Whitehall was hopeful that lightning could strike twice when Cara Bonshak stepped to the plate against Parkland in the top of the seventh inning last Friday.

The senior had tripled her last time at bat against Aubree Fritzinger, knocking in Veronica Rodriguez with their first run, trimming the Trojan’s lead to 2-1.

Bonshak stung the ball to deep right-center, proving she could get around on Fritzinger who up to that point had yielded just one hit.

This time she represented the tying run after the Zephyrs mounted a seventh inning rally that cut Parkland’s lead to 4-2. With two outs and Rodriguez on third, Fritzinger induced a fielder’s choice that preserved the victory for the undefeated reigning state champs.

It was the first time the two teams met since last year’s district finals. With the loss, the Zephs fell to 8-2 as the Trojans now sit alone atop the Skyline Division of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.

The game had a decided playoff atmosphere under the lights at Parkland’s home field. It was a battle for a share of first place in the Skyline Division and both bleachers were filled with ardent supporters.

Head coach Alexis Berg-Townsend expected that type of atmosphere given their histories.

“Both teams came out; both teams were ready to play, and Parkland may have the ‘W’ tonight, but there’s not anything I can say that I didn’t like about tonight,” said Berg-Townsend.

She liked the fact that they gave themselves an opportunity to tie the game in the seventh. They had hit the ball hard against Fritzinger throughout the game, but the junior found a way to shut the door and retire Bonshak for the final out.

“You’re going to get some, and you’re not going to get some,” said Berg-Townsend about Bonshak’s final two plate appearances. “Aubree did a good job of jamming her inside and not let Cara get extension.”

Berg-Townsend said that while Parkland is a game that receives a lot of attention, they try to just stay on that even keel and treat it as just a game on their schedule.

“We talk about what we can and cannot control,” said Berg-Townsend. “We can control our emotions and how we play a game. So we talk about how coming to Parkland is no different than going to any other team.”

She’s looking forward to the rematch at Coplay to end their regular season. Berg-Townsend said that their division schedule prepares them to play tough teams throughout the year. That list continues as they embark on their remaining opponents who are all EPC foes except Catasauqua.

“We have the second half to really continue to play Whitehall ball,” she said.

While Fritzinger allowed just four hits over seven innings of work, the Zephyrs got good swings against her. Kay Solderitch hit a rope to left field in the fifth, but it was hauled in for the final out of the inning. In the sixth, Mackenzie Guzy also hit one on the nose, but it was snared by Fritzinger who completed the inning-ending double play with a toss to first.

“We had a lot of line shots tonight, and as a coach, you can’t be displeased with that,” said Berg-Townsend.

Perhaps two of the hardest hit balls came off the bat of Rodriguez. The left fielder broke up the no-hitter with a solid shot past the third baseman in the fifth. She later scored on Bonshak’s triple. She followed that with an RBI triple to cut the lead in half in the seventh. Her ability to get on base twice against Fritzinger was a God send moving forward.

“She’s as consistent of a hitter as anybody,” said Berg-Townsend. “She surprises you because of her size, you don’t expect much and the infield all comes in, but she can really hit the ball. I think she’s going to start making more of a name for herself.”

Starting pitcher Ashlee Brosky worked out of a few early jams. Fritzinger led off the game with a triple but was left stranded after Brosky got a pop up to end the inning.

In the second, a leadoff single followed by a bunt opened the door for Madison Holub’s RBI single. That gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead.

From that point, Brosky kept them off the board in the third until Fritzinger’s RBI single in the fourth made it 2-0. She yielded two more runs in the fifth as Parkland extended the lead 4-1. Still, she gave her teammates a chance, striking out two and issuing just two walks.

“This is the first time she’s pitched against Parkland, and she pitched a phenomenal game,” said Berg-Townsend. “I couldn’t be more pleased with her performance. She came out, hit her spots.”

Berg-Townsend said she was impressed how she navigated the meat of their line-up and knows she will gain from the experience.

“For Ashlee and her first game at Parkland, and in this type of atmosphere, she did a fantastic job,” said Berg-Townsend.