Girls' Varsity Softball

Peddie rallied from a 3-0 deficit to overtake Pingry Big Blue, 4-3, on a mild and pleasantly sunny day for softball in Hightstown. The Falcons got some heads up baserunning to score the tying and go-ahead runs. Pitcher Morgan Beggs was persistent in the circle as the junior allowed four hits, fanned 12 and didn’t walk a batter in the complete-game effort. All three runs surrendered in the third inning were unearned.

The Falcons scored the eventual game-winning run with two gone in the sixth. Freshman Carlie Khadr hit a sharp single along the foul line and past the third baseman to keep things alive. Senior captain Paige Pakenas sent a dribbler down the third baseline and the throw to first sailed into right field. Khadr stayed aggressive on the base paths, taking home as the ball was bobbled in the infield.

Trailing 3-2 in the fifth, sophomore Faith Szarvas singled to left with one out. Beggs walked and freshman Daniele Stillwell grounded into a fielder's choice with Szarvas moving to third. Sophomore Abby Jordan took a swinging third strike, but the pitch couldn't be handled by the catcher and Szarvas darted home to score the tying run.

After a Big Blue double to right-center with one out in the top of the sixth, Beggs struck out the next batter swinging and got out of trouble with a comebacker for the third out.

Beggs extinguished all three batters she faced in the seventh inning, but not without a sparkling defensive effort by Stillwell at second. After a strikeout, the next Pingry batter slapped a bounder to the right side that tipped off Beggs' glove towards Stillwell who quickly reached back to snag the ball and pivot for an easy toss for the second out. Beggs was in position for an easy two hopper to the mound to cement the victory.

Khadr went 3-for-4 and Stillwell hammered out two hits to knock in a pair of runs to pace Peddie.

The Falcons sent 26 batters to the plate in the first two innings, exploding for 19 runs to put the game early. Morgan Betts pitched three innings to claim the win before the game was called.

PDS..0-0-1-0-0----1

PED..1-5-3-0-2---11

Junior Morgan Beggs tossed a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and no walks to help the Falcons defeat Princeton Day School, 11-1, in a mercy-rule shortened game.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Falcons closed out the game as sophomore Faith Szarvas walked for the third time and went to second on a passed ball. Senior Paige Pakenas reached base on an infield single and Beggs lined a double just inside the left-field foul line to score Szarvas. Freshman Carlie Khadr ended it all with an RBI single, scoring Pakenas to notch the 10-run advantage. Szarvas led the Falcons with four runs scored.

Peddie got busy in the first inning. Khadr blooped a two-out single to centerfield plating Szarvas from third for the game's first run.

The Falcons scored five runs in the second inning to create separation. Junior Caitlin Welsh struck out but got on base when the dropped third strike led to an error. Junior Melanie Hale singled through the right side sending Welsh to third. With one out and runners in scoring position, Szarvas laced a two-run single to left scoring Welsh and Hale. Beggs reached first on an infield boot with two outs and Khadr followed with an RBI single to center to make it 4-0. Freshman Danielle Stillwell was hit-by-pitch to load the bases and Beggs and Khadr scooted home on an infield miscue.

Defensively, senior Priscilla Emma and Szarvas combined to produce a gem with one down and a runner at first in the opening frame. Emma made a backhanded snag at third and Szarvas at first made a great stretch to get the runner out by a half of stride.

PINGRY..0--1--0--0--0---1

PEDDIE..2--8--2--3--0---15

Fueled by an eight-run second inning, Peddie got the better of Pingry to capture a 15-1 mercy-rule win in the opening round of the NJISAA Prep A Tournament. Junior Morgan Beggs got the win in the circle for the Falcons, giving up one earned run, four hits, and striking out nine Big Blue batters. She also went 2-for-3 and added two RBI on the day's outing.

The Falcons got rolling early with two runs in the first frame. A lead-off walk to sophomore Faith Szarvas, an infield hits from Beggs and freshman Carlie Khadr and a pair of wild pitches plated all the runs the Falcons would eventually need.

In the second stanza, the Falcons sent 12 batters to the plate. Six consecutive walks led to three runs followed by a fielder's choice, outfield miscue, and run-producing hits from senior Priscilla Emma and sophomore Caitlin Welsh. Junior Melanie Hale beat out a dribbler in front of home plate to score Emma for the final tally.

The bats kept going in the third, as Khadr doubled to right to drive in courtesy runner freshman Emma Phelan all the way from first. A single to left-center by freshman Danielle Stillwell scored Khadr from second to extend the lead to 12-1.

The Falcons added three more in the fourth aided by RBI doubles from Szarvas and Beggs. Khadr slapped a single through the left side of the infield to plate Phelan for the 15th marker.

Beggs, Khadr, Stillwell and Hale all had multiple-hit games as part of the 11-hit onslaught. Khadr knocked in three runs, while Szarvas led the Falcons with three runs scored.