Hannon Hurls a Masterpiece as Tunkhannock Edges Mid Valley in Pitcher’s Duel
By: Matt Flanagan | Sportzwire | April 19, 2025 | Photo courtesy Emily Hyde
TUNKHANNOCK, PA — On a warm Saturday afternoon in Tunkhannock, two of the area’s top softball programs collided in a battle defined by pitching dominance and defensive precision. And in the end, it was McKenzie Hannon and the Tigers who stood tall.
Hannon was electric from start to finish, striking out 16 and allowing just one hit over seven shutout innings to lead Tunkhannock to a nail-biting 1-0 win over Mid Valley. The senior ace was nearly untouchable, recording 21 outs in a complete-game gem that kept the Spartans off balance and off the scoreboard.
The game’s only run came in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Kayden Bamberger delivered the clutch hit, lining a single that scored MaKenzie Bevan, who had doubled earlier in the frame. That was all the run support Hannon needed as she cruised through the rest of the lineup with pinpoint accuracy.
Bamberger led the Tigers offensively, going 2-for-2 with the game’s lone RBI. Erin Van Ness added another two hits, while Bevan’s early double and run scored proved to be the difference.
Mid Valley’s Ava Hazelton matched Hannon nearly pitch for pitch. The sophomore allowed just one run on five hits and struck out five in six solid innings of work. Audrey Hasenzahl collected the Spartans’ only hit in the top of the seventh.
Tunkhannock was perfect in the field, committing zero errors behind Hannon. Bevan led the team defensively with 16 putouts at first base, anchoring a defense that stayed sharp under pressure.
With the win, the Tigers improve to 8-1 on the season and bounce back from a narrow loss earlier in the week. Mid Valley, who entered with an 11-1-1 record, drops just their second game of the year.
Tunkhannock will look to ride this momentum as they head to Williamsport on Monday.
