CURWENSVILLE – Only on the ball field can too much rain cause a drought, but the Curwensville Area High School softball team was able to complete a game on Saturday afternoon between the raindrops. The Lady Tide hadn’t played since Monday and have only managed to get 10 games completed in over a month of the 2014 season
In the midst of this softball drought, Curwensville did find enough offense and sunshine on Saturday to turn back Glendale 4-1 – the bulk of the scoring coming just before a nearly one hour rain-delay and a change of fields.
“I was just pleased to get a game in, and we’ll take the way it turned out,” said Tide coach Allen Leigey, “We’re still not hitting like I thought we would, and, it didn’t make a huge difference today, but our base-running was pretty bad.”
The Lady Vikings did hold the early lead by scoring with two outs in the first inning. Sarah Ruffner worked Curwensville pitcher Tierra Shope for a walk with two outs before Courtney Blake’s pop-up to left was dropped to leave runners at second and third. Shope followed with a strike out of Courtney McMurray, but the low strike scooted to the backstop and a late throw to first allowed the run to score.
“This was our first game without Haley (McGarry) and the first games for Jazmin Soult in left and Alaina Stiles behind the plate,” Leigey noted. “Both are very capable of doing the jobs, but were nervous about their new roles. It will take a game or two to smooth things out. We gave them an ugly run in the first, but they gave it right back in our half.”
McGarry, the starting sophomore catcher suffered a broken finger on a play at the plate against DuBois Central on Monday that caused a ripple in the Tide line-up. Stiles moved to catcher from second base which caused Riley Young to move from left-field to second and Soult to fill the vacancy in left.
In Saturday’s game, the visitors did repay the favor in the bottom of the first after Abby Dugo singled to lead off. Shope followed with a bullet back through the circle that Glendale pitcher Kayla Holtz snared. Holtz then thought she had Dugo leaning toward second, but threw the ball away. The error left Dugo at third with one out for Stiles to sacrifice her home on a shallow pop fly.
The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the fourth when the hosts found a rally against Holtz. As an afternoon shower popped up, first baseman Nikki Harker opened the frame with a single. Designated player Megan McCartney followed with a walk and the two base-runners were replaced with pinch runners Marissa Kuntz and Kaylie Harnett. Young promptly doubled down the left-field line to push both runners across for a 3-1 Tide lead. Young was put out trying to go to third on the play, and with that, the rains came hard enough for umpire Gary Kost to clear the field.
When the rain slowed and play resumed, the game was moved to the junior varsity field at Riverside Stadium to be completed. Glendale quickly got the innings second out when play resumed. However, Soult drew a walk and came around to score when Hannah Dixon’s ground ball was thrown wide of first base to set the score at 4-1.
Shope’s pitching and the Tide defense came on strong in the final three frames to preserve the win. In the game Shope struck out nine Glendale batters while scattering just three hits and walking four. Young was the only batter in the game to manage two hits off the starting pitchers.
“Defensively, I was pleased with our effort, and we made the most of what hits we did have,” Leigey said of his team. “Jordan Round at third base played a great game. In the flex position, she doesn’t get to the plate, but her glove has been solid for us.”
Curwensville (6-4) will try to get two games in on Monday when they travel to Kane for a double-header. The second game is a rescheduled game from earlier this season.
GLENDALE — 1
Ellie Leyo 3b 3010, Mandee Glass, cf 4000, Sarah Ruffner lf 2100, Courtney Blake rf 3000, Courtney McMurray 2b 3000, Sydney Gallaher 1b 3010, Kayla Holtz, p 3010, Lauryn Clarkson c 1000, Baylee Crook ph 1000, Keneisha Gustafson ss 3000, TOTALS – 26 AB 1 R 3 H 0 RBI.
CURWENSVILLE — 4
Abby Dugo ss 3110, Tierra Shope p 2000, Teghan Jacobson pr 0000, Alaina Stiles 2bc 2001, Nikki Harker 1b 3110, Marissa Kuntz pr 0000, Megan McCartney DP 2110, Kaylie Harnett pr 0000, Riley Young 2b 3022, Melanie Milliron rf 2000, Jazmin Soult lf 1100, Kealy Wassil ph 1010, Hannah Dixon cf 3000, Jordan Round Flex/3b 0000, TOTALS – 22 AB 4 R 5 H 3 RBI.
SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E
Glendale 100 000 0 – 1 3 3
Curwensville 100 300 x – 4 5 2
ERRORS – Holtz, Blake, McMurray; Stoult, Stiles. LOB – Glendale 8; Curwensville 5. 2B Young. SAC – Stiles, Milliron. WP – Holtz; Shope. DP – Glendale. BK – Shope.
PITCHING
Glendale – Hultz 7 IP 5 H 4 R 2 ER 3 BB 1 K 0 HB
Curwensville – Shope 6 IP 3 H 1 R 0 ER 4 BB 9 K 0 HB
WP – Shope (3-4). LP – Holtz
Umpires: Gary Kost, Mark Gormont.
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) | 13 – 1 | 4 – 3 |
| 4/24 | @ Sheffield | 10 – 1 | 5 – 3 |
| 4/28 | @ DuBois Central | 1 – 9 | 5 – 4 |
| 4/29 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 4/30 | CLARION-LIMESTONE | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 5/01 | GLENDALE | ppd. | 5 – 4 |
| 5/03 | REDBANK VALLEY | cancelled | 5 – 4 |
| 5/03 | GLENDALE | 4 – 1 | 6 – 4 |
| 5/05 | @ Kane (DH) | ||
| 5/06 | @ Johnsonburg | ||
| 5/07 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | ||
| 5/08 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ||
| 5/12 | @ Brockway (DH) | ||
| 5/14 | @ Clarion-Limestone (DH) |