REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: "Wiffleball Upset"

Legends were born Monday at Mentzer Field near York, where the Nieces & Nephews Team pulled off an unimaginable upset in the annual Memorial Day Wiffleball Bash, thumping the Aunts & Uncles contingent 11-4.
“Pundits were counting us out,” said team captain Scot Pitzer. “The experts said we couldn’t do it. But we persevered.”
The understaffed but undeterred Nieces & Nephews Team was sparked by inspiring — and surprising — performances by Shelley Sterner, Kaila May, and Jamie Pitzer.
“I may not run, throw, jump, stretch or catch, but one thing I know how to do is play wiffleball,” an exuberant Shelley Sterner said after the thrilling victory.
The Nieces and Nephews squad was without the services of first-basewoman Meagan Sterner (who was in Boston), outfielder Michael Edwin Pitzer (studying at PSU-Hershey), outfielder Davey Sterner (who was working) and the five Mentzer siblings, who remained stationed in Ohio.
“They came in as underdogs, but left as champions,” said Aunt Vicki, who watched the contest from the outfield bleachers.
Things certainly didn’t start well for the Nieces & Nephews Team — starting hurler Jamie Pitzer gave up four runs in the top of the 1st inning, but the young hurler settled down, fooling opposing batters as the game progressed with a mix of blazing fast balls and off-speed pitches.
“We couldn’t hit any of that junk she was throwing,” said a disappointed Uncle Stan.
Kaila May filled in admirably for Meagan Sterner at first base, and made several highlight-reel defensive plays.
“She’s going to be a good player on that team for years to come,” Grandma Mentzer said regarding May, a fifth-grader at Arendtsville Elementary.
The game was actually halted by veteran umpire Pappy Mentzer midway through the fifth inning for what he called the “ten-run rule.” When informed that the Nieces & Nephews Team only had a seven-run lead, Pappy Mentzer changed his ruling to a “heat-related” decision.
Shelley Sterner, who played an entire game for the first time ever, and cousin Travis Schriver, who belted two homers, were named co-MVPs.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
~ Scot Andrew Pitzer