CURWENSVILLE – Capitalizing on scoring opportunities and minimizing mistakes will be all-important if District 9 champion Curwensville is to go deeper into the 2009 PIAA Class A Softball Playoffs.
\”Our keys are just find a way to scratch some runs and just keep playing solid on defense,\” coach Allen Leigey said in looking ahead to the Lady Tide\’s duel with District 10 titlist Union City Thursday.
The quarterfinal game is set for 4:00 p.m. at Slippery Rock University.
Both teams advanced with first-round wins over District 7 qualifiers Monday, the Lady Tide (23-1) ousting Leechburg 3-0 and the Bears (20-2) ending WPIAL runner-up Avonworth\’s season 7-4.
Other than a 1-0 loss at Punxsutawney on May 12, when the Lady Chucks scored with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, Curwensville has trailed in only one game.
On May 15, host West Branch led 1-0 for two innings before the Lady Tide stormed back to win 6-1 and claim its fourth consecutive Moshannon Valley League title.
A clutch hit or two, especially early, against Union City would make standout pitcher Holly Lansberry\’s task much easier, even though the Lycoming-bound senior right-hander seems oblivious to working under pressure whether in a scoreless duel or with a slim lead.
\”That\’s what we weren\’t doing for a while,\” Leigey said. \”Since the Punxsy game, we were getting lots of base runners but not producing runs. We\’ve got to make teams pay (in those situations).
\”Our batters get relaxed if they get a run or two. Then, more opportunities come, and we tend to tack on.\”
Leigey will be more than satisfied if the sure-handed Lady Tide keeps up its solid play in the field and doesn\’t overreact to a bobble or errant throw..
\”We\’ve always preached, \’Don\’t shoot yourself in the foot,\’\” he said. \”If you boot it, just eat the ball. Don\’t give them extra bases. Make them earn every base and go station-to-station. Make that next batter come up and deliver.
\”I like our chances with our pitcher if you have to get two or three hits to get a run.
\”I trust my defense. And I trust my pitcher.\”
No wonder.
Lansberry, who owns 72 wins in 82 decisions over her brilliant four-year career, has been lights out all season.
She\’s 22-1 with an unbelievable earned run average of 0.16 for 130-2/3 innings.
Opponents have managed just 25 hits and six runs, half of which were unearned.
Lansberry has racked up 269 strikeouts, averaging slightly over two per inning, for an astronomical 841 in her career.
And she\’s only issued nine walks, three against West Branch, and hit five batters.
Lansberry has pitched eight no-hitters, giving her 24, and nine one-hitters among her 19 shutouts this season.
Her statistics along the District 9 and PIAA trail are even more amazing.
In the Lady Tide\’s wins over Clarion-Limestone 4-0, Brockway 2-0, Coudersport 6-0 and Leechburg, Lansberry has 48 strikeouts in 28 innings while allowing only five hits and two walks. She\’s also hit two batters.
Lansberry also is a catalyst for the Fearsome Fivesome at the top of the Curwensville lineup with 34 hits, including nine doubles, for a .447 average. In addition to setting the table and scoring 29 runs, she has come through with teammates on base, driving in 26 runs.
Leigey altered his lineup Monday by moving up shortstop Shannon McDonald (.459), catcher Ashley Demchak (.514), third baseman Jenessa Stiles (.447) and first baseman Stacey Johnson (.406) one spot in the order.
Demchak leads the Lady Tide with her 38 hits, eight of them doubles, is second in RBIs with 27 and has scored 23 times.
McDonald, who had a 12-game hitting streak halted Monday, sports 34 hits, 24 RBIs and 29 runs scored. She has belted a team-high 10 doubles.
Stiles also has 34 safeties, including two of the team\’s four home runs and two of its five triples, and paces the Lady Tide with 29 RBIs. She had hit in 11 consecutive games before wearing the collar against Leechburg.
Johnson, a junior, has contributed 26 hits and 14 RBIs while scoring 24 runs.
Second baseman Jenae Stiles (.283) rounds out the infield, and the outfielders will be junior Sarah Clark (.258, 16 hits) in left, junior Tess Bloom (.263, 20 hits, 29 runs, 11 RBIs) in center and Erin Bressler (.349, 22 hits, 19 runs) in right.
Freshman Molly Demchak (.643, 9-for-14) is a possible starter as the designated player.
Trying to keep the Lady Tide in check will be senior Carrie Williams (20-2), who has struck out 179 batters and walked 34 in 148 innings. She has given up 103 hits and 38 runs, only 24 of which were earned for a 1.14 ERA.
In what coach Jerry VanZandt characterized as the best game of her career, Williams struck out 13 and three-hit Cochranton for a 3-1 victory in the District 10 title game as the Bears avenged their only losses. Cochranton (18-2) came out on top 1-0 and 5-4 in the regular-season meetings.
Union City earned its third consecutive trip to the district finals by scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to edge Youngsville 6-5 and rallying again to nip Sharon Kennedy Catholic 3-2 despite being held to two hits.
The Bears have seven regulars hitting .300 or higher, with Williams at .333 on 19 hits with 15 RBIs.
They are led by junior first baseman Lori Beth Nunemaker\’s .397 average on a team-high 29 hits. She has scored 20 runs and is tied with junior center fielder Jamie Gawlinski (.364) for the most RBIs, 16.
Gawlinski, who has 28 hits, is tops in stolen bases with eight and has scored 14 runs.
Other probable starters are junior second baseman Brooke Reynolds (.375, 24 hits, 9 doubles), sophomore right fielder Rashel Gilson (.333, 19 hits, 11 RBIs), senior shortstop Kelsey Sullivan (.303, 23 hits, team-high 21 runs), sophomore left fielder Megan Kimmy (.288, 15 hits, 12 runs), junior catcher Megan Brown (.280, 21 hits, team-high 10 doubles, 15 RBIs) and senior Bethany Mongera (.254, 16 hits, 11 RBIs).
Senior catcher-outfielder Rachel Rumfola, daughter of Clearfield resident Jack Rumfola, suffered an injury that has limited her to being a pinch-runner and courtesy runner. She has appeared in 14 games and scored 13 times.
The Bears are hitting .325 as a team, with 60 of the 198 hits going for extra bases.
Awaiting the winner will be either District 7 champion Vincentian Academy (21-2) or District 6 runner-up Northern Cambria (20-4) in the Western Final on Monday.
Vincentian won the state crown last year after losing 7-1 to Curwensville in the 2007 quarterfinals.
