CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Area High School softball team picked up its third win in four outings on Thursday by besting visiting Ridgway. However, the 4-3 win was far from impressive, and if you were looking at just the stats, it would be hard to believe that the Lady Tide came out on top.
Lady Elkers’ pitcher Taylor Rosetto tossed a one-hitter at Curwensville while striking out 11 batters. Offensively, the guests slapped out six hits and struck out just three times. The difference in the game was a two inning stretch when Rosetto had problems finding the strike zone.
“We knew they were an improved team,” said Tide head coach Allen Leigey. “We didn’t hit well again. Only managing one hit isn’t what I expected out of this team. But it all comes down to how we handled the adversity.
“We made mistakes that we have to learn from, but we made a lot of great defensive plays, and that is what I expect. In that last inning when they were threatening to score, Cheyenne (Pentz) and Sarah (Wriglesworth) both made plays that were very tough. Earlier in the game (Taylor) Goodman, Hannah (Bressler), Madi (Peterman) and Molly (Demchak) all made plays that kept them from putting rallies together.”
Ridgway took the lead in the first inning when Melissa Wehler walked after one out. Bri Stenta followed with a double to left and Wehler scored on Sam Kavalyak’s soft single behind second base for the 1-0 lead.
Curwensville knotted the game in the second after Hannah Bressler was hit by a Rosetto pitch. Bressler was given second and third on wild pitches, and Tiffany Carter drew a walk in the process. The Lady Tide score came on a double steal play that appeared to be foiled, but Bressler scored under a late throw to the plate for the 1-1 tie.
The third inning provided all the offense that the Tide needed as free passes again set the table. Rosetta walked Abby Johnson and Sarah Wriglesworth to open the frame. After the first out, Taylor Goodman also worked the count for a free pass to load the bases. The host’s only hit of the game belonged to Molly Demchak who singled to left to score Johnson and Wriglesworth. The throw to third to stop the bleeding went wild and rolled out of play, which allowed Goodman to also score for a 4-1 advantage.
In the fourth, the Lady Elkers added one run. Ashley Vigilone opened the frame with a single, and with one out, Rosetto was hit by a Tierra Shope pitch. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball before Sydney Kavalyak knocked a sacrifice fly to left.
The Tide lost their focus in the fifth to make the game more interesting. With two outs in the inning, Wehler singled and moved to second on a pick-off attempt by Tide catcher Tiffany Carter. The throw was low and wide and went into right field. A pass-ball allowed Wehler to go to third before Stenta worked a walk to put runners on the corners with two outs. When Stenta went to second, no one covered, and the ball rolled into center to allow the run to score. Bressler’s running catch of a Vigilone liner ended the threat and set the score at 4-3.
After a quiet sixth inning, Ridgway made the home fans nervous in the seventh. Jenni Thomas singled to open the frame but was erased at second on a grounder that shortstop Pentz handled herself. Erica Thorwart’s single put two runners on with one out. Pentz then got her coach’s attention by snagging a Wehler pop-up that had hit written all over it.
Pentz, running into center, made the catch at about knee level to the surprise of her coach, who didn’t know she had the ball until she turned around. With the tying run at second and two outs, the count went full to Stenta. It was Sarah Wriglesworth’s time for a great play as she reacted well to a hard liner that ended the game and preserved the win.
“Maybe my expectations are too high for this team,” Leigey said. “I was a little shocked at how many third strikes we took – we need to be more agressive in that regard. We haven’t seen anyone with great speed at this point, and we need to hit better. But this was one (win) we needed, and they fought through it.”
Freshman pitcher Tierra Shope did show good control on the day by walking just two batters, hitting one and striking out three. Rosetta walked five and hit two batters in the game. The Tide committed two errors while Ridgway booted three.
A busy week gets underway on Monday as Redbank Valley comes to Riverside Stadium. Games are also scheduled for Tuesday at Harmony, Wednesday hosting Brockway and Friday at Punxsutawney.
RIDGWAY– 3
Erica Torwart cf 4010, Melissa Wehler lf 4210, Bri Stenta ss 3010, Ashley Vigilone rf 3110, Sam Kavalyak 1b 3011, Taylor Rosetto p 2000, Sydney Kavalyak c 2001, Jenni Thomas 3b 3010, Jenna Hoffman 2b 3000. Totals 27 AB 3 R 6 H 2 RBI.
CURWENSVILLE – 4
Sarah Wriglesworth cf 2100, Madison Peterman lf 2000, Taylor Goodman 2b 2100, Molly Demchak 3b 3012, Julia Test pr 0000, Hannah Bressler rf 2100, Tiffany Carter c 2000, Cheyenne Pentz ss 2000, Katie Wriglesworth 1b 3000, Abby Johnson dp 2100, Tierra Shope p 0000. TOTALS – 20 AB 4 R 1 H 2 RBI.
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Ridgway- 100 110 0 – 3 6 3
Curwensville – 013 000 x – 4 1 2
ERRORS – Wehler, Stenta, Hoffman; Carter 2. LOB – Ridgway 6; Curwensville 6. HR – none. 3B – none. 2B – Stenta. DP – none. SB – Bressler, Carter. SAC – S. Kavalyak. HBP – Rosetta; Bressler, Pentz. PB – S. Kavalyak; Carter 2. WP – Rosetta 5.
PITCHING
Ridgway– Rosetta 7 IP 1 H 4 R 2 ER 5 BB 11 K 2 HB
Curwensville – Shope 6 IP 6 H 3 R 1 ER 2 BB 3 K 1 HB
W – Shope (3-1). L – Rosetta (1-3).
