‘K’ mania
Strikeout aces Barnyak, Clark set to square off Friday
Bailey Barnyak was putting the finishing touches on a brisk three-inning 18-0 Carmichaels softball victory at Avella on Monday when she was surprised to see her coach Dave Briggs start to stroll out to the mound.
鈥淚t was the last inning and I remember he called time out and was walking out with another ball and he put his hand out and made me give him the ball I had,鈥� the senior right-hander said. 鈥淚 was kind of confused, like, is he taking me out right now?鈥�
Branyak didn鈥檛 realize what a special softball she was holding.
鈥淭hen he shook my hand and said, 鈥楥ongratulations. That was your 800th strikeout.鈥� That was super great because I had all my girls around me at the mound and they were all giving me hugs,鈥� Barnyak said.
Barnyak notched one more strikeout before the game was over to give her 801 in her outstanding career as she joined her mother, Nikki Gasti Onderko, in the Lady Mikes鈥� 800 club. Onderko ended her legendary career with 850 strikeouts.
On the same day over at Turkeyfoot Valley, Brownsville鈥檚 Ava Clark was enhancing her legacy with the Lady Falcons by recording her 700th career strikeout in a 7-0 victory.
Clark had reached the 600 strikeout milestone earlier in the season and had set her sights on getting to 700 after that.
鈥淭hat was my last individual goal I wanted to get,鈥� said Clark, also a senior righthander. 鈥淚t was the sixth inning and I got her on a riseball. I knew I had a good shot at getting there. It just shows all my hard work has paid off. It鈥檚 so nice to get to 700.鈥�
Both Carmichaels and Brownsville are playoff-bound teams which have finished up the section part of their schedule and no look to tune up for the postseason.
They鈥檙e set to face each other, Barnyak vs. Clark, today at 4:15 p.m. in Carmichaels as the Lady Mikes celebrate Senior Day.
Onderko is one of Briggs鈥� assistant coaches, which means there will be over 2,360 strikeouts represented on the diamond.
Clark threw a five-hitter with 15 strikeouts and singled twice in the 7-0 win over Turkeyfoot as Brownsville improved to 9-5 and has clinched a share of second place in Section 4-2A.
Paityn Thomas had three hits, including a double, and two RBIs and Emma Leigh Bailey and Tavan Ternitsky each doubled and singled for the Lady Falcons, who also got two hits apiece from Lena Rechichar and Zaydee Downer.
Barnyak allowed two hits with no walks and got eight of her nine outs on strikeouts, and she also had two hits, a triple and a double, with two RBIs. Carys McConnell had two hits and three RBIs for Carmichaels, which also got two RBIs apiece from Bentley Lukacs, Sydney Miller and Payton Plavi.
The Lady Mikes, who have already locked up the Section 2-A title, improved to 13-3 on Tuesday when Barnyak tossed a three-inning perfect game in a 21-0 win over Monessen in which she recorded all nine out on strikeouts, jacking her career total up to 810.
Barnyak and Clark are aware of each other and both see the matchup as a chance for their teams to prepare for the postseason.
鈥淚鈥檓 pumped up to face her,鈥� Barnyak said. 鈥淎va is a really good pitcher. I think this is going to be great for us. I know it鈥檚 non-section but with it being Senior Night obviously we want to win. This is going to be a good game to get used to that higher level pitching we鈥檙e going to face in the playoffs.鈥�
鈥淚t should be a good game and it鈥檚 definitely a big pitching meeting,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got some games now against some good pitchers to try to get us ready for the playoffs.鈥�
Clark and Brownsville were set to face yet another strong pitcher on Thursday with a game against Yough and Jaidyn Vay.
Both Clark (PennWest California) and Barnyak (Indiana University of Pa.) will continue their careers in college and both will leave high school as one of the best players to ever come out of their respective programs.
Barnyak has helped the Lady Mikes earn a ton of hardware with four section championship plaques, two WPIAL runnerup trophies and a PIAA runnerup trophy.
The Lady Falcons have made the postseason two years in a row for the first time in program history with Clark in the circle.
鈥淚t means a lot to me and my team,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淚t shows everybody has been working hard and doing what they鈥檙e supposed to do and not just going through the motions. We practice hard and play hard. It feels nice to go to the playoffs for the second year in a row.鈥�
Clark would like a playoff win this time around.
鈥淭hat would be so big. I don鈥檛 think Brownsville鈥檚 ever won a playoff game,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淭he chance to do that will have everybody hyped up. That would be such a great accomplishment for this team. I think we can do it.鈥�
Clark said she has mixed emotions with her final season winding down.
鈥淚 feel both sad and excited. I feel sad that I won鈥檛 be able to play with my teammates here any more but then I鈥檓 excited to go to college and play and see how good I can do,鈥� said Clark, who is proud of what she鈥檚 done at Brownsville, but believes someone can someday come along and match her impressive accomplishments.
鈥淚鈥檝e thought about it and yeah, it鈥檚 something when I look back on what I鈥檝e done,鈥� Clark said. 鈥淏ut, you know, anybody else can do this, too, you鈥檝e just got to put your mind to it and keep working.鈥�
Barnyak was asked about playing in the shadow of her mother, who guided the Lady Mikes to a PIAA championship and two WPIAL titles before going on to be a starting pitcher at Pitt.
鈥淚t can be tough but it鈥檚 pretty cool at the same time,鈥� Barnyak said. 鈥淚 mean it鈥檚 amazing that I get to play at the same school as my mom did and that I鈥檝e had such a good career like she did.
鈥淏ut it can get annoying sometimes,鈥� she added with a laugh.
Barnyak still has a chance to surpass her mom鈥檚 career strikeout total.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the plan,鈥� Barnyak said with another laugh. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 always been something that pushes me, trying to top her records. It鈥檚 cool to have that kind of history to chase.
鈥淥ne thing I鈥檝e always loved, like my mom did, is to go out there and play for Carmichaels and play for our community, because they鈥檝e been supportive throughout all these four years so it鈥檚 great to give back to them.鈥�