CURWENSVILLE – They needed a big win! They played a big time team! They got the big win!
The Curwensville Lady Tide scored a huge win at home Wednesday afternoon in knocking off AAA Punxsutawney 7-1. It avenged a 2-0 loss to the Lady Chucks last season, one of only two teams to beat the defending state champions.
The Lady Chucks came in with an unbeaten record of 5-0 after Monday’s win against DuBois Central Catholic, 11-3. Curwensville had other ideas against one of the better programs in Central Pennsylvania.
Punxsy started out like it was going to be another walk in the park in the top of the first. After the first two Chuck hitters reached base, and were on second and third with no outs, it became Lansberry time. Holly Lansberry that is. The Tide junior simply was brilliant as she proceeded to strikeout the Punxsy three, four and five hitters to end the early enemy threat.
Can you say momentum!
Head coach Allen Leigey of Curwensville can, “We needed something to give us early momentum and Lansberry (Holly) provided just that when she mowed down their number 3, 4 and 5 hitters, bailing us out of a jam. Wow! That was just awesome, and what we needed.”
That momentum carried over into the bottom of the first as the Tide offense set it’s sites on Punxsy pitcher Angela Burke. Tide left fielder, Sara Clark, stroked a one out single and quickly moved to third on a single by Shannon McDonald. McDonald stole second to give Curwensville runners at second and third with still one out. Junior catcher Ashley Demchak then promptly crushed a double to send home Clark and McDonald. The Tide was rolling with a 2-0 lead after one inning.
The Lady Chucks picked up their lone run in the top of the fourth inning when Lansberry walked Punxsy catcher Sara Ruehle to force in a run. Other than that, the Tide hurling sensation had her way, giving up just four hits and striking out a total of 14 to push her record to 4-1. Lansberry has now whiffed a total of 66 batters in five games.
Curwensville pushed across a run in the second and one in the third to take a 4-0 margin into the fourth when Punxsy, as mentioned, scored their only run on the day. The Tide picked up two more in the fifth and one in the sixth to finish off the “Groundhog City” visitors.
In the bottom of the fifth for Curwensville, Demchak reached first on a fielder’s choice and was lifted for courtesy runner Lindsey Barrett. After Jenessa Stiles singled, followed by a wild pitch, the Tide had runners on second and third. First baseman, Stacey Johnson, picked up two RBI’s of her own as she smacked a single scoring both Barrett and Stiles.
McDonald continued her torrid hitting as she lead both teams with three hits. Tess Bloom and Stiles each picked up two hits to pace Curwensville.
A very happy Leigey had more to say about the big win, “This was just an absolute huge win for this team against a very quality opponent.” Then he added, “We certainly should gain confidence after this win and we now know we can play with anybody.”
The Lady Tide, now 5-1, will entertain the Ridgway Lady Elkers on Monday, with a 4:15 pm start.
NOTE: The Curwensville at Brockway baseball game Thursday will start at 3:45 pm and not the originally scheduled 4:15 pm start.
PUNXSUTAWNEY – Angela Laska ss 4010, Kelsey McFarland 3b 4000, Tina Elgin 1b 4020, Allie Miller lf 3100, Megan McCully dp 2000, Angela Burke p 3000, Megan Kauffman cf 2000, Sara Ruehle c 2011, Sarah Depp rf 3000, Ashlee Spack flex/2b 0000. TOTALS – 27 1 4 1
CURWENSVILLE – Holly Lansberry p 4110, Sara Clark lf 4110, Shannon McDonald ss 4231, Ashley Demchak c 4012, Lindsey Barrett cr 0100, Jenessa Stiles 3b 3120, Stacey Johnson 1b 3012, Tess Bloom cf 3120, Erin Bressler rf 3000, Morgan Peterman 2b 3010. TOTALS – 31 7 12 5
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
PUNXSUTAWNEY 000 100 0 1 4 3
CURWENSVILLE 211 021 X 7 12 1
ERRORS – Stiles, Spack, Laska, Elgin. LOB – CURWENSVILLE – 5 PUNXSUTAWNEY – 8 2B – Demchak, Stiles. SB – McDonald. SAC – Clark, Peterman
PITCHING IP H R ER BB K
PUNXSUTAWNEY
Burke 6 12 7 5 0 4
CURWENSVILLE
Lansberry 7 4 1 1 3 14
WP – Lansberry (4-1) LP – Burke (1-1)
