Minersville softball alumni gathered April 11, 2026, for a tribute to the late Billy Charles, a pioneer in starting LIttle League Softball in Minersville. Charles' image is visible on the mural on the back of the Minersville dugout at Ken Schneck Field. Those attending included, front from left: Donna Letko Hummel, Linda Ralston, Lynn Connelly DiCasimirro, Rose Fesnock Balcavage, Diane Charles Guidas, Jennie O'Brien Laudeman, Brenda Ryan Hossler; second row, from left: Mark Mahal, Brenda Miller Somers, Carolyn Harley, Cindy Connelly Kelly, Bonnie Wenner Hablett, Cindy Wenner, Beth Lechleitner Williams; back, from left: Elaine Dullard Gayman, Nancy MacCready Reppy, Lori Pisco Snyder and Mary Ann Cremo. (Photo courtesy of Minersville Athletics)

Miners honor softball pioneer;

Dawgs knock off Spartans

MINERSVILLE — On the day Minersville softball celebrated the program’s past, the present Miners staged a rally for the ages to defeat Pottsville 6-5 on Saturday in a non-league softball game at Ken Schneck Field.

The Miners scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win. More on that in a moment.

The day began with a tribute to the late Billy Charles, a pioneer in starting Little League Softball in the borough. He also served as an assistant high school coach, helping the varsity program bring home the school’s first two state championships.

Many alumni players attended a pre-game ceremony honoring Charles. Cindy Connelly Kelly spoke during the tribute. Diane Charles Guidas threw out the first pitch to brother Rick Charles.

Once the game started, the Crimson Tide jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings. Jes Siminitus had a triple, a run scored and a sacrifice fly for Pottsville. Cadence Borger added a single, a run scored and an RBI. Olivia Wessner and Izzy Kunstek contributed one single and one RBI apiece, while Karlee Kalovcak went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Things stayed that way until the sixth, when Minersville put a run on the board.

In the seventh, the Miners used small ball and opportunistic baserunning to score five runs and take the walk-off win.

Calleigh Tripp (2-for-3) started the rally with a single, and after an Addison Moyer eight-pitch walk, Tripp scored on Grace Sterner’s RBI single. Rilynn Brennan (2-for-4) followed with a bunt single, and an error allowed a run to score. Sara McGrath drove in Sterner with a groundout. Then Eila O’Brien reached on an error and Brennan scored to tie the game 5-5.

Pinch-runner Kylie Herb moved to second on a single by Bella Rizzardi (2-for-3). Bella Cruz then delivered a single to center field that drove in Herb with the game-winning run.

“In the seventh inning, we picked the energy up and started working the pitcher to get a good pitch to drive. That was huge,” Minersville coach Katelyn Rittenbaugh said.

The coach added that the Miners worked at a recent practice to improve manufacturing runs.

“It was a big day,” Rittenbaugh said. “There were a lot of alumni here. It’s a big win, not just for us but for the community.”

Eckert and Wessner; C. Laudeman and McGrath. W – C. Laudeman (4-1). L – Eckert (3-5).

Hits: Pottsville – Siminitus, Yost, Borger, Ketner, Eckert, Wessner, Kunstek, Kalovcak 2. Minersville – Sterner, Brennan 2, McGrath, O’Brien, Rizzardi 2, Cruz, Tripp 2.

2B – Eckert, Yost, Rizzardi, Tripp. 3B – Siminitus, McGrath.

Tri-Valley 7, North Schuylkill 6 

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Down but never out, Tri-Valley rallied for two runs in the seventh inning to knock off North Schuylkill in a non-league game at Dot Seidel Field.

Summer Cupsta (2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI) started the seventh with a one-out single. One out later, Myah Schwalm hit a deep fly ball that was misplayed for an error. Cupsta scored and Schwalm took third. Lydia Rodichok followed with an RBI single to give the Bulldogs the lead.

Alina Leonard started in the circle for Tri-Valley. She pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs and striking out nine. Schwalm came on in relief and tossed two scoreless innings to take the win. She retired North Schuylkill in order in the bottom of the seventh.

Leonard also had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Liv Lupole added an RBI double for the Dawgs.

Gianna Capone powered the Spartans’ offense, hitting a solo home run in the second inning, a sacrifice fly in the third and a three-run homer in the fifth. She finished 2-for-2 with five RBIs and two runs scored.

Brigid Flynn went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored; Jordanna Frie went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored; and Olivia Jones went 2-for-4 for North Schuylkill. The Spartans had a run in and the bases loaded with nobody out in the second inning. Leonard recorded three straight strikeouts to get out of the jam.

Leonard, Schwalm (6) and Rodichok; Miscannon, Flynn (3) and Capone. W – Schwalm (3-0). L – Flynn (6-2).

Hits: Tri-Valley – Leonard 3, Cupsta 2, Schwalm, Rodichok, Lupole, Tobin. North Schuylkill – Selgrade, Flynn 2, Capone 2, Frie 2, Jones 2.

2B – Leonard 2, Lupole, Frie, Flynn. 3B – Cupsta. HR – Capone 2.

Blue Mountain 5, Hamburg 0 

ORWIGSBURG — Emily Leonard hurled a four-hit shutout to lift Blue Mountain to a non-league victory over Hamburg at Patton Field. Leonard struck out nine and walked two.

Addyson Fishburn sparked the Eagles’ offense by going 3-for-4 with five stolen bases and a run scored. Emmerson Frie and Karley Koch had a single and an RBI apiece for Blue Mountain.

Losing pitcher Ava Epting struck out 11 and walked three in six innings. She went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Hawks.

Epting and Chwatek; Leonard and Frie. W – Leonard (9-0). L – Epting.

Hits: Hamburg – Epting 2, Wessner, Davis. Blue Mountain – Fishburn 3, Frie, Borden, Place, Koch.

Pine Grove Area 5, Northampton 1 

PINE GROVE — Jamie Dinger pitched a complete-game five-hitter, striking out 11 and walking none, as Pine Grove Area topped Class 6A power Northampton under the lights at Susan Y. Stump Field.

The Cardinals did all the little things right to score single runs in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Dinger hit two sacrifice flies and Chelcy Clark lofted one to drive in runs. Pine Grove Area executed four sacrifice bunts, two by Tailyn Bohr.

Pine Grove Area also brought some power. Callee Leffler went 2-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored and a stolen base. Meadow Umbenhauer slugged a solo home run and scored twice. Clark went 1-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.

The Cards also played error-free defense.

Pine Grove Area plays at Blue Mountain at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Gable and Duerr; Dinger and Bohr. W – Dinger (7-1). L – Gable.

Hits: Northampton – Siegfried, Duerr 2, Allison, Gable. Pine Grove – Leffler 2, Flynn, Umbenhauer, Clark.

2B – Duerr. 3B – Leffler. HR – Umbenhauer.

Schuylkill Haven 16, Shamokin 1

COAL TWP. — Lexi Mull doubled, tripled, knocked in four runs and scored twice to power Schuylkill Haven to a non-league victory over Shamokin. Mull finished 2-for-2 on the day.

The Hurricanes, who have won three straight, scored 14 runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Danica Snyder went 2-for-2 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored for Schuylkill Haven. Other top hitters for the Hurricanes included Alli Scherer, a triple and three runs scored; Kaitlyn Russo, a triple, three runs and one RBI; Aisley Jenan, a double, two runs and three RBIs; and Braelynn Strenkoski, 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.

Scherer tossed a one-hitter, allowing no earned runs while striking out four and walking two.

Brightbill and Hughes; Scherer and Jenan. W – Scherer (3-3). L – Brightbill.

Hits: Shamokin – Nye. Schuylkill Haven – Scherer, Russo, Jenan, Mull 2, Snyder 2, Strenkoski 2, Locke.

2B – Jenan, Mull. 3B – Russo, Mull, Locke, Scherer. HR – Snyder.

Panther Valley 21, Notre Dame-ES 1 

EAST STROUDSBURG — Isabella D’Ancona knocked in six runs to lead Panther Valley to a non-league rout of Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg. D’Ancona finished 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, three runs and the six RBIs.

Liana Jones pitched a two-hitter and helped herself by going 2-for-3 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Megan O’Brien went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI for the Panthers.

Jones and Breiner; Graham and Angelucci. W – Jones (2-0). L – Graham.

Hits: Panther Valley – K. Breslin, D’Ancona 3, Mika, O’Brien 2, Jones 2, Frets, Breiner. Notre Dame-East Stroudsburg – Collao, Godette.

2B – Jones, D ‘Ancona, Collao. 3B – D’Ancona.

Hanover Area 17, Weatherly 8

WEATHERLY — Rebecca Caldwell went 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs and two RBIs for Weatherly, but the Wreckers dropped a non-league slugfest to Hanover Area.

Hanover Area scored eight runs in the top of the seventh inning.

Maci Kane added a 2-for-4 day with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored for Weatherly.

Cait and Weidner; Binder and Makowiec. W – Cait L – Binder (3-5).

Hits: Hanover Area – Weidner 3, Roxy 3, Cait 2, Noss, Seine. Weatherly – Weston, Caldwell 2, Zuberi, DiGennaro, Kane 2, Snyder, Binder.

2B – Roxy, Cait. 3B – Roxy, Weidner, Caldwell, Kane.