Archdiocese of Philadelphia League

FAIRLESS HILLS, PA - Junior Emily Russ collected three hits and classmate Olivia Zanetich tossed a four-hit shutout as Archbishop Carroll captured its first PCL Softball Championship in school history with a 5-0 win over top seed Bonner & Prendie on Friday afternoon at Conwell-Egan Catholic High School.
 
Zanetich fanned five and added three hits and a RBI at the plate for the Patriots who lost two PCL games by one-run apiece during the regular season en route to earning the No. 2 seed entering the PCL playoffs. 

ACHS jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a RBI double by senior Annette Engle with two outs which scored Russ.  The Patriots pushed their advantage to 3-0 in the third inning  on a run-scoring single by freshman Camryn Hannon and a double by Zanetich off Bonner & Prendie senior Julia Brown.  Zanetich did not allow a hit thru the first four innings and worked out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth as third baseman Mara George and shortstop Mia Lamberto recorded consecutive singles for the Pandas with one out. 

However, Zanetich retired Jill Schaffer on a popout to the mound and fanned Brown to retire the side.  Senior Vickie Lehatto’s two-run double gave Archbishop Carroll a 5-0 lead and Zanetich worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh to nail down the historic victory. 

Archbishop Carroll will face Science Leadership Academy on Tuesday, May 26, at 1:00 p.m. in the District XII 4A Finals at FDR Park.  Seeking the program’s first PCL crown since 2017, Bonner & Prendie will visit the District III champion in the opening round of the PIAA 4A Championship on Monday, June 1.