Lady Pioneers survive elements, edge J-M to qualify for PIAA playoffs
McMURRAY 鈥� West Greene and Jefferson-Morgan were battling through a steady rain, looking for a big hit or a break of some kind to snap a 3-3 tie late in their game on Tuesday afternoon, May 27.
A dry softball also was coveted.
鈥淭he water was splashing up and just covering the ball every time it hit the ground,鈥� Lady Pioneers pitcher Payton Gilbert said. 鈥淚 probably exchanged about 100 balls just to make sure I could find one I was comfortable with.鈥�
West Greene finally broke through in the bottom of the seventh inning when Melony Shreve bolted home on a passed ball to give the Lady Pioneers a 4-3 walk-off win in the WPIAL Class A third-place consolation game at Pleasant Valley Elementary School.
The Lady Pioneers (16-4) earned a spot in the PIAA playoffs where it played District 10 champion Cambridge Springs on Monday.
Gilbert pitched a three-hitter, allowing just one earned run with four walks and two strikeouts to earn the win. Emilee Bazzoli pitched well in defeat, giving up one earned run on four hits but had command issues in the final frame. She walked five (one intentional) and struck out six.
鈥淏oth teams battled the elements,鈥� Lady Pioneers coach Bill Simms said. 鈥淚 know the WPIAL is up against it to get the games in and I think they were forced into playing this game today.
鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of my team. They showed a lot of guts. It was hard on pitchers, both Gilbert and (Emilee) Bazzoli, to handle the ball. It was hard on everybody.鈥�
Lady Rockets coach Rich Rush commended both teams.
鈥淚t was a good game between two evenly matched teams,鈥� Rush said. 鈥淔or that important of a game, that鈥檚 rough weather to play in, especially for the pitchers. I feel like I was drying softballs the whole game.鈥�
Shreve led off the bottom of the seventh inning by drawing a walk and took second on a wild pitch. Marissa Tharp also drew a walk and both runners moved up on another wild pitch, which prompted Rush to intentionally walk Gilbert to set up a forceout at home. But Bazzoli鈥檚 second pitch to Kendra Tharp went to the backstop and before J-M catcher Kelsey Vessels could retrieve the ball Shreve was sliding home with the game-winning run.
鈥淚 was ready for any chance I had to move up once I got on,鈥� said Shreve, who also had an RBI single. 鈥淲hen I was on third and the ball got away I just thought get home and we win and I ran as fast as I could and made it.鈥�
Jefferson-Morgan (10-8) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Gabby Marmie led off with a walk, advanced to second on Bazzoli鈥檚 sacrifice bunt, took third on Brooklynne Snyder鈥檚 single to left and scored on Ashlynn Snyder鈥檚 sacrifice fly.
The Lady Rockets made three errors in the bottom of the inning and the Lady Pioneers took advantage to score two runs. Marissa Tharp scored from third on a double steal with Gilbert, and Kendra Tharp followed with an RBI single to left.
West Greene increased its advantage to 3-1 in the second when Madelyn Roberts reached on an error, went to second on a wild pitch and scored and Shreve鈥檚 two-out single to right field.
Jefferson-Morgan pulled even with two runs in the top of the third. Bazzoli laced a one-out single to left and Brooklynne Snyder reached on an error. Ashlynn Snyder followed with an RBI grounder that resulted in an error with Brooklynne Snyder taking third. She came home with the tying run on Addie Larkin鈥檚 run-scoring groundout.
The two teams combined to make six errors 鈥� J-M with four and West Greene with two 鈥� but both were flawless in the field after the third inning despite the rain.
鈥淚t was a pitchers鈥� duel after that,鈥� Rush said. 鈥淥nce they got settled in, our defense was good.鈥�
鈥淥ur team started picking it up in the field once we started adapting to the conditions,鈥� Gilbert said.
Both teams made several sparkling defensive plays.
One of the biggest fielding gems came from West Greene third baseman Khyler Davis whose diving snag of Bazzoli鈥檚 line drive saved at least one run in the third.
鈥淪he played a real good game over there,鈥� Simms said of Davis. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been having what I consider a little bit of a confidence problem with her arm but she didn鈥檛 have any today and when the star shined brightest she was ready to play.鈥�
Lady Rockets second baseman Karlee Crockard made a key play in the fourth. West Greene鈥檚 Katie Brudnock singled to left and Davis laid down a bunt hit and the runners advanced to second and third, respectively, on a wild pitch but Crockard speared Marissa Tharp鈥檚 two-out line drive, likely saving two runs.
Center fielders Marissa Tharp and J-M鈥檚 Addyson Teagarden both made difficult sliding catches in the fifth and third innings, respectively,
Simms marveled at Tharp鈥檚 grab.
鈥淪he came in and slid for it, gave me an all-out dive,鈥� Simms said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all I could ask for. We call those effort plays and she made a big one there.鈥�
West Greene catcher Emmaline Beazell made a laser throw to first baseman Brudnock to pick off a J-M runner in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the inning Lady Rockets left fielder Ashlynn Snyder made a fine running catch of Brudnock鈥檚 long fly ball in the sixth.
鈥淲e had a great year,鈥� Rush said. 鈥淲e made the semifinals and we have the core of our team coming back.鈥�