Central Mountain softball captures another 5A District 6 title

By Tom Elling
LORETTO,PA – A quick look at the 7-1 final score in the Central Mountain-Hollidaysburg
Class 5A District 6 Championship game would seem to indicate the Lady
Wildcats dominated their opponent. Wednesday’s final score would be misleading.

Hollidaysburg came into the game 12-7 and had most recently lost to
single A Claysburg-Kimmel, 7-6.
The Lady Golden Tigers were ranked the #105 overall team in
Pennsylvania. Central Mountain held the 14th spot. Five of those seven
losses were to perennial softball champions Bellefonte (twice), BEA
(twice) and Penns Valley. The other losses were to the aforementioned
Claysburg-Kimmel and CM’s next opponent DuBois (10-6).

Both starting pitchers dominated early on with only Hollidaysburg
getting a base hit over the first three inning. That was a two-out
single by Madison Avery. CM’s reliable Adalyn McKeague got the next
batter on an infield soft liner.

After an over-the-shoulder line-out to hustling centerfielder Madisyn
Wian, DuBois catcher Sydney Shay hit a no-doubt home run over the LF
fence to give Hollidaysburg first blood. McKeague retired the next two
Tigers on a line-out to right and a popout to Taylor Wahlers behind the
secondbase bag.

Cental Mountain, without a hit to this point, mounted a mild threat in
the bottom of the inning when Kaitlyn Bowman worked a lead-off walk.
H-burg’s fastballer Maria Malone got a foul popout and two consecutive
strike-outs to hold the ‘Cats at bay. CM was hitless after four.

Steady and cool hurler, McKeague got Hollidaysburg 1-2-3 in the 5th,
with two punch outs and a grounder to third.

The bottom of the inning saw the CM potent bats produce. With one
out, clutch Kelsey Burrows ripped a drive down the left field line.
Olivia Knab got to the ball quickly to hold it to a single. Gracie Saar
followed with a bunt that no one could handle for the infield hit.
(Haleigh Peters was sent in to run for Saar.) Sophie Mitchell was hit by
a pitch to load the bases. The next batter Wahlers hit an RBI single,
plating Burrows. Game tied and still bases loaded with just an out.
Hollidaysburg coach Heather Perry called Olivia Vincent in to relieve
Malone.  Vincent got Kaitlyn Bowman to hit into a second-to-home
fielder’s choice. Then the big hit came when CF Wian uncorked a double
to the left-center gap to clear the bases. CM went up 4-1.  Madison ,
previously wearing the collar, followed with a another RBI double (5-1).
Harley Kunes walked and she and pinch runner Cirstyn Watson scored on a
Allison Lininger single to right. Lininger tried to catch the Tiger
defense sleeping but was an easy throw-out trying to head into second.
Inning over- seven runs on 6 hits and no H-burg errors.
Neither team would get a baserunner hence forth.

Central Mountain went to 15-3 for the season. McKeague notched her 13th
win. She was dominant surrendering just two hits, walking one and
booking 9 strike outs. Hollidaysburg fell to 12-8.

Coach Fred Caldwell was confident his team would produce. “I looked into
the dugout after the 4th and saw not one head down. This team has
resiliency. This kind of game prepares them for the next game. And I
felt our bunting game was a lot better. I’m proud of the effort and the
attitudes.”

Central Mountain will face District 8/9 champion DuBois (15-3)next Tuesday at a site
and time to be named later. Most likely the site will be either this St.
Francis University field or nearby Mount Aloysius.

Post Game Notes
The CM defense sparkled with highlight plays made by Wahlers, Wian and
SS Kunes.
DuBois head coach Denny Nosker was on hand to scout the game. Nosker is
one of the hardest working coaches in the state. Oh, and he rode his
cycle to the game.

Summary:
Hollidaysburg      0 0 0  1 0 0  0  1 Run 2 hits and no errors
Central Mountain  0 0 0  0 7 0  X  7 Runs 6 hits and no errors