JOHNSONBURG – For the third straight game the Curwensville high school softball team didn’t allow their opponent to cross home plate.
Monday afternoon it was Johnsonburg that was the victim as the Lady Tide went on the road for the first time to pick up the 18-0 victory in a game called after five innings due to the mercy rule.
The victory gives the Tide a 3-0 season record and the same mark in the newly created District 9 Northern Allegany League Small School Division Southern Tier.
In the first three games of this season the Lady Tide have outscored their opponents 33-0. Curwensville hasn’t allowed a run in their last eight regular season games dating back to the end of last season. Redbank Valley scored the last regular season run against the Tide in an 11-1 defeat on May 6 of 2008.
Curwensville catcher Ashley Demchak continued her early season torrid hitting barrage. The senior is now nine for ten after going 4 for 4 against the Ramettes, while also knocking in four and belting a double. That brings her season average to a sizzling .900.
Holly Lansberry picked up her third straight one hit shutout while once again striking out 12. On the year Lansberry has whiffed 36 batters in just 17 innings of work from the circle.
The Lady Tide broke the game open with five runs in the fourth and a big ten spot in the fifth that brought on the mercy rule after five innings were in the books.
Sara Clark and Jenae Stiles each had two hits for the Tide with one hit for Clark being a double. Stacey Johnson drove in three runs on the afternoon for the victors.
Curwensville head coach Allen Leigey said after the game, “I am very happy that we are playing well. It wasn’t easy today with the weather conditions but we just took care of business.” Then he added, “The team knows that it will get more difficult as the year goes on and they understand that more hard work is ahead.”
The Lady Tide will play DuBois Central Catholic (DCC) at home on Wednesday at 4:15 pm in another D-9 Northern Allegany League game.
The District 9 Northern Allegany League Small School Division Southern Tier is comprised of Curwensville, Brockway, Kane, DCC, Johnsonburg, Ridgway, Elk County Catholic and Sheffield.
CURWENSVILLE – 18 Holly Lansberry p 3311, Tess Bloom cf 3200, Shannon McDonald ss 2400, Ashley Demchak c 4344, Lindsay Barrett cr 0000, Jenessa Stiles 3b 5221, Stacey Johnson 1b 3113, Sara Clark lf 3020, Hannah Walls lf 1110, Morgan Peterman 2b 1100, Jenae Stiles 2b 2100, Erin Bressler rf 3000, Molly Demchak ph 0000, Madison Peterman rf 0000. TOTALS – 30 18 11 9
JOHNSONBURG – 0 Bobbi Pritt ss 2000, Becca Myers c 2000, Paige DeCecchis p 2000, Justis Myers 3b 2000, Kiana Myers lf 2000, Kadie Zilkofski 1b 2000, Dani Dwyer 2b 1000, Amber Dilley cf 2010, C. Biondi rf 1000. TOTALS – 16 0 1 0
SCORE BY INNINGS R H E
CURWENSVILLE 111 5 10 18 11 0
JOHNSONBURG 000 0 0 0 1 4
ERRORS – Dwyer 2, Zilkofski, DeCecchis LOB – CURWENSVILLE 5, JOHNSONBURG 2
2B Demchak, Clark SB – Barrett, McDonald, Jenae Stiles SAC – Johnson
HBP – Molly Demchak & Johnson (both by DeCecchis)
PITCHING
CURWENSVILLE – Lansberry 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 K
JOHNSONBURG – DeCecchis 5 IP, 1 H, 18 R, 13 ER, 8 BB, 0 K, 2 HBP
WP – Lansberry (3-0) LP – DeCecchis