Wildcat softball takes 8-3 marathon over Jersey Shore
JERSEY SHORE, PA – The Central Mountain Lady Wildcats travelled to Jersey Shore to take on the Bulldogs in what proved to be an extra innings contest. After nine tough innings the Lady Wildcats prevailed 8-3. For Central Mountain it was the team’s sixth straight game on the road and eighth straight win.
Jersey Shore got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning on a leadoff triple followed two batters later by a fielder’s choice scoring the run.
Central Mountain answered in the top of the second inning with a leadoff double by Sophie Mitchell who scored on a single by Kelsey Burrows. The Wildcats held the Dogs in the bottom of the inning and the score was tied 1-1.s
Katelyn Bowman led off the third with a double and was driven home two batters later by a Gracie Saar single to left field. Not to be outdone, Jersey Shore scored two runs in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead.
The Wildcats kept the pressure on in the top of the fourth scoring one run on back-to-back doubles by Taylor Wahlers and Bowman to bring the score to 3-3.
The pitchers then took over and there was no further scoring until the top of the ninth inning when Central Mountain sent 10 batters to the plate and tallied four hits, two walks and one hit by pitch, pushing across five runs to take an 8-3 lead. ‘Shore was held scoreless in the bottom of the ninth and the game ended with the Wildcats claiming the 8-3 victory.
Katelyn Bowman was on fire at the plate and collected five hits, including two doubles, in six trips to the plate. She also drove in two runs. Madisyn Wian, Kelsey Burrows and Harley Kunes chipped in two hits each while Gracie Saar, Audrey Walker, Sophie Mitchell and Taylor Wahlers had one hit each.
Junior hurler Addie McKeague pitched the complete 9 innings and faced 38 batters, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out 13 and walking two.
Central Mountain (9-2)will face Shikellamy on Thursday to cap a stretch of seven consecutive games on the road.