Central Mountain tops DuBois in PIAA 5A softball play-in contest, 9-1
By Tom Elling
LORETTO, PA – Two teams with 15-3 records. Two pitchers who had been dominant all year long. Two solid hitting line-ups. It looked to be another tight game. DuBois was on a 12-game win streak; Central Mountain had won four straight. DuBois had allowed a single run in their last three games. Except for the Maxpreps state ranking, all factors did point to a nailbiter. CM was ranked #2 in 5A, while DuBois held the #12 spot. So the Lady Wildcats on paper on Tuesday were favored. But as a wise observer has pointed out time-after-time, you don’t win or lose on paper.
The first two innings were scoreless although the Lady Beavers by virtue of back-to-back walks in the first threatened with two on and just one out. Calmly, pitcher Adalyn McKeague got a second out on a gem of a defensive catch by left-fielder Sophie Mitchell and followed with a strike-out.
In the DuBois third, after McKeague recorded her fifth straight strike-out, Gabby Gulvas singled to left and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Haley Reed. McKeague forced a groundout to second to end the inning. The Wildcats had mustered just a single by catcher Gracie Saar.
The bottom of the third belonged to CM. It started off innocently enough with a bloop single to short center by Taylor Wahlers. Kaitlyn Bowman followed with a perfect spinning bunt base hit. Madisyn Wian loaded the bases on an outfield error. (In fairness to the defensive player, the sky was cloudless and the sun was menacing.) nonetheless the bases were loaded with no outs. DuBois ace Ava Baronick retired the next batter on a called third strike. But patient Harley Kunes, having whiffed the previous at bat, found a 2-0 pitch to her liking and drilled a grand slam over the left field fence. That turned out to be all the ‘Cats would need. The next ‘Cat batter went down on strikes; Allison Lininger kept the inning alive with a double to left center. A DuBois infield error put Gracie Saar on and allowed Lininger to score the inning’s 5th run. Saar took second on the play. Fleet Haleigh Peters entered as the pinch runner She stole second and scored the 6th run on a wild pitch. A walk and a foul-out to first sent the Lady Cats to the field with that 6-0 edge.
Neither team scored in the 4th, but Madisyn Wian slashed a one-out double. Baronick worked out of that jam with two infield pop-ups.
CM scored an insurance run in their 5th. Saar doubled on a liner down third. Once again, Peters was inserted as a pinch runner. Sophie Mitchell got all the way to third on a DuBois throwing error. Peters scored an unearned run to pad the lead to 7.
In the top of the 6th, dangerous hitting Morgan Pasternak, turned on a 2-1 pitch and ripped a no-doubt line drive over the RF fence. McKeague got the next batter but issued her uncharacteristic 4th walk. That was followed by a booted potential double play ground ball. McKeague reached back and recorded her 9th strike out and a line out to right. DuBois was on the board, but trailed 7-1.
A trademark of the season has been for the Ladies to answer when an opponent scores. That trend continued in Wildcat 6th. Madison Hardy smashed a tape-measure shot on top of the distant hill in left field. For good measure, Cirstyn Watson singled. Lininger followed with her second hit of the game and, Sophie Mitchell delivered a two-out RBI base hit to give the home team a 9-1 lead.
McKeague got strike-out number 10 then Gulvas kept the slim hopes of the Lady Beavers alive with a single. The visitors were limited to four hits – two by Gulvas. A groundout and a fly to center sealed win #16 for Coach Fred Caldwell’s squad.
After a lengthy talk to his team, the even-mannered coach told the media that he felt the third inning was the best inning his team has had all season.
“Every batter stepped up to hit,“ he remarked. “Overall this was a complete game. The sun was tough but we played a solid game in all three facets. The bunt defense has been vastly improved. Adalyn has been very good in the circle, and we have hitters all up and down the batting order.”
He added, “We kind of have a response- an answer- the other team scores and we come back the next at bat and do likewise.”
Central Mountain scored 9 runs on 11 hits and one error; DuBois scored 1 run on 4 hits and 3 errors. Eight of the line-up had a hit. Lininger and Saar had two each. Kunes and Hardy slugged homeruns.
Both teams stranded 8 baserunners.
The next opponent will be the District 7 third place finisher on Monday, June 5. The game rumored to be on the Lady Wildcats’ home field. Details will follow as they are confirmed.
