CURWENSVILLE – The District 9 softball playoffs begin on Monday and guess who once again has a ticket to play?
For the 14th straight season the Lady Tide of Curwensville will play in the District 9 postseason, this year in “AA” action, after bolting to the playoffs by winning four of its last five games.
In 2016 the Lady Tide lost in the “A” quarter-finals to Clarion by a score of 3-2.
And for long time head coach Allen Leigey, Curwensville has appeared in the playoffs in 15 of his 16 years. The only season the Lady Tide didn’t qualify for postseason play was in 2003.
The Lady Tide will open play in the quarter-finals at Johnsonburg against the Ramettes, with the first pitch scheduled at 4:30 pm.
On April 5 the Lady Tide traveled to Johnsonburg and were promptly shutout 4-0, managing just two hits while striking out six times against Johnsonburg hurler Hannah Park.
But this past Monday, at Curwensville, the Lady Tide got to Park for six hits and six runs in just two innings and then picked up seven more runs on eight hits in four innings against relief pitcher Skylar Sherry on its way to a 13-7 victory.
The Lady Tide sport five players batting .339 or better with third baseman Hannah Dixon leading the way with a .413 average followed by shortstop Kayley Harnett at .403.
Not to be outdone is Ariel Zattoni, the left fielder at .373, second baseman Keisha Maines hitting .340, and at .339 is freshman catcher Bailey Bloom.
Harnett leads in the RBI category with 14, Bloom has 13 with Dixon chipping in with 12.
Dixon also has the most stolen bases for Curwensville with 19.
Opponents have outscored the Lady Tide over the 20 game regular season 116-104.
Clerissia Cole is the main pitcher for Curwensville with a season record of 7-5 and a 3.99 ERA. Cole is backed up by Rachel LeGars at 2-6 and a 5.68 ERA.
Curwensville won PIAA State Championships in 2007 and 2009, both in the “A” classification.
District 9 titles were won in “A” in 2007 and 2009 and a “AA” championship in 2013.
Leigey likes the bracket the Lady Tide were placed in, saying, “We’re really pleased with who we will play in the first round (quarter-finals) because of the familiarity of having played Johnsonburg twice this season. We didn’t do well the first game we played them. Just didn’t hit well, but this past Monday we turned it around against them with a big win.”
Then the Curwensville head coach talked about the confidence factor, commenting, “We are not over confident in any way, but we know we can compete with Johnsonburg and we also know and believe we can win. If our bats show up like they did this past Monday, then we will be just fine.”
DISTRICT 9 AA SOFTBALL SEEDS AND SCHEDULE:
# 1 Seed is unbeaten Moniteau (18-0), which will receive a bye into the semi-finals, as will the #2 Seed Cranberry (16-2).
#3 Johnsonburg (13-4) is home against #6 Curwensville (9-11) and #4 Redbank Valley (10-6) plays at home against #5 Brookville (8-11). Both of these quarter-final contests are on Monday.
The Redbank Valley-Brookville winner will play at Moniteau in the semi-finals, and the Johnsonburg-Curwensville winner will play at Cranberry in the other semi-final game. Both games are scheduled to be played on Wednesday.
The District 9 AA Softball Championship game is scheduled for Wednesday, May 31, at the highest remaining seed.
Listen to the Curwensville at Johnsonburg game live on WOKW-FM, 102.9, starting with the pre-game show at 4:15 pm on Monday.
Lady Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/27 | BROCKWAY | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/28 | BROCKWAY | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/29 | MO VALLEY | 1 – 8 | 0 – 1 |
| 3/30 | BROCKWAY | ppd. | 0 – 1 |
| 4/03 | @ Elk County Catholic | 0 – 4 | 0 – 2 |
| 4/05 | @ Johnsonburg | 0 – 4 | 0 – 3 |
| 4/07 | @ Clearfield | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/11 | SHEFFIELD | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/11 | SHEFFIELD | ppd. | 0 – 3 |
| 4/12 | SHEFFIELD | 9 – 2 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/12 | SHEFFIELD | 17 – 0 | 2 – 3 |
| 4/18 | @ Kane | 5 – 9 | 2 – 4 |
| 4/21 | DUBOIS CENTRAL CATH | 1 – 12 | 2 – 5 |
| 4/22 | @ North Star | 15 – 0 | 3 – 5 |
| 4/22 | @ North Star | 8 – 2 | 4 – 5 |
| 4/25 | @ Brockway | 5 – 6 | 4 – 6 |
| 4/27 | HARMONY | 2 – 1 | 5 – 6 |
| 4/28 | WEST BRANCH | 2 – 13 | 5 – 7 |
| 4/29 | @ Clearfield | ppd. | 5 – 7 |
| 5/01 | @ Brookville | ppd. | 5 – 7 |
| 5/02 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | ppd. | 5 – 7 |
| 5/03 | @ Brookville | 0 – 8 | 5 – 8 |
| 5/08 | @ Glendale | 0 – 15 | 5 – 9 |
| 5/10 | @ Clearfield | 4 – 5 | 5 – 10 |
| 5/11 | KANE | 15 – 4 | 6 – 10 |
| 5/15 | JOHNSONBURG | 13 – 7 | 7 – 10 |
| 5/16 | BROCKWAY | 7 – 1 | 8 – 10 |
| 5/16 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | 11 – 10, 8 inn. | 9 – 10 |
| 5/17 | @ DuBois Central Catholic | 0 – 15 | 9 – 11 |
| 5/22 | District 9 AA Quarterfinals | ||
| 5/22 | @ Johnsonburg |
