Lady Wildcats Earn a Split at Powerful Thunder on the Mountain Tourney
BALD EAGLE TOWNSHIP – The Central Mountain softball team had to settle for a 1-1 split in
Saturday’s talent-laden Thunder on the Mountain tournament.
The Lady Wildcats (7-4) fell in their opener to Seneca Valley (9-3) by a 21-8 score but bounced back to earn a consolation game 11-7 win over DuBois (6-5).
Central Mountain had plenty of offense in game one but Seneca Valley had even more, touching up three CM pitchers for 17 hits and 21 runs, led by catcher Karli Hacker with two early 3-run homers to set the tempo for the opener. The Lady Wildcats were not shabby with the bat, pounding out 10 hits in five innings, led by Morgan Wetzel’s 3-for-3 performance featuring two homeruns, a double and four RBIs. Cait Brush added two singles, as did Madalyn Bechdel. Maddie Knepp added a double, freshman Riley Houser a single and freshman Alexa Shultz drilled a homerun.
The Lady Wildcats kept the offense going in the consolation game against DuBois, the Beavers falling to WPIAL power Hemfield by a 10-0 score in their opener.
Central Mountain never trailed against DuBois, Skylar Smith getting the ‘Cats on the scoreboard with a 2-run first inning homer. CM added four more in the second, the big hit a 2-run single from Knepp. They plated a single run in the fourth on an RBI single from Smith, one in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Brush and three more in the sixth, which included a lead-off homerun from Wetzel, her third of the day.
Wetzel finished game two with her homer and a single. Smith ended up 3-for-4 with a homerun, two singles and two runs batted in, Knepp with a 3-for-3 afternoon with a double, two singles, and two RBIs. Houser added two singles. Brush finished with a single and sacrifice fly, her sister Cassidy Brush with a single and Bechdel with a single.
Cait Brush and Knepp split the pitching duties in game two, Brush earning the win. The Lady Wildcats played errorless ball in both games, highlighted by second baseman Josie Dershem who made a spectacular leeping grab of a line drive off the bat of DuBois’ Kaylie Sadowski and turned it into a double play.
Central Mountain will return to Heartland Conference play Tuesday, hosting Midd-West.
Game One:
| April 28, 2018 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| SENECA VALLEY | 3 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 7 | X | X | 21 | 17 | 0 |
| HOME TEAM | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | X | X | 8 | 10 | 0 |
Game Two:
| April 28, 2018 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
| CENTRAL MOUNTAIN | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 15 | 1 |
| DU BOIS | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 1 |
