Crouthamel makes CC softball
The 2016 Lehigh Valley Carpenter Cup softball team begins its journey next Monday with hopes of achieving a title. They open the four-day tournament in Philadelphia with a game against Delaware North.
Much of the area’s top talent is representing this year’s Lehigh Valley squad, including 16 of the 17 representing players coming from Eastern Pennsylvania Conference schools. The only that doesn’t not play for an EPC school that made the team this year is Salisbury’s Lilia Crouthamel, who recently completed her sophomore season.
Crouthamel is looking forward to her opportunity to help the Lehigh Valley squad make a name for itself and win its first title since 2008.
“It is very exciting to have made it on to the Carpenter Cup team, especially since you get to play with some of the best girls in the Valley,” Crouthamel said.
Lehigh Valley’s first round game will be at 11 a.m. next Monday at the Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy Softball Fields at FDR Park.
Salisbury’s Anna Bishop also tried out for the team. The Falcons’ duo was two of of just a few players from the Colonial League to try out. Crouthamel, who also plays tournament softball year-round, got the idea of trying out for the Carpenter Cup from a number of former Falcons.
“I guess I heard about it from last year, and I had known that Meghan Williams and Jenna Keet had made it onto the team in their sophomore campaigns,” Crouthamel said.
No Salisbury players made it last year, and Bangor’s Dani Fey and Palmerton’s Kendra Pekurny were the only two representatives from the Colonial League in 2015.
As one of the Falcons’ top hitters this past season, she’s hoping to bring that same offensive production on an even higher stage. Playing on a well-known travel team, she’s seen plenty of tough competition already through two high school seasons.
“I didn’t really prepare for this specifically, but [rather] through playing all year round for my travel team,” Crouthamel said. “And even trying to make a name for Salisbury softball has definitely made me a better player.”
Crouthamel and the rest of the Falcons certainly put Salisbury back on the map this spring. The Falcons just missed out on qualifying for the Colonial League playoffs for the first time in over a decade. And it was the second time in three seasons that they qualified for the district tournament.
Should Lehigh Valley win its first game on Monday, it would play again that day at 3 p.m. against either Jersey Shore or Olympic Colonial. Last year’s run came to an end against Mercer County.
Also on the Lehigh Valley roster are Emmaus’ Brooke Iobst, Cassie Burke and Madi Clark; Northampton players Hallie Muffley and Jillian Muthard; Parkland players Aubree Fritzinger, Chelsea Morgan and Shauna Frank; Whitehall’s Ashlee Brosky, Kay Solderitch and Mackenzie Guzy; Liberty’s Kristin Kaleycik; Bethlehem Catholic’s Jess Indelicato; Salisbury’s Lilia Crouthamel; and Stroudsburg player Winnai Hoyt.