Wildcat Softball Defeats Danville
By Tom Elling
MILL HALL- It is no secret Central Mountain softball has a veteran team- a team that has solid pitching, balanced hitting and a stingy defense. But a very good Danville team seemed arrived in Mill Hall to prove they, too, are in the championship conversation.
Adalyn McKeague figured to spoil their chances. Her pitching has been dominant each of the four years on the varsity. And while she didn’t have her usual number of strike-outs today, she did manage to shut down the potent bats of 3-1 Danville. The Lady Ironmen arrived at the Central Mountain athletic complex averaging 10.7 runs per game, while allowing just over 4. Most of the latter came in an opening game 8-7 loss to Bloomsburg. The Lady Wildcat ace shut-out the visitors over four innings and picked up her second win of the early season. The two hits she allowed were singles by SS Dejah Jones. Jones had three of the four hits for the down river foe.
Meanwhile, on the offensive side, McKeague was backed by an eleven run, thirteen hit barrage. Seven of the nine positions contributed to that total. Cirstyn Watson went 3-for-3 (including a HR, and a double) with three RBI. Cora Myers was 2 for 3 with two solo homers; Sophie Mitchell also had a HR and single. Katlyn Bowman had two hits and two RBI; Taylor Doyle was 2 for 3; Harley Kunes and Madisyn Wian had RBI doubles. Wian was credited with the game-ending RBI as she plated Watson on a fielder’s choice.
The defensive play of the game was a backhand mid-hop snag by firstbaseman Madison Hardy.
The relief performance of Camryn Weaver might have flown under the radar in the ten-run rule win. Despite surrendering Danville’s only run, the freshman lefty showed poise on the mound, striking out a batter and inducing two crucial infield groundouts.
Coach Fred Caldwell told us that he thought played a ‘very good’ game for early in the season.
“This game was very much like our win over Shikellamy. We played an all-round good game.”
“We do have some work to do on baserunning, but we do have more speed this year. We are scheduled to host Troy on Friday in a make-up game. Hopefully, the weather will not be as expected.”
The Ladies have now dominated two good teams to open the season. They are averaging 10-runs per game,; allowing less than a run. Providing a let down or unforeseeable problems, the Caldwell-led team should provide area fans with something special to follow.
