NEB falls to South Williamsport.
By: Brian Fees | Towanda Daily Review | May 23, 2014 | Photo courtesy Brian Fees
2014 NTL and District 4 News
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT - Four times in the first six innings the Northeast Bradford pitcher got out of an inning leaving the bases full of South Williamsport runners.
In the seventh inning South again had the bases loaded, and this time they came through as Kalynn Wheeland reached on an error, scoring Paige Lentz with the winning run in a 5-4 South win in the District 4, Class A quarterfinals.
Northeast Bradford coach Gary Hennip was happy with the way his freshman pitcher kept getting out of jams during the game.
"She did a wonderful job," he said. "She has done a good job for us all year. I think she was getting a little tired late in the game, but it was another good year for us."
Right from the start it appeared like it would be a long day for the Panthers as South's first six batters of the game reached base.
Lizz Cummings led off the game with a home run for South and Alana Stugart singled, while Wheeland walked. A double by Kelsey Gantz brought home courtesy runner Jamie Engel to make it 2-0, but the Panthers defense kept it at two runs.
Calla Johnson took the relay throw from the outfield and threw out Wheeland at home and Williams left the bases full of South runners.
"When they only scored two in that first inning, it could have been a lot worse," Hennip said. "Calla, she's probably the best player I have ever had the chance to coach. She makes those plays when you have to make them."
The game stayed 2-0 into the fourth when the Panthers got on the board. Monica Brown led off the inning with one of her three hits and courtesy runner Megan Brown advanced on a Chelsie Souto single and scored on a wild pitch.
"She (Brown) hit the ball really well today," Hennip said.
Northeast Bradford took the lead in the fifth inning as Maddy Johnson singled and stole second and Calla Johnson followed with a hit bringing home Maddy to tie the game. Angelia Laudermilch followed with a single to bring home Calla with the go-ahead run.
South quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning as Wheeland doubled and scored.
In the sixth the bottom of the Panthers lineup came up big as Danielle Moore singled and moved to second on a sacrifice by Annie Williams. A hit by Maddy Johnson brought home Moore to put the Panthers up 5-4.
"Madison if you put her up there won't come through 100 percent of the time, but it will be darn close," Hennip said.
After stranding the bases loaded in the first, third, fifth and sixth innings South again loaded them in the seventh.
Roxie Keller walked and Sabrina Mussare sacrificed her to second before Lentz and Cummings walked. Stugart singled home Keller to tie the game and Wheeland then hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped, allowing the winning run to score.
For the game Williams allowed nine hits and eight walks, striking out four, but allowed just the five runs.
"She is a freshman pitching in a big game," Hennip said. "Her first district game. She did a good job."
Maddy Johnson was 3-for-4 with a run, an RBI and two steals and Calla Johnson had a hit, run and RBI and Laudermilch had an RBI.
Brown was 3-for-4 and Megan Brown scored a run, while Souto had two hits in the game.
Moore had a hit and a run in the game.
Steer struck out four in the game for South and Gantz, Steer and Wheeland all had two hits.
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