MARTINSBURG – Kylie Gunnett bested Heather Picard in a duel of sophomore pitchers as Central spoiled the visiting Clearfield Area High School softball team’s Mountain League Allegheny Division opener 3-0 Thursday afternoon.
Gunnett blanked the Lady Bisons on five hits, striking out nine and walking one.
Picard pitched a seven-hitter with two strikeouts and no walks.
“Heather did an excellent job, but that’s two games in a row we haven’t gotten a run for her,” Clearfield coach Bob Dixon said.
The lone threat by the Lady Bisons came in the sixth when singles by Andrea Butler, Melinda Owens and B.J. Bowman loaded the bases with no outs. However, Suzie Colesar’s grounder to third was turned into a force-out at the plate and Rachel Hoffman’s soft liner was gloved by Gunnett, who doubled Owens off third base.
Clearfield (2-3) had only three other baserunners. Bowman singled with two outs in the first inning, while Mikayla Ebeling singled and Lucy Kovalick walked in the fifth.
The Lady Dragons tallied the only run Gunnett needed in the lower first. Ashley Smith doubled, stole third and scored on Marissa Ayers’ single.
Central (8-3) picked up an unearned run on hits by Taylor Garman and Smith following a Clearfield miscue in the third.
The two freshmen combined for the final run with back-to-back doubles in the fifth.
The Lady Bisons will hit the road again Monday for a double-header, taking on Lewistown at 2 p.m. and nearby Indian Valley at 4:30.
See photos of the game here: http://www.ladybisonsports.org/lbsSBall042111.html
CLEARFIELD — 0
Andrea Butler ss 3010, Melinda Owens 2b 3010, B.J. Bowman cf 3020, Suzie Colesar 3b 3000, Rachel Hoffman lf 3000, Mikayla Ebeling rf 3010, McKenzie Moore c 3000, Lucy Kovalick 1b 2000, Megan Vanderburgh dp 2000, Heather Picard p (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 25 0 5 0.
CENTRAL — 3
Allie Walters 2b 3010, Taylor Garman c 3120, Ashley Smith 3b 3132, Marissa Ayers 1b 3111, Taylor McKnight ss 3000, Kylie Gunnett p 3000, Kassidy Snyder dp 3000, Kate Blattenberger cf 3000, Lauren Aiello rf 2100, Paige Mock lf (flex) 0000. TOTALS: 26 3 7 3.
Score by Innings
Clearfield 000 000 0 – 0 5 2
Central 101 010 x – 3 7 0
E – Owens, Colesar. DP – Clearfield (Owens and Kovalick); Central 1 (Gunnett and Smith). LOB – Clearfield 4; Central 5. 2B – Garman, Smith 2. SB – Ebeling; Smith.
Pitching
Picard – 6 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K.
Gunnett – 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K.
W – Gunnett (8-3). L – Picard (1-3).
