Bat’s more like it!

The Girard Academic Music Program softball team finally made it to the Public League semifinals.

And in convincing fashion, thank you.

"It feels great to finally get there after all our hard work," said senior pitcher Angelica Malatino, trying to catch her breath after Monday’s 16-2 win over Frankford. "I knew the win would come sooner or later.

"I’ve been waiting for this since ninth grade."

Malatino has never made it past the Public League quarterfinals in her four years at GAMP, so she was just happy to finally make it to La Salle University, the site of the semifinals and finals. Yesterday’s semifinal – pitting GAMP against Central – was played after press time and Malatino wasn’t making any predictions about that match-up. After all, Central, won the April 20 regular-season meeting with GAMP, 4-0.

Instead, she and her teammates savored the win.

Malatino struck out four and allowed just three hits over five innings for her 10th win of the season Monday. The Pioneers have won all three of their playoff games by the mercy rule (15 runs before five innings, 10 runs thereafter), outscoring their three opponents 48-4.

Coach Jann Hoetzel knew putting up 16 runs against Central wouldn’t be quite so easy, so she took the team to the batting cages Tuesday afternoon so each of her players could get 60 to 80 swings. Afterward, the coach told the team to relax and get a good night’s sleep.

It’s that laid-back attitude that Hoetzel thinks finally put GAMP over the hump.

"Honestly, I think we’ve been mentally relaxed all season," the coach said. "We are a year more mature and have better softball sense."

The winner of yesterday’s GAMP-Central game advanced to Tuesday’s championship contest to face the winner of yesterday’s Girls’ High-Northeast semifinal.

Either way, the South Philly squad still has at least one more trip to La Salle scheduled for June 6 when they open the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association AA tournament against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. GAMP qualified by beating Engineering & Science 16-1 in the May 10 PIAA District XII AA title game.