H.S. SOFTBALL: Leffler’s three home run day leads Pine Grove past North Schuylkill

FOUNTAIN SPRING — It was a day to remember for Pine Grove senior and Florida State commitment Callee Leffler.

The Cardinals’ star set the tone for the defending Class 3A state champions with three home runs on Tuesday night in Fountain Springs, as Pine Grove defeated the North Schuylkill Spartans 10-0.

The win marked the first time the Cardinals (17-1, 10-1) had defeated the Spartans (13-4, 8-3) since the 2024 season, falling in each of their previous three matchups to their Schuylkill League rival. The three losses marked their only defeats since the beginning of their 2025 campaign.

It just wasn’t Leffler who dominated on Tuesday night, as Cardinals ace Jamie Dinger struck out six over 6.2 innings in the circle. Chelcy Clark briefly appeared in the circle in the sixth inning but left after just two batters, making way for Dinger to return to the game.

From the jump on Tuesday, Leffler set the tone for Pine Grove. She led the game off with a solo home run, blasting it out to center field and easily clearing the fence at Dot Seidel Field.

Getting on base early in innings was a key to success for the Cardinals, as their leadoff hitter reached base in five of seven innings. In the second, Meadow Umbenhauer led off with a double before scoring on a Tailyn Bohr bunt that resulted in a North Schuylkill throwing error.

The senior catcher had a big night for the Cardinals, going 3-for-4 at the plate, including a double while driving in three.

The Cardinals would tack on two more runs in the second inning to extend their lead to 4-0 as Hannah Aungst ripped a double into the outfield, scoring both Bohr and Leffler, who reached base one batter prior on a walk.

Pine Grove added two more runs in both the third and fourth innings. Bohr drove in two on a double ripped into right field in the third inning before Leffler hit her second round tripper of the evening to lead off the fourth inning. Hannah Aungst reached on a single one batter later before eventually scoring on a bunt single by Lilly Flynn.

After four innings of play, Pine Grove led 8-0.

In the sixth, the Spartans threatened to break through at the plate, loading the bases, before Dinger ended the rally, getting Mallorie Croker to fly out to right field to end the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Bohr reached base a fourth time to begin the inning, setting up Leffler to put the exclamation on the Cardinals’ victory with a two-run home run to push the lead to 10-0.

The win over North Schuylkill marked the Cardinals’ fourth straight shutout victory, the last opponent to score on the current Division I leaders being the Blue Mountain Eagles on April 14.

During their four-game shutout streak, the Cardinals have also racked up 45 runs. For the season, Pine Grove is outscoring opponents 194-16, an average margin of victory of 10.7 – 0.8.