They say pitching and defense are the keys to championships. Well, a strong and experienced battery can certainly go a long way in that department.

 It would seem that the Palmyra softball team has a lot of their bases covered.

  This week, senior pitcher Abbey Krahling continued to lead the Cougars’ charge, during their historical start to the season. On Tuesday at home, Krahling hurled Palmyra to an 11-0 victory over Harrisburg. 

 As she has been all spring long, Krahling was on top of her game, combining with reliever Sarah Quigley on an abbreviated no-hitter. Krahling only tossed three innings, but they were perfect, as she fanned seven, recorded six first-pitch strikes and did not issue a free pass.

 While she certainly believes in getting ahead in the count, Krahling’s key to getting hitters out this season has been her location and her ability to move pitches and batters around. Despite her aggressive style, Krahling prefers to allow her defense to work for her.

  Tuesday’s victory over Harrisburg was part of Krahling and the Cougars’ three-win week. Palmyra is now off to a surprising 7-1 start to the season, and all of those victories have come within the confines of the Keystone Division of the Mid-Penn Conference.

 – Jeff Falk