Wellsboro falls in bottom of seventh in PIAA playoffs.
By: Brian Fees | Towanda Daily Review | June 4, 2015 | Photo courtesy Brian Fees
2015 NTL and District 4 News
WILKES-BARRE - Throughout Wednesday's PIAA playoff game against Holy Redeemer it was pitching and defense that led the Wellsboro Green Hornets.
A few sparkling defensive gems robbed Holy Redeemer of hits and pitcher Alexa Singer kept the Royals' bats in check all game.
With a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning it was that defense that was so good all game, and all season, that let the Green Hornets down in a 3-2 loss.
A 1-1 game from the third inning on the Green Hornets took the lead in the top of the seventh inning.
Alyssa Yungwirth led off the inning with a single and Sarah Ingerick hit into a fielder's choice, leaving Yungwirth out at second.
Ingerick moved to second on a passed ball then stole third as the catcher bobbled the ball. Alexa Singer hit a ground ball to short and the shortstop checked Ingerick and threw to first. As she threw to get Singer out Ingerick took off for home, beating the throw to put the Green Hornets up 2-1.
In the bottom of the seventh Brittany Hebda and Kayla Swanek led off with singles for the Royals.
After a sacrifice bunt by Olivia Mennig put runners at second and third with one out the Royals got a two-strike fly ball to left field. The line drive fly got past the outfielder, allowing both runners to score as Holy Redeemer walked off with the victory.
"Those are the hardest ones to judge those line drives that are coming right at you," Wellsboro coach Greg Carr said. "You take one step in and the next thing you know it's by you. Those are the toughest ones, I've done it myself before, line drive and boom next thing you know. It's why we play the game. Somebody's got to be the winner, today we weren't."
Carr was happy with the way the Green Hornets fought to put themselves in a position to win in the seventh inning.
"You've got to give yourself a chance to win," he said. "We hung in there tight. Sometimes the softball gods are with you and sometimes they are not. Today they were not. Hats off to the other team, they are a good team."
Both teams had plenty of chances in the game as Redeemer had 10 hits and drew four walks and Wellsboro had six hits and four walks.
Wellsboro started the game with a leadoff walk to Jenny Young, but she was left stranded at second base.
In the second inning Darci Warriner and Baylea Lehman each drew walks from Redeemer starter Kristen Coffay, but after falling behind 3-1 Coffay got a strikeout to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the second inning the Royals got on the board, but Wellsboro's defense came up big to hold them to one run.
Swanek led off with a double and Mennig drew a walk. Coffay hit a bunt single and the bases were loaded with no outs.
Randie Kuhar hit a ground ball to Jordan Butters at first and Butters came up firing to get the lead runner at home. Wellsboro catcher Paige Carr turned and fired back to second baseman Yungwirth covering at first for the second out. Yungwirth fired back home and Redeemer's Mennig just got under Carr's tag to prevent the Green Hornets from the triple play.
After Redeemer got a pair of walks to load the bases Singer got a big strikeout to get out of the inning.
"I think that's the benefit of having two pitchers that we used all year long," Carr said. "When we get to this time of the year our arms are still pretty good. They were good, either one of them could have thrown 175 pitches today.
"She (Singer) sure did do a good job and there were some big time plays on defense. My hat's off to the other team."
After falling behind the Green Hornets answered right back and tied the game in the third.
With one out Yungwirth hit a ball that the second baseman committed an error on allowing her to reach and Ingerick followed with a single. A double steal put the runners on second and third and a fielder's choice scored Yungwirth to tie the game.
In the bottom of the third Hebda lined a hard shot to short that Ingerick dove full length to stop and she came up firing from her knees, but Hebda was able to reach. Swanek hit a blast to second and Yungwirth dove to try and make the catch. She wasn't able to come up with the diving catch, but the dive held the runner at first and she was able to throw out Hebda at second. Those defensive plays prevented a run as Mennig then followed with a single, but Singer got a pop out to end the inning.
"They have been that way all year long," Carr said of his defense. "The defense has been great, the pitchers have been solid. When you get to this level and you play a 3-2 game, isn't that what it's supposed to be like? It's two teams battling out here, that's what it's all about."
In the top of the fourth Warriner reached on a one-out bunt single and Lehman drew a walk to put two runners on with one out.
Redeemer switched pitchers and Morgan Bienkowski came on. Wellsboro got a sacrifice bunt from Peyton Wilson to move the runners to second and third, but Bienkowski got a groundout to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth Redeemer got an infield single from Samantha Raja with one out. Singer got a strikeout, before Ringsdorf got a two-out single to put two on. Singer got a strikeout to end the threat.
In the fifth inning Ingerick got a one-out single, before Bienkowski got a strikeout. With two outs Ingerick stole second, but Bienkowski got another strikeout to end the threat.
Redeemer got a leadoff single from Hebda in the bottom of the fifth, but Singer got a big strikeout of cleanup hitter Swanek, getting her looking. A walk by Mennig put two on, but Singer got a popout and strikeout to end the threat.
In the top of the sixth the Green Hornets had a big-time scoring chance, but came away without a run.
Jordan Butters led off with a single and Kailee Clymer came in to run for her.
Warriner tried to bunt and it went straight up, but fell in front of the pitcher, allowing her to get the infield hit to put two runners on with no outs. Lehman hit a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third with one out, but Bienkowski got a strikeout and a pop out to escape.
In the bottom of the sixth Redeemer got a two-out error on a drive to second to put a runner on second, but Singer got a strikeout to end the threat, setting up the seventh inning.
Ingerick and Warriner each had two hits for Wellsboro and Butters and Yungwirth had hits. Yungwirth and Ingerick scored runs in the game and Singer had two RBI.
Singer struck out seven and allowed 10 hits in the game.
The two Redeemer pitchers combined to strike out five and allow six hits.
Hebda had three hits for Redeemer and Swanek had a pair of doubles.
While the season didn't end the way the Green Hornets wanted, they did win a district title and get to states this year.
"It's been a year they should all hang their heads high and be proud of what they've done," Carr said. "I'm proud of what they've done, the school is proud of what they have done. I'm happy for the seniors. It's been a great ride."
While the Green Hornets lose a good senior class, they have a strong group of returning players for next year.
"We've got a great core of kids so we'll be back, we'll be back," Carr said. "I'm excited about next year and our pitching is still going to be the same and we are going to be solid."
What the team accomplished this year is only going to help the Green Hornets in the future.
"It's always a benefit to the program if you make it this far," Carr said. "It helps your program from the early stages, the Little League, you have kids that want to come out and compete now that they have seen what these girls have done. It's a win, win, win situation. I'm proud of what we accomplished this year and we've got some high expectations for next year, so we are just going to run with it."
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