PHILADELPHIA – For each of the past four years, John W. Hallahan’s softball program has continued to improve. For those who have been part of the metamorphosis from patsy to contender, this spring represents their final chance to leave a lasting impression on their athletic legacy.

So far, so good.

Unless a series of unanticipated events occur, Hallahan should qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and be in position to challenge for the school’s first-ever Catholic League softball championship.

Regardless of what may appear from a distance as implausible, Hallahan’s players, especially seniors, refuse to count themselves out. And for those who want to look past Hallahan, that’s precisely what the center city Philadelphia dwellers prefer.

“We are used to be called an underdog,” said three-time All-Catholic senior pitcher Maddy McBride. “Teams don’t expect to or want to lose to Hallahan. Being an underdog is good.”

But teams have been losing to Hallahan a lot over the past four years. 

Consider:

In 2014, Hallahan won only one league game. That victory total increased enough the following season to reach the postseason . . . and even stay around for a bit. 

The following year, Hallahan again defeated Little Flower in the first round as McBride struck out 15 and lost a shutout bid in the seventh. This time, Hallahan shocked second-seed Archbishop Wood in the quarterfinals, 1-0, in 10 innings. McBride’s one-hit, 13-strikeout performance was regarded as one of the league’s most dominant performances in ages. Top-seed Cardinal O’Hara ruined the Cinderella plot with an excruciating 3-2 decision in a 12-inning semifinal. McBride surrendered a miserly three hits and silenced O’Hara’s bats for the first nine innings. On two occasions in extra innings, Hallahan was one pitch away from triumph.

“When we lost I was so upset,” said McBride, destined next year to play for Division III Hood College in Frederick, Md. “I just fell to the ground crying while they celebrated around me. I can replay that game play by play. I’ll literally never forget that for the rest of my life, how close we were to going to the championship.”

In all likelihood, Hallahan will gain another victory sometime next week. At home against Cardinal O’Hara on April 23, Hallahan was leading, 7-2, in the bottom of the sixth before the teams had to give way to another game that was scheduled later that afternoon. Three more outs and Hallahan would have defeated the then-undefeated Lions. The contest’s conclusion is scheduled for next week.

The possibility of Hallahan toppling the likes of O’Hara and Conwell-Egan and Bonner-Prendergast and Archbishop Wood and St. Hubert, etc. is no longer inconceivable.

“We have a nothing-to-lose mindset,” said McBride, who has accumulated 444 career strikeouts, including 82 in seven games this year. “I love my team. We have each other’s backs.”

Hallahan’s confidence appears contagious. 

 “Our attitudes have been absolutely amazing lately,” said senior outfielder Xandy Stoffere. “We are a close team and treat each other like sisters. When one of us is feeling down we are always right there making them feel better.”

Stoffere specified the meeting with Cardinal O’Hara that remains unfinished.  

“That was our best game yet,” said Stoffere. “There wasn't a moment of silence that whole game on our side. We made great defensive plays and some awesome hits. We were on the fence screaming the entire time and if we keep that attitude up and play like we did, we won't ever lose again.

St. Hubert’s lost to Bonner-Prendergast in last year’s championship. The Bambies got a chance for a little bit of redemption Tuesday afternoon, and they made the most of it.

In a riveting battle that necessitated 10 innings, visiting Hubert’s edged the Pandas, 3-1. Great pitching by junior Lindsey Davies and terrific defense allowed the Bambies to send the game into extra innings.

“The win felt amazing after losing to them in the PCL championship,” said Siravo. “We fought really hard the entire game and nobody got down on themselves or each other. We played like a team and were supportive of one another.

“The game was nerve wracking and the score being tied for most of the game put everyone on edge. Lindsey battled extremely hard and threw a great game. In the 10th inning when we scored two runs it was such a relief. Then we shut them down in the bottom of that inning. It felt like we had taken back the championship and made up for it.”

Senior Avery Hibbs supplied the key hit in the 10th. International tie-breaking rules require a team to begin with a runner on second, and for Hubert’s, it was senior Hope McCormick.

On a 1-2 pitch, Hibbs ripped a hit to right field. As McCormick rounded third and headed toward home, the throw from the outfield was bobbled. McCormick scored and Hibbs broke for third. The ensuing throw to third ended up in the outfield, and Hibbs raced home for an insurance run that ultimately would not be needed.

“I think this was one of our better wins because they beat us in the championship last year, so I feel like it was a good comeback,” said Hibbs. “But we have to come out even stronger if we play them again.”

Bonner-Prendergast, however, remains in great position with a record of 8-1. The Pandas aren’t overly concerned about losing their perfect league season. When you are the defending champion, perspective is different. 

“It was a tough loss, but it was good to be put in our place,” said B-P senior pitcher Meghan Sullivan. “Losing sometimes brings more motivation come postseason. Everyone needs a loss once in a while.

Allison’s senior sister Kaitlyn Martin took it a step further.

“It’s difficult because teams are gunning for us in a way,” she said. “This is just making us work harder to get better every day and ultimately reach our goal in the end.” 

Two days after losing to Hubert’s, Prendergast rebounded and defeated host Archbishop Wood, 5-2. It was the Vikings’ first loss after outscoring their opponents by a collective 57-7 over five wins.

“We knew we were going to see good pitching,” said Wood coach

Jackie Eckert. “We didn’t hit as well as we would have liked.”

Sullivan was to blame for taming Wood’s bats. She struck out nine and joined the aforementioned Martin sisters and junior Erin Grogan for a composite five RBI.

“It was great to see our team bounce back after a tough 10-inning game,” said Sullivan. “It just shows how competitive the league is.”

Case in point: Two days after St. Hubert handed B-P its first loss, the Bambies lost a 9-5 decision to Archbishop Ryan.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Ragdolls erupted for five runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth as part of a 14-hit attack. Freshman pitcher Dana Bell fanned 14 and allowed three eared runs.

“Our team really feeds off each other,” said senior Annie Cashman, who slammed a key triple. “So when one person gets a big hit and after we get our timing down, we get into a groove. Lately, momentum has been our biggest factor.”

(John Knebels can be reached at Jknebels@gmail.com or on Twitter @johnknebels.)

Softball Standings

(through April 26)

9-1 Archbishop Ryan

8-1 Bonner-Prendergast

5-1 Archbishop Wood

4-1 Cardinal O’Hara

6-2 Lansdale Catholic

5-3 Conwell-Egan

4-3 St. Hubert

3-4 John W. Hallahan

2-5 Little Flower

2-5 Archbishop Carroll

1-8 Bishop McDevitt

0-7 Neumann-Goretti

0-8 West Catholic