CURWENSVILLE – On any given day the softball teams of the AML-Small School South League have been one run better than their opponents. Earlier this season, the Curwensville Area High School squad fell to Elk County Catholic 9-8 in eight innings. On Tuesday, Johnsonburg edged ECC 2-1, and Wednesday, the Lady Tide rallied in the seventh inning to bump the Rammettes 8-7. It was the fourth one-run decision that the Tide has been a part of in six games to date.
“I was truly pleased with the fight in the girls today,” said Curwensville head coach Allen Leigey. “Even though we were down, we finally showed we can get up off the deck and put the win on the board.”
The hosts had to battle from behind most of the game as Johnsonburg scored three times in the first inning. The Rammettes used four hits including a double by Ashton Watts to push the runs across.
However, the Lady Tide (3-3) was up to the challenge in the bottom of the frame. With one out, and one on, Alaina Stiles singled and Nikki Harker walked to load the bases for junior Megan McCartney. McCartney promptly doubled home two runs, and sophomore Haley McGarry singled home the tying run in the person of pinch-runner Teghan Jacobson.
The Rammettes regained the lead with a pair of hits in the third inning.
In the fifth inning the Lady Tide took its first lead of the game as Abby Dugo opened the frame with a single. After the first out, Stiles found the gap in right-center for a double to score Dugo. The play continued as the Johnsonburg catcher tried to catch Stiles rounding second only to have the ball sail back into the outfield. Stiles was able to score to put the score at 5-4. Moments later, McCartney doubled for a second time and gave leave to pinch-runner Jazmin Soult. Soult quickly scored as McGarry hit safely again for a 6-4 advantage.
“It was nice to finally see the bottom of the order produce at the plate,” Leigey mentioned. “Megan (McCartney) just needed a couple of hits to let her know she can do this, and Haley (McGarry) really came up big with the bat tonight.”
The lead at the time was short lived as the Johnsonburg team broke out the big bats in the top of the sixth. With one out, Brittany Thorwart crushed a full-count offering over the center-field fence. Kassa Kocjancik followed that with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jenny Thomas that tied the score. Paige Grazioli also tripled in the inning and posted the 7-6 margin on Holly Schneider’s double before the inning ended.
However, Curwensville was not to be denied – even after leaving the bases loaded in a scoreless sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, sophomore pitcher Riley Young took the circle for veteran pitcher Tierra Shope, who has been battling through a painful leg injury for most of the season. Young, with the help of solid defense of Harker at first, shut down the visitors in order to give the Tide one last chance in the seventh.
McCartney opened the bottom of the inning by beating out an infield error that allowed her to pull into second due to an errant throw as well. McGarry knotted the score with her third hit of the afternoon – a triple to right. That brought Young to the plate to really finish the game as her grounder to second couldn’t be thrown home in time to erase McGarry.
“It just seemed like everyone who was a part of this game got into the action,” Leigey noted. “Jordan Round made a couple great plays at third, Melanie Milliron hit the ball well and made a key catch in right, Shope battled for us even hurt, Riley pitched well, Hannah Dixon made a great play to end an inning in center, Alaina and Haley fueled us with their bats; we were all a part of this win.”
Coach Leigey is really hopeful that this win will help put the Tide on the path to a successful season. His team will get the chance to show him if that is the case Thursday afternoon on the road at Sheffield. The Tide and the Wolverines will face off in a double-header starting at 3:00.
JOHNSONBURG — 7
Kassa Kocjancik 3b 4230, Jenny Thomas ss 2101, Paige Grazioli c 4231, Hannah Simpson p 4130, Holly Schneider cf/p 3021,Taylor Roseto p/1b 4111, Kylie Wall pr 0000, Ashton Watts 1b/cf 4012, Hannah Park 2b 3000, Jen Sallock ph 1000, Jaylie Johnson lf 4010, Brittany Thorwart Dp 4121, Sierra Kos Flex/rf 0000, TOTALS – 33 AB 7 R 13 H 7 RBI.
CURWENSVILLE — 8
Abby Dugo ss 3110, Tierra Shope p/lf 3100, Alaina Stiles 2b 3221, Nikki Harker 1b 3110, Megan McCartney DP 3022, Teghan Jacobson pr 0100, Jazmin Soult pr 0100, Haley McGarry c 4133, Riley Young lf 4001, Mellanie Milliron rf 3010, Hannah Dixon cf 2000, Jordan Round Flex/3b 0000, TOTALS – 28 AB 8 R 10 H 7 RBI.
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Johnsonburg 301 003 0 – 6 13 2
Curwensville 300 030 2 – 7 10 0
ERRORS – Grazioli, Kocjancik. LOB – Johnsonburg 8; Curwensville 8. 2B – Schneider, Watts; Stiles, McCartney 2. 3B – Kocjancik, Grazioli. HR – Thorwart. SAC – Thomas. SB – Kocjancik, Grazioli. WP – Shope 3. PB – Grazioli.
PITCHING
Johnsonburg – Roseto 1 IP 3 H 3 R 3 ER 2 BB 1 K 0 HB
Schneider 6 IP 7 H 5 R 3 ER 1 BB 2 SO
Curwensville – Shope 6 IP 13 H 7 R 7 ER 1 BB 6 K 0 HB
Young 1 IP 0 H 0 R 0 ER 0 BB 1 K 0 HB
WP – Young (1-0). LP – Schneider.
Lady Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/24 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/26 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/31 | BROOKVILLE | 9 – 8 | 1 – 0 |
| 4/02 | @ Sheffield (DH) | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/04 | HARMONY | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/07 | KANE | ppd. | 1 – 0 |
| 4/09 | @ Elk County Catholic | 6 – 7 (8 inn) | 1 – 1 |
| 4/11 | @ West Branch | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/14 | BROCKWAY | susp. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/15 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 1 – 1 |
| 4/16 | @ West Branch | 2 – 7 | 1 – 2 |
| 4/17 | @ Harmony | 11-1 | 2 – 2 |
| 4/21 | @ Mo Valley | 5-6 | 2 – 3 |
| 4/23 | JOHNSONBURG | 8-7 | 3-3 |
| 4/24 | @ Sheffield (DH) | ||
| 4/28 | @ DuBois Central | ||
| 4/30 | CLARION-LIMESTONE | ||
| 5/01 | GLENDALE | ||
| 5/03 | REDBANK VALLEY | ||
| 5/05 | @ Kane | ||
| 5/07 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | ||
| 5/08 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ||
| 5/12 | @ Brockway (DH) | ||
| 5/14 | @ Clarion-Limestone |