Bellefonte slips by Central Mountain, 5-3, for District 6 Class 5A title
By Tom Elling
LORETTO, PA – After the rain/lightning postponement Wednesday, the two teams returned to Loretto Thursday to decide the District 6 Class 5A crown.
It was a magnificent morning for softball and the players on both sides performed admirably. Each team had six hits. Central Mountain’s Alyssa Fisher had a homerun; Caitlyn Watson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored (and a stolen base); Madison Hardy had a run-producing single and Allison Lininger added the final two hits.
The game was tied at one at the end on three on Wednesday. It was, as expected, a pitchers’ duel. Both team had their lead-off batters get aboard in the fourth, but to no avail the strong pitching got the next three outs.
In the top of the fifth, Bellefonte took advantage of a two-out error followed by two key RBI singles by Lily Gardner and Tori Reichert. Adalynn McKeague ended that inning getting a strike-out – one of ten she whiffed.
Central Mountain trailing 3-1 got back a run in the bottom of the inning Watson as hit by a pitch (stole second). Riley Houser walked and Allison Lininger loaded the bases with an infield single. Maggie Saar walked on a 3-2 pitch scoring Watson to narrow the Lady Raider lead to one-run.
Bellefonte added two insurance runs in their sixtth. Hanna Lauck (who had a solo homerun on Wednesday walked. Sara DeHaas got aboard on an infield hit and with two out, Haylie Rimmey doubled them both home. The Lady Cats went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth.
Bellefonte also went quietly in the top of the seventh, but had a three-run lead.
Watson led off with a bunt single followed by a free pass to Riley Houser. Hardy drilled a single up the middle plating Watson. That would be it for CM as three batters were dominated by winning pitcher Lexi Rogers.
Rogers went to 16-2 on the mound with six strikeouts. She was uncharacteristically wild, walking six batters and hitting two more.
McKeague ended her outstanding freshman year with a 9-2 mark. She had ten K’s and walked just two.
Bellefonte will next play a 10-9 DuBois team. Date and time TBA.
