Panthers advance to fifth straight district final.
By: Brian Fees | Towanda Daily Review | May 31, 2012 | Photo courtesy Brian Fees
2012 NTL and District 4 News
WILLIAMSPORT - Getting to the District 4, Class A final has become a yearly tradition for the Northeast Bradford Panthers.
Now, the next step is trying to bring home a district title.
The Panthers reached their fifth straight district final with a 6-1 win over Wyalusing on Wednesday evening.
However, the past three years Northeast Bradford has come up short in the final, finishing as the district runner-up each time.
"Absolutely, they want to finish this," Northeast Bradford coach Gary Hennip said. "They want this, I know they will be ready tomorrow.
"They've set some pretty big goals for themselves this year. They satisfied the first one getting the league, now we are in the district final and there are more to go."
The Panthers got out to a quick start as Calla Martin led off with a single and MaKaylah Holbert followed with a single. After an out, Kelsey Carlsen got an RBI single to make it 1-0.
Wyalusing tied the game in the fourth inning as Ally DeVoir led off with a single and Emily Faulkner hit a two-out single to make it 1-1.
The game didn't stay tied long as Chelsie Souto and Kelsey Goodwin walked and freshman Maddy Johnson hit a two-run, two-out triple to make it 3-1.
"I told myself to stay level and to hit the ball," Johnson said. "I got to second and saw they hadn't gotten the ball in so I went to third."
While Johnson is one of the smallest players on the field, she put the ball over the outfielder's head on her triple.
"I was just thinking 'I am going to pop up again,'" Johnson said. "But, with my speed I was able to get to third."
Hennip wasn't surprised by the power Johnson showed.
"She has this year showed some power," Hennip said. "She's not that big, but she's a very smooth player. She's extremely good for a freshman. I wouldn't trade her for any other freshman."
Working with a lead, Souto allowed just one walk the final three innings to help the Panthers come away with the win.
"That was a lot better," Souto said of pitching with the lead. The first few innings were kind of rough, we were not ourselves, but we got it together after that."
The Panthers added to the lead in the seventh, as Goodwin got a two-out hit and Johnson followed with a double, before Calla Martin hit a two-run double, before Martin came around to score to make it the final of 6-1.
"That was a really big help," Souto said. "In the seventh, we didn't have to look at the lead runner, I could just focus on the hitter."
The Rams had some chances in the game.
Kasey DeVoir led off with a single to start the game and moved to second on a wild pitch, but was stranded there.
In the third DeVoir reached second on an error but was stranded.
Cathryn Pugh was left stranded in the fourth and in the fifth, Lauren Chadwick bunted the ball and moved to third on two errors, but she was called out for not touching first and Laci Holdren, who walked two batters later, was left stranded.
In the seventh, Emily Faulkner got a hit and got to second, but that's as far as she got.
"It feels good," Souto said of reaching the district final. "I hope we can get a win this year."
For younger players like the freshman Johnson and the sophomore Souto, it's important to help the seniors get their first district title.
"We want to win this for the seniors," Souto said.
"I'm going to be very nervous like I was today, but I will be OK," Johnson said. "I am very excited. I'd love to win it and then in my future years be able to build on winning a district title."
Hennip knows that this one was a tough win to get.
"Kudos to Wyalusing, they play hard," Hennip said. "They are tough to play, they never give up."
Souto struck out 10 in the game, walking one and allowing four hits in the game.
Faulkner struck out three for the Rams, allowing 10 hits and walking two.
Martin had four hits for the Panthers, with two RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored and Holbert had a hit in the game.
Carlsen had two hits and stole a base, with an RBI, and Souto scored a run, while Goodwin had a hit and scored two runs and Johnson had a double and a triple, a run scored and two RBI.
Faulkner had two hits and Kasey and Ally DeVoir each added hits for the Rams, with Ally DeVoir scoring a run.
The Panthers take on Southern Columbia at noon today at Elm Park in Williamsport in the District 4, Class A final.
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