DUBOIS – Top-seeded Cranberry lived up to their billing in the District IX Class AA Softball championship game with an 8-2 victory over Curwensville Thursday afternoon at Heindl Field. The defending champions scored in the first inning and never looked back to secure their second straight district title.
After Lady Tide pitcher Addison Siple had struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the first, Keelie Schneider tripled to right field. Rylie Coe followed by beating out an in-field single to put the game’s first run on the board.
The Berries added two runs in the third as freshman pitcher Gracie Hess led off with a single. Reyna Watson followed with an RBI triple and stole home a batter later to set the score at 3-1. Coe later singled to drive in the fourth Cranberry run.
The Lady Tide managed just two hits off Hess until the sixth inning. Addison Butler singled to lead off but was replaced by Addison Warren on a fielder’s choice. Siple then singled before Natalie Wischuck tripled to center to close the score to 4-2.
However, in the bottom of the sixth, Cranberry was able to double their score on four hits and a walk. The big hit in the inning for the Berries came on Schneider’s second triple of the game that scored the final two runs.
In the circle, Siple finished with nine strikeouts, two walks, and allowed 11 hits. Cranberry’s Hess, in her first win of the year, struck out 10 and walked just one to go along with Curwensville’s six hits. Tide freshman Briah Peoples was able to collect two hits in the game.
Both teams will now enter the PIAA playoffs on Monday. Curwensville will meet District 10 Champion Saegertown while Cranberry will play host to Laurel, the third-place finisher from the WPIAL.
Score by Innings R H E
Curwensville – 000 002 0 2 6 0
Cranberry – 103 004 x 8 11 0
CURWENSVILLE – 2
(C) Addison Butler 3010, (2B) Addison Warren 3100, (P) Siple 2110, (RF) Natalie Wischuck 3012, (CF) Ava Olosky 3000, (3B) Ava Hainsey 3000, (LF) Sydney Simcox 3010, (SS) Briah Peoples 3020, (DP) Jenna McCartney 3000, (1B/Flex) Silvia Witherite 0000, TOTALS: AB 26, R 2, H 6, RBI 2.
CRANBERRY – 8
(CF) Reyna Watson 3211, (SS) Avery Coe 4221, (3B) Keelie Schneider 3122, (2B) Rylee Coe 4022, (1B) Cassie Scarbrough 3000, (RF) Jaden Shumaker 3110, (C) Denali Wenner 2000, (PH) Emma Morrow 1110, (LF) Haylie Gregory 3011, (P) Gracee Hess 3110, TOTALS: AB 29, R 8, H 11, RBI 7.
Pitching IP H R ER SO BB WP
Curwensville – L – Siple 6 11 8 8 9 2 0
Cranberry – W – Hess 7 6 2 2 10 1 0
Batting
3B – Curwensville: Wischuck; Cranberry: Watson, Schneider 2. SB – Cranberry: Gregory, Watson, A. Coe. DP – Cranberry.
SCHEDULE
MARCH Score W-L
25 @Moshannon Valley 9 – 0 1-0
26 Juniata Valley 7 – 6 2-0
APRIL
9 Williamsburg 5 – 0 3-0
15 Purchase Line 11 – 1 4-0
16 @Glendale 5 – 4 5-0
18 @Claysburg-Kimmel 0 – 6 5-1
20 Glendale 2 – 0 6-1
22 @Juniata Valley 3 – 7 6-2
23 Brockway 17 – 1 7-2
Brockway 12 – 0 8-2
25 @Mount Union 5 -11 8-3
27 North Star 16 – 1 9-3
North Star 15 – 0 10-3
29 @Purchase Line 12 – 0 11-3
30 Moshannon Valley 15 – 0 12-3
MAY
2 West Branch 0 – 8 12-4
6 @ Union/Allegheny-
Clarion Valley 12 – 3 13-4
7 @Williamsburg 7 – 2 14-4
13 @West Branch 0 – 6 14-5
14 Redbank Valley 1 – 0 15-5
District IX Class AA Semi-final Game @Heindl Field, Dubois
22 Karns City 12-11 16-5
D-IX Class AA Championship Game @Heindl Field, Dubois
30 Cranberry 2- 8 16-6
June
PIAA AA Playoffs
3 Saegertown