“The Crimson Tide, cellar dwellers for a generation of L-L softball, capped its rise to the penthouse by wrapping up its first section title this week, earning a first-ever invitation to the league playoffs.

“The playoffs began Saturday with a quarterfinal quadruple-header at Garrett Park in Willow Street.

“Section Two champion Solanco (16-2) and Section Three runnerup Donegal (13-5) draw first-game honors at 10 a.m.

“Manheim Central (17-3), the Section Three champ, and Elizabethtown (17-3), runnerup in Section Two, meet in a true high-noon showdown — more on that in a bit.

“Section One titlist and defending league champion Warwick (15-4) takes the field against Section Four runner-up Annville-Cleona (14-4) at 2 p.m.

“Columbia (16-3) meets Cedar Crest (15-5) — the Section One runner-up by virtue of a 7-0 play-in victory over Hempfield — in the final game of the day, set for 4 p.m.

“All of this, of course, weather permitting.

“The semifinals are scheduled for 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday with the championship game set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday. All games will be played at Garrett Park.

“It’s a heady time for the Tide, which has progressed from a 1-15 league mark in 2008 to 4-11 in ’09 to 10-6 (14-8 overall) last year, the first-ever winning season for Tide softball.

“With that as a background, the Tide set its sights on yet another first: first place in the L-L’s Section Four, an honor attained when the Tide defeated Lancaster Mennonite on Tuesday.

“Ironically, Mennonite is coached by Brad Brubaker, who guided Columbia to its first winning season.

“‘It was our goal since the beginning,’ said senior captain Emily Detz, whose pitching prowess has, inarguably, made this possible. ‘It was a lot of work, and practice, and coaching.’

When Brubaker left to coach his daughter at LMH, Ben May stepped seamlessly into the void. He is quick to credit the girls.

“‘There was (always) some talent here,’ he offered, ‘but it just never meshed together to get something done.’

“Last year May and Brubaker convinced the incoming freshman class to stay with the program, even though Columbia would not field a junior varsity team.

“‘We told them, “‘Stay here. You’ll earn time and you’ll contribute.” They’ve been big factors in turning this team around,’ May said.

“But the biggest factor has been Detz.

“Coming off a junior season that saw her post a 1.35 ERA with 17 walks and 253 strikeouts in 140 innings, while allowing 91 hits, Detz lowered her ERA this year to a microscopic 0.30.

“In 115 innings, going into Saturday, she has allowed 44 hits, walked 14 and struck out 189. She has thrown five no-hitters, including three perfect games.

“‘She’s consistent and composed,’ Brubaker said in an email. ‘She does not get rattled. That calms the players around her. It breeds confidence in the whole team.’

“‘She is the heart and soul of the team, no ifs, ands, buts or maybes,’ declared May.

“‘Get Emily one or two runs and she takes care of the rest. I’m a firm believer if … everybody else does their share of what they’re capable of doing, it will blend in success.’

“Success that the Tide plans to carry forward as they approach Saturday’s contest as game number 17 of the L-L schedule and not the first game of the postseason.

“‘We’ll just treat it like any other game,’ said Detz. ‘We have to go out there and win.’

(SOURCE: Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era, May 14, 2011)