Lady Mikes rally into playoff berth
Darnell Graham
Waynesburg Central catcher Emma Ricciuti (23) can鈥檛 hang onto the ball as Carmichael鈥檚 Gina Ranieri scores the winning run in the bottom of ninth inning of Wednesday鈥檚 Section 2-AA softball game at Carmichaels High School. The Lady Mikes won 5-4 to finished tied with the Lady Raiders in third place and clinch a WPIAL playoff berth.
Waynesburg Central's Rachel Elsenheimer (20) slides safely into second base during a game against Carmichaels on May 11. The Lady Raiders lost to Neshannock, 11-5, in a WPIAL Class AA playoff game on Monday. Elsenheimer had two of Waynesburg's seven hits against the Lady Lancers. (Photo by Darnell Graham)
Darnell Graham
Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Tara Stanley (16) stretches for the ball at first base, but was unable to handle the throw, allowing Waynesburg Central鈥檚 Kaitlyn Kutcher (7) to reach safely during Wednesday鈥檚 Section 2-AA game at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichael鈥檚 Gina Ranieri scores the winning run in the bottom of ninth inning as Waynesburg Central catcher Emma Ricciuti (23) attempts to make a quick tag during their softball game on May 11. The win pulled coach Dave Briggs' Lady Mikes even with coach Jim Armstrong's Lady Raiders as both made the WPIAL playoffs. Briggs, Armstrong, Ricciuti and Ranieri are all members of the Messenger All-County Softball Team. (Photo by Darnell Graham)
can鈥檛 hang onto the ball as of Wednesday鈥檚 Section 2-AA softball game at Carmichaels High School. The Lady Mikes won 5-4 to finished tied with the Lady Raiders in third place and clinch a WPIAL playoff berth.
The Carmichaels softball team understood what was on the line when the Lady Mikes hosted Waynesburg Central Wednesday afternoon.
A victory meant a 10th-straight playoff appearance, while a loss dashed all hopes for the playoffs.
The Lady Mikes had to put in a couple extra innings, but earned that Section 2-AA playoff berth with a 5-4 victory in nine innings against the visiting Lady Raiders.
The teams finished tied for third place with 9-5 records and both go to the playoffs because they split the season series.
Waynesburg won the first game, a wild 18-17 affair.
Carmichaels鈥� Gina Ranieri singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. She stole second and then came home with the winning run on Shelbee McCann鈥檚 single.
The Lady Raiders (9-11) opened a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning and extended the advantage to 4-0 in the third.
Carmichaels responded with three runs in the bottom of the third. Laura Walker and Natalie McNett singled and Walker eventually came home on an error. Emma Lowry had an RBI single and Ranieri capped the rally with a sacrifice fly.
The Lady Mikes (11-8) then tied the game with a single run in the bottom of the fifth.
鈥淓verybody knew how important the game was,鈥� said Carmichaels coach Dave Briggs. 鈥淲e settled in the ninth inning. The two girls in the ninth inning (Gina Ranieri, Shelbee McCann) are both freshmen. They showed no nerves.
鈥淲e鈥檝e made the playoffs 10 years in a row. The girls are excited (about the playoffs), obviously.鈥�
Walker struck out four and didn鈥檛 walk a batter in the win.聽
Taylor Staley took the loss, striking out one and walking one. She also had a double and single. Brooke Meek doubled and Tara Staley finished with two singles.