Spartans win Henlopen Softball Championship

On a sunny, warm day at Lake Forest High School the winners of each Henlopen Division in Softball would battle it out for the title. In the circle Sussex Central’s Madge Layfield was chasing history trying to reach 1,000 career strikeouts (she had 988 coming into today’s game) and Lake’s Carah Sumpter trying to carry her young team to a conference championship. History will have to wait for Layfield as she ended the day with 10 strikeouts (998) and will reach that 1,000 mark Thursday in tournament play, I’m sure. Sumpter put her team on her back and went to work.

 

Lake Forest jumped out to a 3 run lead in the bottom of the first on a bunt with no coverage at first, a walk to Bayli Glanden, and a triple by Sumpter, scoring two. She would then score on the Savannah Rust grounder to third. 

 

Central’s Lauren Meyers would score in the 4th on an RBI single by Kiersten Anderson. In the bottom half of the inning Chloe Revelle hit a ball to right and on the diving attempt, Central’s Anderson just couldn’t hang on, allowing Revelle to end up at second. She scored on freshman 3rd baseman Riley Bell’s RBI single to left.

 

In true Henlopen softball fashion, it was a pitcher’s duel, Layfield with 10 strikeouts and Sumpter with 8. But the Golden Knights just couldn’t plate the runners they had on, stranding 6. Final score Lake Forest 4  Sussex Central 1.

 

What the Golden Knights of Sussex Central need to walk away with today, other than the title of Henlopen Conference runner up, is the title of Henlopen Northern Division Champion, which is no small feat. They are also the No. 2 seed in the DIAA tournament with a bye in round 1. They will face the winner of the Sussex Academy/Wilmington Charter game on Thursday. Lake Forest is the No.4 seed with a bye in Round 1 and will face the winner of the CR/St. George’s game. 

 

Congratulations to Lake Forest and good luck to the 24 teams in the DIAA Softball Tournament.