CURWENSVILLE – The recent relentless offense of the Curwensville Area High School softball team racked up its fourth straight victim by wearing down Ridgway 11-2 on Thursday. The Lady Tide slapped out 12 hits in the victory to push its season record to 9-3.
In the first meeting between the two teams back on April 4, the Lady Elkers lead 3-0 behind the pitching of Taylor Roseto. At the time, Roseto was recovering from a shoulder injury and was limited in the number of pitches she was allowed to throw. When she left the game, Curwensville was able to take control and won the game. The plan for Thursday was to get to Roseto and prove the Tide’s progress – mission accomplished.
Curwensville jumped out to an early lead and never looked back. Taylor Goodman opened the game with a single and Madi Peterman followed with a free pass. After the first out, third-baseman Molly Demchak singled Goodman home for a 1-0 lead.
“This game went exactly as we drew it up,” Tide head coach Allen Leigey said. “We knew we had to do better at the plate than we did in the first game. We came out more aggressive but made her throw better pitches. The girls hit the ball hard, and we only struck out a few times.”
While Roseto showed signs of fatigue in the humid weather, Curwensville pitcher Tierra Shope turned in another strong outing by scattering six hits, striking out seven batters and walking just three. The defense behind Shope also played solid.
“Tierra threw the ball well and had good control in the circle, and we made great plays on defense to keep them off the bases,” said Leigey. “Madi (from left) and Tiffany (from behind the plate) gunned out runners at third. Tiffany also made a diving tag at the plate to deny them. I couldn’t be more pleased with everyone’s effort.”
In the bottom of the third inning Peterman and Carter walked to lead things off and moved up a base on a wild pitch. Demchak followed with an RBI ground-out to the right side, and Cheyenne Pentz singled to push the lead to 3-0.
Roseto showed signs of tiring in the fifth as the hosts sent nine batters to the plate and added five runs. Carter opened the bottom of the frame with a solo homer. Demchak followed with an infield single and Pentz and Megan Barrett worked consecutive walks to load the bases. Singles by Sarah Wriglesworth and Nikki Harker plated two runs with Goodman lifting a sacrifice fly to left for a 7-0 advantage. The final score of the inning crossed as Wriglesworth stole home.
The Lady Elkers were able to put two runs on the board in the sixth by taking advantage of the only Tide error of the night. Catcher Syd Kovalyak followed with a double, and Wehler singled to right for a 8-2 margin.
Carter reached on an error to open the bottom of the sixth with Demchak and Pentz hitting safely to load the bases once again. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Barrett scored Carter, Wriglesworth singled home pinch-runner Abby Dugo, and Hannah Bressler, who came in to play right field in the fifth inning, laid down a sacrifice bunt to plate Barrett for the 11-2 final.
The win marked the fourth straight game that the Tide has scored 10 or more runs. Demchak finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Goodman, Pentz and Wriglesworth all added two hits each while Carter’s home run was the only extra base hit off a Curwensville bat.
Curwensville will try to turn in a perfect 5-for-5 week with a match-up against Moshannon Valley Friday afternoon. The game is set to start in Amesville at 4:30.
RIDGWAY – 2
Jenni Thomas ss 3100, Syd Kovalyak c 3121, Melissa Wehler 2b 3011, Ashley Viglione cf 3010, Sam Kovalyak 1b 2000, Paige Grazioli, pr 0000, Morgan Herzing lf 3010, Sierra Kos dp 2000, Emily Spiers rf 3010, Jenna Hoffman 3b 3000, Taylor Roseto flex/p 0000, TOTALS – 25 AB 2 R 6 H 2 RBI.
CURWENSVILLE – 11
Taylor Goodman 2b 3121, Madi Peterman lf 2100, Tiffany Carter c 3311, Molly Demchak 3b 4132, Abby Dugo pr 0100, Cheyenne Pentz ss3121, Megan Barrett dp 3201, Sarah Wriglesworth cf 4122, Abby Johnson rf 2010, Hannah Bressler rf 1001, Tierra Shope flex/p 0000, TOTALS – 29 AB 11 R 12 H 10 RBI.
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Ridgway 000 002 0 – 2 6 1
Curwensville 102 053 x – 11 12 1
ERRORS – Thomas; Pentz. LOB – Ridgway 3; Curwensville 7. 2B – Syd Kovalyak. 3B – none. HR – Carter. SB – Thomas, Grazioli; Wriglesworth. SAC – Goodman, Bressler. DP – none. PB – none. WP – Roseto. HB – none.
PITCHING
Ridgway- Roseto 6 IP 12 H 11 R 10 ER 5 BB 3 K 0 HB
Curwensville – Shope 7 IP 6 H 2 R 1 ER 3 BB 7 K 0 HB
WP – Shope (9-3). LP- Roseto.
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 | ppd. | 2 – 1 |
| 4/13 | @ Keystone | ppd. | 2 – 1 |
| 4/13 | KANE | 5 – 1 | 3 – 1 |
| 4/16 | @ Glendale | 11 – 0 | 4 – 1 |
| 4/17 | @ Johnsonburg | 17 – 1 | 5 – 1 |
| 4/19 | @ Elk County Catholic | 1 – 6 | 5 – 2 |
| 4/23 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ppd. | 5 – 2 |
| 4/25 | @ Brockway | ppd. | 5 – 2 |
| 4/26 | @ Keystone | ppd. | 5 – 2 |
| 4/27 | PUNXSUTAWNEY | 3 – 5 | 5 – 3 |
| 4/30 | @ Sheffield | 10 – 0 | 6 – 3 |
| 4/30 | @ Sheffield – DH | 16 – 1 | 7 – 3 |
| 5/01 | @ Harmony | ppd. | 7 – 3 |
| 5/02 | @ Harmony | 23 – 0 | 8 – 3 |
| 5/03 | RIDGWAY | 11 – 2 | 9 – 3 |
| 5/04 | @ Mo Valley |