Brudnicki’s Inside-the-Park Blast Lifts Lake-Lehman Past Pittston in Wild Finish
By: Justin Bradley | Sportzwire | April 18, 2025 | Photo courtesy Tony Gruenloh
Knights erase five-run deficit and edge Lady Patriots in late-inning thriller
PITTSTON TWP, PA – A wild Friday afternoon clash saw Lake-Lehman rally from a five-run deficit to take down Pittston Area in an 11-10 slugfest, thanks to a clutch inside-the-park home run by Kaitlyn Brudnicki in the top of the sixth inning.
Down 10-9 with two outs, Brudnicki ripped a ball to the gap and never looked back, rounding the bases and plating the go-ahead run to complete the Knights’ comeback in dramatic fashion.
Pittston exploded early, putting up eight runs across the first two innings, fueled by extra-base hits from Marina Antal, Samantha Herbert, and Gabby Gorzkowski. The Patriots led 10-5 heading into the fourth before the tide began to turn.
Kirsten Finarelli launched a solo homer in the fourth to cut into the deficit, and Lake-Lehman followed with a six-run sixth, capitalizing on timely hits and patient plate appearances — totaling nine walks in the game.
Brudnicki’s heroics were backed by a gutsy complete game effort from Hannah Chipego, who allowed 10 runs (7 earned) but struck out 9 while walking 3 over seven innings.
The bottom of the Lake-Lehman lineup proved crucial, as Haylee Makarawicz went 3-for-4 out of the No. 9 spot. Gracie James added three RBIs and Finarelli finished with four walks and a solo shot.
Despite the loss, Pittston showcased its firepower at the plate, matching Lake-Lehman with 11 hits. Gorzkowski led the way with 3 RBIs, while Jillian Haas went 3-for-4, and both Gabby Roman and Julia Long recorded multiple hits in the high-scoring affair.
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FINAL SCORE: Lake-Lehman 11, Pittston Area 10
Winning Pitcher: Hannah Chipego (7 IP, 11 H, 10 R, 9 K)
Top Performers – Lake-Lehman:
Kaitlyn Brudnicki: Inside-the-park HR, 2 RBIs
Haylee Makarawicz: 3-for-4
Gracie James: 3 RBIs
Kirsten Finarelli: Solo HR, 4 walks
Top Performers – Pittston Area:
Gabby Gorzkowski: 2-for-4, 3 RBIs
Jillian Haas: 3-for-4
Julia Long: 2 RBIs
Samantha Herbert: 3B, 6 IP in the circle
