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Scoring early has plagued the Kingston/Forty Fort Junior Softball all-stars of late.

But that wasn’t the case on Monday.

KFF scored three runs in the top of the first, and that would prove to be all it would need as Jessica Skladzien pitched a seven shutout inning shutout against the Massachusetts state champions. Taking down Massachusetts, 7-0, KFF advanced to the East Regional semifinals against Rhode Island at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The winner advances to the best-of-three championship series, which starts at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

“It changed everything. It changes the other team and our team,” KFF manager Jason Hoskins said of the first inning. “The girls from then on were just — a regular softball game like they’re playing back in Kingston-Forty Fort regular season game — just was that laid back and comfortable. The other team threaten but our team shut them down in the first inning and the second.”

The first inning set the tone for KFF.

After back-to-back singles by Sara Hoskins and Julia Franks, Ally Keener doubled in the pair to start her big day at the plate. With Keener standing on third, Morgan Shedletsky grounded out to score Keener.

Keener finished the day 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and two RBI.

“The top six bats, we depend on them,” Jason Hoskins said. “We expect to score in the first and we haven’t, and usually throughout the game those kids score together. The hitting is contagious for this team. If one girl gets a hit, they all keep hitting. And today it started in the first and kept going throughout the game.”

After scoring runs in both the third and fourth innings, a two-run fifth put the nail in the coffin.

Franks and Keener both had singles to start the inning. Shedletsky picked up her second RBI of the day, singling in Franks. Gabby Razvillas grounded out to knock in Keener, ending the scoring.

Skaldzien was dominant in the circle again. She struck out six while walking just a pair and giving up seven hits to pick up the win.

“We’re very dangerous. Any team that sees us, they see us walk on the field and I can tell they’re nervous. They’re nervous, we’re not,” Jason Hoskins said. “So yeah, we’re a dangerous team right now, but again, I don’t want to be too cocky. Anything can happen. It’s softball.”

8-10 STATE BASEBALL

East Pennsboro 5,

Back Mountain National 0

Jack Leandri, Jack Dale and Carter Brunn singled for the only hits during a loss that dropped Back Mountain National into the losers bracket of the Pennsylvania state tournament.

Back Mountain National, which left eight runners on base, will face either Northeastern or Norwin in a 1 p.m. game Wednesday in the double-elimination tourney.

Easton Comp led East Pennsboro with two hits and an RBI, while Lucas Martz also single and drove in a run during the victory.

AMERICAN LEGION

STATE BASEBALL

Swoyersville 5, Fredericksburg 1

Josh Montalvo knocked in two runs and Dominick Bayo scored twice as Swoyersville opened state play by racing past Fredericksburg.

Swoyersville stole five bases, led by two steals from leadoff man Richard Sott — who went 2 for 4 and scored a run.

Cade Flanley, Jacob Packer and Austin Sienkiewicz each had a hit and an RBI in the victory, and Packer also scored a run.

Nate Baranski scattered six hits through seven innings and struck out 11 batters to pick up the win for Swoyersville, while Patrick Adamski finished up with two scoreless innings of relief.

Swoyersville will face South Park at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the winners bracket of the double elimination tournament.

JUNIOR SOFTBALL

EAST REGIONALS

Kingston/Forty Fort 7,

Massachusetts 0

Kingston/Forty Fort`AB`R`H`BI

Skladzien`3`0`1`0

Hoskins`3`2`1`0

Franks`4`2`2`0

Keener`3`2`2`2

Shedletsky`3`0`1`2

Razvillas`3`0`0`1

Harden`1`0`0`0

Decosmo`1`0`0`0

Gayoski`2`0`1`0

May`1`0`0`0

Kobusky`1`0`0`0

Payne`0`1`0`0

Bevan`1`0`0`0

Totals`26`7`8`5

Massachusetts`AB`R`H`BI

Erickson`4`0`0`0

Gregoire`3`0`2`0

Moynagh`4`0`2`0

Hitchins`4`0`0`0

Hammond`3`0`0`0

Mackay`3`0`0`0

Prendergast`2`0`1`0

Reyes`1`0`0`0

Salinas`1`0`0`0

Lopez`2`0`2`0

McGovern`1`0`0`0

Fitton`1`0`0`0

Warner`1`0`0`0

Totals`30`0`7`0

Kingston/Forty Fort`301`120`0`—`7

Massachusetts`000`000`0`—`0

2B — Keener 2, Hoskins; Moynagh.

Kingston/Forty Fort`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Skladzien, W`7`7`0`0`2`6

Massachusetts`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Salinas, L`6`5`4`3`4`2

AMERICAN LEGION

STATE PLAYOFFS

Swoyersville 5, Fredericksburg 1

Swoyersville`AB`R`H`BI

Sott rf`4`1`2`0

Cooley-Ruff`5`0`1`0

Baranski p`0`0`0`0

Adamski p`0`0`0`0

Bayo dh`4`2`1`0

Packer 1b`3`1`1`1

Flanley 3b`4`0`1`1

Montalvo cf`4`0`1`2

Kobusky 2b`3`1`0`0

Sienkiewicz ss`4`0`1`1

Banas c`3`0`0`0

Totals`34`5`8`5

Fredericksburg`AB`R`H`BI

Gingrich ss`3`0`1`0

Wengert cf`4`0`1`1

Daub lf`4`0`2`0

Walmer p,3b`4`0`1`0

Johnson c`4`0`0`0

Keefer rf`3`0`0`0

Felty rf`1`0`0`0

Rivera 3b`2`0`0`0

Baal p`2`0`0`0

Seltzer 1b`3`0`0`0

Weaner ph`1`0`0`0

Barry 2b`4`1`2`0

Totals`35`1`7`1

Swoyersville`013`000`100`—`5

Fredericksburg`001`000`000`—`1

Swoyersville`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Baranski, W`7`6`1`1`1`11

Adamski`2`1`0`0`0`2

Fredericksburg`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Walmer, L`6.2`7`5`5`4`4

Baal`2.1`1`0`0`0`3

Skladzien
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Jessica-Skladzien-1.jpg.optimal.jpgSkladzien

Times Leader

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