ALEXANDIRA – For the second time this week, Curwensville’s fight till the end fell just short to Juniata Valley as the Lady Tide fell to the Lady Hornets by a final score of 7-6 in Alexandria.
It’s the tough thing about sports; teams can be so close, but they need one more thing go their way and they can’t get it. Friday night it was one last run to force extra innings. It nearly happened as it took a game saving play from the Lady Hornets to keep the Lady Tide from scoring the game knotting run in the top of the seventh.
Scoring two runs in the top of the seventh, the rally was trending in the right direction, but again, the comeback ended just short. Fielding miscues hurt the visiting Lady Tide as just three of the runs surrendered by Joslynne Freyer were earned in the loss.
Juniata Valley led throughout, taking as much as a 5-1 lead heading into the top of the fifth. However, Curwensville did not quit and answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to make it a narrow 5-4 advantage for the home faithful.
The three runs all came with two outs as Ava Olosky worked the count and drew a walk. Taylor Luzier then reached on a base-knock next, putting two runners on with two away. After an Addison Butler walk loaded the bases, Freyer reached on an error which scored Olosky and Luzier to cut it to a 5-3 game.
Mackenzie Wall was up next and made the Lady Hornets pay for the mistake with an RBI double to left that scored Addison Butler to make it a 5-4 lead for the Lady Hornets. With runners on second and third with two outs, the Lady Tide could not cash in on the opportunity and left two runners in scoring position.
The Lady Hornets executed with a two-out rally that allowed them to score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a three run lead at 7-4.
A scoreless sixth meant the top of the seventh would be the last at-bats for the visitors, and the Lady Tide responded. After an Addison Butler lead-off walk, Freyer singled to put two on and none away. After Wall hit into a fielder’s choice that saw lead runner Addison Butler out at third, the Lady Tide still had two on with just one out.
Teagan Harzinski would come up clutch with a single to center that scored courtesy runner, Marlee Gasper, to make it 7-5 in favor of Juniata Valley. After the second out of the inning, Maddie Butler reached on an error that Wall would score on. However, Harzinski was tagged out at home to end the game in dramatic fashion.
Certainly a tough week for the Lady Tide, but at 4-4, there’s still plenty of time to make some corrections as a young ball team and overcome this recent skid. Curwensville’s next chance to do so comes less than 24 hours later as they prepare for a showdown in Mount Union against the Lady Trojans. Saturday’s first-pitch time is noon.
CURWENSVILLE – 6
Taylor Luzier (CF) 4110, Addison Butler (C) 2100, Joslynne Freyer (P) 4010, Mackenzie Wall (3B) 4211, Teagan Harzinski (1B) 4021, Shyanne Rudy (SS) 3011, Maddie Butler (RF) 4010, Rylee Wiggins (2B) 3000, Ava Olosky (LF) 3100, Marlee Gasper (PR) 0100. TOTALS 31 6 7 3.
Batting
2B: MacKenzie Wall
TB: Maddison Butler, Joslynne Freyer, Teagan Harzinski 2, Taylor Luzier, Shyanne Rudy, MacKenzie Wall 2
RBI: Teagan Harzinski, Shyanne Rudy, MacKenzie Wall
ROE: Maddison Butler, Joslynne Freyer, Ava Olosky, MacKenzie Wall
FC: Maddison Butler, Ava Olosky, MacKenzie Wall, Rylee Wiggins 2
SB: Taylor Luzier
Fielding
Taylor Luzier, Shyanne Rudy, Rylee Wiggins 2
JUNIATA VALLEY – 8
T. Stewart (P) 2100, A. Allison (C) 4111, Madison Belinda (SS) 4022, Megan Belinda (CF) 2000, M. Houck (2B) 3110, M. Shuff (LF) 3211, M. Hartman (3B) 3211, C. Rowe (1B) 3012, K. Payne (RF) 1000, H. Thompson (RF) 1000, Z. Walters (PH) 1000. TOTALS 27 7 7 7.
Batting
2B: Madison Belinda, M Shuff
TB: A Allison, Madison Belinda 3, M Houck, M Shuff 2, M Hartman, C Rowe
RBI: A Allison, Madison Belinda 2, M Shuff, M Hartman, C Rowe 2
ROE: A Allison, M Shuff, M Hartman
HBP: Megan Belinda
Fielding
T Stewart, Madison Belinda, M Houck, M Hartman
Score by Inning
Curwensville 0 1 0 0 3 0 2.
Juniata Valley 2 0 0 3 2 0 x.
Pitching
Curwensville
Joslynne Freyer
6 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K.
Juniata Valley
T. Stewart
7 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 3 BB.
W – T. Stewart. L – Joslynne Freyer (4-4).