RIDGWAY – The Curwensville Area High School softball team picked up its second win of the season on Wednesday by defeating Ridgway 11-3. The Lady Tide used five-run rallies in the fifth and seventh innings to overcome a 3-1 deficit on a brisk, windy afternoon.
The visitors took advantage of Lady Elkers mishaps in the first inning to grab an early lead. Taylor Goodman reached safely on an error and Madi Peterman and Molly Demchak sandwiched free passes around the first out to load the bases. When the hosts failed to record an out on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Cheyenne Pentz, Goodman scored for the 1-0 lead. However, the Lady Tide’s next two batters were unable to catch up to Ridgway hurler Taylor Roseto’s fast balls, and the inning ended with the bases loaded.
“We still haven’t always been able to come up with that big hit when we need it,” said Tide coach Allen Leigey. “We put the runners out there, but the complete package isn’t quite there yet.”
In the bottom of the first, it was shaky play by the Tide that saw their early lead disappear. The first two batters drew walks for the Lady Elkers, and a second fielder’s choice failed to record an out that loaded the bases. One out later, Sydney Kovalyak lifted a sacrifice fly to left to tie the score. An error to the next batter allowed two runs to score and gave the hosts a 3-1 advantage that would hold up until the fifth inning.
One big change in the game was the exit from the circle for Roseto. Roseto, who is rehabbing an injury is restricted on her pitch count and had reached her limit at the end of the fourth. To that point Roseto had allowed just one hit while striking out six Tide batters and walked three. Enter Paige Grazioli.
Curwensville was quick to welcome Grazioli as Peterman ripped a one-out triple. Consecutive base hits by Tiffany Carter, Demchak, Pentz and Sarah Wriglesworth scored two runs to tie the game at 3-3. Abby Johnson followed with a sacrifice fly and Megan Barrett then singled two runs home to put the guests on top for good at 6-3.
“Madi’s triple really got us going,” Leigey said. “Things started falling into place after that, and hits got contagious.”
Things piled up for the Tide again in the seventh as Wriglesworth was hit by a pitch to lead off. Johnson and Hannah Bressler singled on both sides of the first out to score a run. Goodman then joined the hit parade, and after the second out the final runs came in when Carter singled, Demchak doubled and Pentz added her third hit of the game.
“Cheyenne (Pentz) had really good hits tonight,” Leigey added. “She understands how to hit the ball where it’s pitched – she’ll slap and outside pitch to right and drive the ball over the plate back up the middle. She is just a real solid hitter.”
Every bat in the line-up had at least one hit for Curwensville in the game. Pentz’s three singles paced the Tide with Carter and Demchak picking up two hits each. The Lady Elkers managed just three hits on the night.
“(Tierra) Shope pitched well, especially after putting herself in tough situations,” Leigey mentioned of his sophomore pitcher. “She fought through the tough spots and held them down until our bats were able to make the difference.”
Shope struck out 10 Elkers while scattering three hits and walking four. She hit one batter in the seventh, but the defense erased that mistake by turning a double play.
Grazioli came in for the Lady Elkers to give up 12 hits while walking two and striking out two to earn the loss.
The Lady Tide (2-1) will next be in action at home against Kane on April11 for a 4:15 start.
CURWENSVILLE – 8
Taylor Goodman 2b 5211, Madi Peterman1b 4110, Tiffany Carter c 5223, Molly Demchak 3b 3121, Melanie Milliron pr 0000, Cheyenne Pentz ss 5132, Sarah Wriglesworth cf 4210, Abby Johnson lf 2110, Megan Barrett dp 4012, Hannah Bressler rf 3110, Tierra Shope p 0000, TOTALS – 35 AB 11 R 13 H 9 RBI.
RIDGWAY – 3
Jenni Thomas ss 3110, Jenna Hoffman 3b 2100, Melissa Wehler 2b 3110, Ashley Viglione cf 3000, Sydney Kovalyak c 3001, Morgan Herzing lf 3000, Renee Catalano 1b 3000, Taylor Roseto p 2000, Paige Grazioli p 1000, Emily Spiers rf 3010, TOTALS – 27 AB 3 R 3 H 1 RBI.
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Curwensville 100 050 5 – 11 13 4
Ridgway 300 000 0 – 3 3 2
ERRORS – Shope 2, Peterman, Goodman; Viglione, Spiers. LOB – Curwensville 8; Ridgway 9 2B – Demchak. 3B – Peterman. SB – Goodman; Wehler, Kovalyak. SAC – Johnson. DP – Curwensville. PB – Carter 4; Kovalyak 7. WP – None. HB – Wriglesworth (Grazioli); Wehler (Shope).
PITCHING
Curwensville – Shope 7 IP 3 H 3 R 1 ER 4 BB 10 K 1 HB
Ridgway- Roseto 4 IP 1 H 1 R 0 ER 3 BB 6 K 0 HB
Grazioli- 3 IP 12 H 10 R 10 ER 2 BB 2 K 1 HB
WP – Shope (2-1). LP – Grazioli (0-3).
Lady Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/27 | @ DuBois Central | 8 – 7 | 1 – 0 |
| 3/29 | BROCKWAY | 2 – 6 | 1 – 1 |
| 4/02 | @ Sheffield – DH | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/04 | @ Ridgway | 11 – 3 | 2 – 1 |
| 4/11 | KANE |