Kelsey Bernhart started her sophomore season on Upper Perkiomen's softball team as a reserve. Head coach Dean Sullivan designated her as the team's first outfielder off the bench.

"I didn't expect much from Kelsey," he said.

            Bernhart eventually worked her way into the starting lineup. On Monday, the left fielder delivered a home run during the team's PIAA Class 4A tournament opener.  "It felt pretty good," she said.

            "Kelsey was very excited," the coach said. "Good for her."

            However, Bernhart's two-run shot during the second inning was not good enough to get the Indians to the next round. Madison Stashak's RBI-single in the top of the ninth inning lifted Nanticoke to a 4-3 victory in the opening round of states at Methacton High School.

            Upper Perkiomen managed six singles in its season-ending loss. On May 30, the team defended its District One Class 4A title despite posting just two hits in a 1-0 victory over Pope John Paul II.

            "We were expecting a better outcome," said Sullivan, adding that he believed his team had a legitimate opportunity to reach the state title game. "But we went a little flat with the bats the last two games."

            Morgan Lindsay's RBI single forced a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth. The hit down the left field line scored Jenna Sullivan, who singled with two outs and stole second.

            Miranda Bohn, the Trojans' left handed pitcher, permitted just one hit over the final four innings. According to Bernhart, Bohn's rise ball was difficult to hit.  "It fooled me almost every time," she said.

            Meanwhile, Upper Perkiomen's Taylor Lindsay retired 11 consecutive hitters before surrendering a double to Megan Murphy leading off the ninth inning. Lindsay struck out the next two hitters before Stashak lined the game-winning hit up the middle.

            Murphy's solo homer in the second inning staked the Trojans to a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second, Bernhart launched her homer to center field. Sierra Fretz, who reached on a two-out error, scored ahead of Bernhart to put their team ahead 2-1. Bernhart's teammates surrounded home plate as she rounded third base. They patted her helmet when she got home.

            "The pitch was exactly where I like it, a little high and a little outside," Bernhart said.

            In the top of the third, Taylor Lindsay hit two Nanticoke hitters, both of whom scored to put the team ahead 3-2.

            Gabby Rakowski crossed the plate on a single by Jilann Baron. Brinley Sobeck came home on Murphy's fielder's choice ground ball. 

            Dean Sullivan praised the quartet of 12th graders - Taylor Lindsay, Alyssa Sullivan, Karlee Fretz and Autumn Gahman - that helped lead the Indians to a pair of Pioneer Athletic Conference Freedom Division championships, an appearance in last year's conference title games, two district titles and one state tournament victory.