Armstrong too strong- stop Wildcats’ PIAA chase, 12-5
By Tom Elling
LORETTO PA – Armstrong, the WPIAL 5A Champion, was advertised as an all-round team with a great offense; they were averaging eleven runs a game. Central Mountain’s Adalynn McKeague was just coming off a 9-inning shutout of WPIAL 3rd-placer North Hills. It would be strength-on-strength.
The River Hawks came out of the visitors’ dugout with bats blazing, scoring 5 runs in the top of the first. The first two batters (Emma Smerick and Emma Paul) singled .Smerick stole second and advanced to third on Paul’s hit. She scooted home for the game’s first run on a wild pitch, Paul moving up to second. McKenzie Egley drew a base on balls and Jenna Clontz was safe on a fielder’s choice when indecision cost an in-time throw to first. That loaded the bases for Jenna Clontz who worked a full count before Jesse Pugh slammed a high, deep base-clearing home run putting Armstrong up 5-0 and still no one out.
McKeague retired the next two on punchouts, but issued a second walk to Belle Atherton. The inning-ending out was made when catcher Gracie Saar gunned out Atherton on another steal attempt.
Central Mountain answered with a two-spot. With one out, hot hitting Allison Lininger doubled to the base of the CF fence. Harley Kunes followed with a high shot to center which would have gone over the fence without a spectacular leaping, turning grab by Cassidy Adams. Madison Hardy hit a fastball deep over the LF barrier to close the lead to three (5-2). Armstrong pitcher Cameryn Sprankle induced a pop-up to get out of the 1st without further damage.
McKeague ran through the proverbial raindrops through innings 2-3-4, but ran into trouble in the 5th. Egley lead off with a homer to dead center. Armstrong took a 6-2 lead. Then after an infield pop and another walk, the River Hawks went small ball and putting a lot of pressure on the Wildcat infield. They dropped four straight bunts- one for a hit and the other two forcing errors. When the inning ended on a grounder, the visitors had plated three more, taking a 9-2 lead. The Mountain failed to score in their half of that inning.
Armstrong added two more unearned runs in the top of the 6th. Back-to-back singles, a throwing error, two walks and a hit batter produced those runs. The score rose to 11-2, In the bottom half, Armstrong’s first baseman Pugh made a leaping grab of a Madisyn Wian hot liner. After a walk to Kelsey Burrows, Sprankle recorded a strike out and a fly-ball out.
Armstrong wasn’t done. Smerick singled, stole second (her 3rd steal in the game), moved to 3rd on a groundout and scored on a sac fly by Egley. That was followed by a tape-measure blast to left. The ‘Cats got out of that inning with no more damage, but Armstrong held a 13-2 lead with only three outs to go.
The never-say-die Wildcats got a lead-off single by Kaitlyn Bowman. Caitlyn Watson and Lining followed with singles. Lininger’s producing a run. After an out, Hardy plated another with a groundout, followed by a run-producing Madisyn Wian single. A grounder ended the Wildcat’s season. Armstrong moving to the PIAA Class 5A semis, 13-5.
Coach Fred Caldwell was disappointed with the loss, but he was not disappointed with the effort.
“The team never quit. We lost to an excellent team today. But I am very proud of these girls. They have battled all year long and the twenty-one wins is a CM record. We didn’t make some plays and that hurt, but this team (Armstrong) is, as we expected, a very solid team.”
Extra Innings:
Armstrong’s pitcher Cameryn Sprankle’s mother Brandy pitched for Lock Haven during her high school days. Her grandmother Grace Keller is still a resident of our fair city. Both were in attendance.
Caitlyn Watson, Allison Lininger, and Madisyn Wian each had two hits. Lininger had a double. Madison Hardy’s home run was her second consecutive as she produced the game winner earlier in the week against North Hills.
Lininger came in to pitch the last inning for the Wildcats. Both pitchers return next season with a great deal of experience. In fact the Wildcats lose just two from this squad: Watson and Kaitlyn Bowman.
Many of the team members will start Friday with a travel team in a tournament.
Thanks to the many sponsors we have had this season. Eric Frank and I also appreciate the kind words from many of the parents.
The umpires were from District 5 (Bedford area) and did a good, consistent job.
