Lady Falcon’s Defense Holds Off Curwensville 8-5 In D-IX Playoff Action

COUDERSPORT – It’s rare for a sporting event to be played that doesn’t have a noticeable play or two that changes the outcome of the game.  This was the case in the District IX quarterfinal match-up between Curwensville and Coudersport.  Two outstanding plays by the Falcons’ center fielder Kayla Gleason kept Curwensville from scoring the potential tying runs in an 8-5 Coudersport win on Wednesday.

Gleason ran down a line drive in the left-center gap in the third inning that would have scored two Lady Tide runs.  In the sixth inning, Gleason showed her range to right-center to keep the lead-off hitter off base.  A walk and a base hit later in the inning may have tied the game going into the seventh.

“Their center fielder made a couple of nice plays, and the second baseman played well in the last inning to wrap things up,” said Tide coach Allen Leigey.  “They made the plays they had to make and it made the whole difference.  We hit the ball hard and she (Gleason) just went and got them.”

The game couldn’t have started any better for the Lady Tide as Taylor Goodman drove the first pitch over the left field fence for a 1-0 lead.  However, the hosts buckled down to end threats in the second and third innings.  Curwensville finished the game by leaving 12 runners on base; seven of those were left at second or third.

“We stranded too many runners,” said Leigey.  “We had enough opportunities to win the game, but just didn’t finish the job.”

The Lady Falcons grabbed the lead for good in the bottom of the second inning as Amanda Morey and Taylor Green  opened the frame with back-to-back singles.  Kayla Ness was then hit by a Tierra Shope pitch to load the bases.  A base hit by Brianna Majot and a double by pitcher Keirsten Counts provided the RBI’s for the 3-1 lead.

The visitors tried to keep pace in the fourth inning as junior Abby Johnson doubled to left-center with one out.  Johnson was able to scamper to third when Gleason’s throw to second sailed high.  Hannah Bressler followed in the ninth spot with a sacrfice bunt that plated Johnson for a 3-2 mark.  However, the tying run in that inning was left at third base.

The inning that did in the Lady Tide was the fourth as 10 Coudersport batters came to the plate to post seven hits and five runs.  Doubles by Counts and Ellen Gerner highlighted the Falcon fifth as the hosts found gaps in the defense that the hard hits of the Tide failed to hit.

“We let that fourth inning get way from us,” added Leigey.  “Tierra (Shope) didn’t seem to have real good location today.  Their 2-3-and-4 hitters found the alleys, and anything that hit the middle of the plate, they hit hard.”

The Lady Falcons tallied 13 hts on the day as Shope walked four batters and struck out three.  Two Coudersport batters were hit by pitches as all eight runs were earned on the day.  In the last two innings as the Tide was trying to get back into the game, Shope finished strong by facing just six batters.  Tide center fielder Sarah Wriglesworth showed her glove skill as well with a shoestring grab that turned into a double play at second base.

In the Curwensville fifth inning, eight batters came to the plate to push three runs across.  Coudersport thought they had the inning shut down after a double-play cleard the bases, but straight hits by Cheyenne Pentz, Megan Barrett, Wriglesworth, Johnson and Bressler scored the runs to close the gap to 8-5.

The Tide threatened in both the sixth and seventh, but the Lady Falcon defense closed the door with a couple acrobatic grabs on soft hits that appeared to be dropping.  Second baseman Amanda Morey finished the final out of the game in short right on her backside as she held onto the ball when she hit the ground.

The Lady Tide slapped out 12 hits in the game with Goodman, Carter, Pentz and Johnson all posting two each.  All four are juniors and will be back to play next season.  Counts was unable to fan a batter in the contest and walked five Curwensville batters.

“I just feel bad for the seniors that the season had to end here,” Leigey said.  “Molly (Demchak) and Madi (Peterman) have been on the varsity since their freshman year, and they both have had a very good year.  We picked up Hannah (Bressler) in their sophomore year and she has been a solid player ever since.  I think I short-changed Megan (Barrett) last year, but she has been a great addition to the team this year – the ultimate designated player.  We’ll miss them all next season.

Coudersport will await the outcome of Thursday’s quarterfinal game between Port Allegany and Elk County Catholic to decide their semifinal opponent.

CURWENSVILLE – 5

Taylor Goodman 2b 4121, Madi Peterman 1b 5000, Tiffany Carter c 3020, Molly Demchak 3b 4010, Cheyenne Pentz ss 4120, Alaina Stiles pr 0000, Megan Barrett dp 3110, Sarah Wriglesworth cf 3111, Abby Johnson lf 4121, Hannah Bressler rf 2012, Tierra Shope p/flex 0000, TOTALS – 32 AB 5 R 12 H 5 RBI.

COUDERSPORT – 8

Brianna Majot rf 3131, Keirsten Counts p 4122, Courtney Rogers ss 2011, Angela Smolder 1b 3111, Kayla Gleason cf 2110, Ellen Gerner c 3111, Amanda Morey 2b 3110, Taylor Green 3b 3121, Kayla Ness lf 2110, TOTALS – 25 AB 8 R 13 H 7 RBI.

SCORES BY INNINGS – R H E

Curwensville    100 013 0 – 5 12 1

Coudersport     030 500 x – 8 13 2

ERRORS – Peterman; Morey, Gleason.  LOB – Curwensville 12; Coudersport 8. 2B – Johnson; Counts 2, Gerner. 3B – none.   HR – Goodman.  SAC – Bressler; Rogers, Morey.  SB – none.  DP – Curwensville; Coudersport.  PB – Carter.   WP – Shope 2; Counts 2. HB – Rogers, Ness (Shope).

PITCHING

Curwensville –  Shope 6 IP 13 H 8 R 8 ER 4 BB 3 K 2 HB

Coudersport – Counts 7 IP 12 H 5 R 5 ER 5 BB 0 K 0 HB

WP – Counts (14-2). LP – Shope (14-4).

Lady Tide Final Scoreboard: