Seniors Charlton, Sheaffer lift Apollo-Ridge past Riverview in Section 2-2A

By: Michael Love
Monday, May 6, 2019 | 8:14 PM

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Apollo-Ridge seniors Mollie Charlton and Sidney Sheaffer were celebrated before Monday’s Section 2-2A softball game against Riverview.

They then were able to help their teammates celebrate a victory.

Sheaffer hit a home run and drove in three runs, and Charlton limited the Riverview offense to one hit in a 10-0 victory halted after five innings.

“This was pretty special. It was a great senior day,” Sheaffer said. “It turned out better than what I really expected.”

With the victory, Apollo-Ridge (8-4, 7-4) secured at least a tie for third place in the section. Riverview fell to 7-5 overall and 6-5 in section play.

Both teams have locked down playoff spots and wrap up section play Tuesday. Apollo-Ridge hosts Shady Side Academy, and Riverview takes on Sto-Rox at Riverside Park in Oakmont.

“(Third place) isn’t the biggest thing in the world, but when you put playoff seedings together, it could be something,” Apollo-Ridge coach John Kinnamon said.

Apollo-Ridge was able to turn the tables on Riverview after the Raiders captured the first meeting 9-8 on Thursday at Riverside Park.

“As a team, we fielded, we hit and we did what we needed to do,” Charlton said.

Charlton, who was selected prom queen Friday, was the queen of the diamond Monday.

She retired the final 14 batters she faced and struck out eight.

Annie Betler singled with one out in the top of the first and moved to second on a wild pitch. But Charlton struck out the next batter and induced a groundout to second to end the inning.

Kinnamon said Charlton was refreshed after a lot of work in the circle over three games last week.

“It was the difference between her being rested and not,” Kinnamon said. “She battled and gave us everything she had on Thursday, but she came back strong. That’s what she can do.”

Sheaffer got the Apollo-Ridge offense started in the bottom of the first. Bailee Zidek reached on an error, and with two outs, Sheaffer cleared the fence in left with the first home run of her varsity career.

She then plated a run on a groundout in the second and reached safely on errors in both the fourth and fifth innings.

“As a senior, and knowing what she’s gone through with missing all of last year with an ACL injury, to get that (home run) today of all days, it was very special,” Kinnamon said. “We see her hit them out in practice all the time. She’s one of those girls that deserves something like that to happen.”

Zidek and Emma Rametta each added two RBIs, and Morgan Shupe also knocked in a run. Apollo-Ridge finished with seven hits — Kylee Wynn tripled and Rametta doubled — and it also took advantage of seven Riverview errors.

Alyssa Cappa started the game for Riverview. She struck out three and walked three before being lifted after the fourth inning. Riverview coach Jim Ashbaugh said Cappa wasn’t feeling well and felt it was prudent to take her out at that time.

The Vikings tacked on the final three runs in the fifth off reliever Kate Davis.

“(Charlton) pitched well, and we came out a little flat,” Ashbaugh said. “That was a bad combination. But I expect the girls to shake this off and come back ready to play Sto-Rox. We want the girls to stay positive.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Riverview