead in the third inning.

After Tamaqua’s Peyton Faust belted an RBI double in the top of the fifth, Haven bunched four walks and a bunt single to extend its advantage to 5-1 after five.

Knitter’s two run single helped Tamaqua close to 5-4 in the top the sixth. Back came the Hurricanes with two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth for a 7-4 edge.

Tamaqua, though, had one final rally. The Blue Raiders may be down, but they’re never out.

Faust, Knitter (5) and Evans; Scherer and Jenan. W – Knitter (1-0). L – Scherer (0-1).

Hits: Tamaqua – Faust, Gormley, Bumbulsky 2, Evans, Sitlinger, Knitter, Bamford. Schuylkill Haven – Scherer, Russo, Schoffstall, Jenan, Strencoski.

2B – Faust. HR – Bumbulsky.

North Schuylkill 7, Kutztown 3 

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Brigid Flynn had a big day in the circle and at the plate to lead North Schuylkill past Kutztown in a non-league game at Dot Seidel Field.

Both Kutztown (3A) and North Schuylkill (4A) reached the PIAA state quarterfinals last season. Kutztown fell in extra innings to eventual state champion Pine Grove.

Flynn pitched a complete game, allowing two earned runs while striking out six and walking two. At the plate, Flynn went 2-for-2 with two home runs, four RBIs and two runs scored. Gianna Capone went 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Spartans, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Kutztown cut the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth inning, but North Schuylkill answered with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Monica Selgrade and Lyza Holmes singled and scored twice apiece for the Spartans. Holmes also drove in a run.

Ziegler, Follweiler (5) and Oldt; Flynn and Capone. W – Flynn (1-0). L – Ziegler (0-1).

Hits: Kutztown – Fitzgerald, Oldt 2, Schnore 2, Schuler. North Schuylkill – Selgrade, Holmes, Flynn 2, Capone 2, Jones, Miscannon.

2B – Schnore. 3B – Schuler, Fitzgerald. HR – Flynn 2.

Pine Grove 3, Minersville 2 

PINE GROVE — Jamie Dinger hurled a complete game, allowing just three hits and striking out seven as Pine Grove edged Minersville in a non-league game at Stump Field. The two runs Dinger allowed were unearned.

Eila O’Brien took the loss for Minersville, giving up just five hits and one earned run.

Hannah Aungst scored twice and freshman Khloe Jessman went 2-for-3 for the Cardinals. Callee Leffler went 1-for-1 with a run scored and a stolen base.

Bella Cruz doubled for the Miners.

O’Brien and McGrath; Dinger and Bohr. W – Dinger (1-0). L – O’Brien (0-1).

Hits: Minersville – Rizzardi, O’Brien, Cruz. Pine Grove – Leffler, Aungst, Flynn, Jessman 2.

2B – Cruz.

Blue Mountain 14, Governor Mifflin 0 

ORWIGSBURG — Emily Leonard and Ava Sweigert combined on a three-hit shutout as Blue Mountain routed Governor Mifflin in a non-league season opener at Patton Field.

Anna Borden and Avery Hudock sparked the Eagles’ offense. Borden went 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Hudock went 2-for-2 with an RBI triple, a solo home run, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Addyson Fishburn added a 3-for-4 day with three RBIs and two runs scored for the Eagles, who broke the game open with an eight-run third inning. Hailey Place, Karley Koch and Aryana Reilly had two hits apiece for Blue Mountain. Place knocked in two runs and scored one.

Wagner and Shultz; Leonard, Sweigert (3) and Frie. W – Leonard (1-0). L – Wagner (0-1).

Hits: Governor Mifflin – Brunelli, Shultz, Kelley. Blue Mountain – Fishburn 3, Hudock 2, Borden 4, Place 2, Koch 2, Reilly 2, Sweigert.

2B – Borden 2. 3B – Hudock. HR – Hudock.

Marian 17, Executive Education 2 

ALLENTOWN — Malina Letcher went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, four RBIs and three runs scored to power Marian past Executive Education in a non-league game at Patriots Park.

The Fillies smacked 15 hits as Hailey Treskolasky went 3-for-3 with a double, two runs and one RBI; DeAnna Pugh was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored; Emily Upanavage went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and one run scored; and Savannah Sirkot singled and posted three RBIs.

Kayla Birrer pitched a complete game, allowing two hits and striking out seven.

Birrer and Treskolasky; Sanchez and Jose. W – Birrer (1-0). L – Sanchez (0-1).

Hits: Marian – Sendatch, Pugh 2, Treskolasky 3, Letcher 3, Cannon, Upanavage 2, Sirkot, Birrer, Knock. Executive Education – Sanchez, Diaz Cabrera.

2B – Sendatch, Birrer, Treskolasky, Letcher, Upanavage, Diaz Cabrera, Sanchez. 3B – Pugh, Letcher.