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Ball-Luck Not on Punxsutawney’s Side, as Lady Chucks Fall in Subregional Title Game; DuBois Baseball Shut Out in Subregional Powered by N. Washington Rodeo

Ciara Toven had a two-run home run for Punxsutawney in its loss to Chestnut Ridge Wednesday. Photo by Laura Neiswonger

SOMERSET, Pa. – The game of softball can be cruel sometimes.

An inch here, an inch there can make the difference between moving into the state playoffs and having your season end.

The ball just didn’t bounce Punxsutawney’s way Wednesday in a 5-3 loss to Chestnut Ridge in the District 5-9 Class 3A subregional title game at Somerset Junior High School ending the Lady Chucks’ season.

“A game of inches probably covers it up the most,” Punxsutawney manager Brad Constantino said. “Hats off to Chestnut Ridge. They have a tremendous pitcher who made us work for everything we did. Our kids adjusted as the game went on. We had some good at-bats. We knew we were going to have to work hard for every run that we got.”

The bounces not going Punxsutawney’s way happened all the way up through the last at-bat by Brynn Hergert,

               

With runners on first and second and a run in, the left-handed Herget had two strikes on her when she shot a ball that off the bat looked like it was headed to the left-center field gap and with it a tie game.

But, instead, the ball tailed into the glove of Chestnut Ridge left fielder Nikki Shippey to end the game.

“When it left her bat, I thought we were getting ready to play extra innings,” Constantino said. “It was a tough shot, but you have to give that girl credit. She made the play that she had to make there.”

Another instance of ball luck working against Punxsutawney was in the third inning both in the top and the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the innings, the Lady Chucks had runners on first and second with one out for their cleanup hitter Karli Young.

                          

On the first pitch Young saw, she hit a hard ball down the right-field line that ended up foul by about two feet. If it had been fair, it would have given Punxsutawney a 2-0 lead.

Young later struck out in the at-bat, and Hergert grounded out ending the threat.

Then, in the bottom of the third, Chestnut Ridge ended up scoring three runs despite not having a base hit that left the infield.

Jenna Mauch started the rally with a one-out infield bunt single where she ended up at second following a throwing error. Maya Wingard followed with a bunt infield single between the circle and first base, and when Lex Corle bounced a ball over the head of the pitcher Ciara Toven that second baseman Brinley Hallman got to in front of the bag the Lions had a 1-0 lead.

After Corle stole second, Shippey lofted a fly ball to right that scored Wingard, and Corle came around to score when the throw to the plate went over the head of the catcher making it 3-0 Chesnut Ridge.

               

After Punxsutawney got two of the runs back in the fifth inning on a line-drive home run to left-center field by Toven, a defensive miscue by the Punxsutawney junior pitcher led to two more runs for the Lions.

With runners on first and second and no outs, Shippey dropped down a bunt. Toven’s throw went into right field allowing two runs to score giving Chestnut Ridge a 5-2 lead.

“It was a typical high school as far as on turf (the infield at Somerset High School is turf while the outfield is grass),” Constantino said. “You are never sure which way the ball may bounce. On some plays, the ball bounced straight up to us, and on others, some didn’t.”

Punxsutawney didn’t go quietly in the seventh.

Laci Poole, who was on base four times with a single and three walks, drew a one-out walk, and Toven followed with a single to left with Poole stopping at third (she had gone to second on a wild pitch).

After Avery Powell popped out, Young singled to shortstop on a two-strike scoring Poole making it 5-3.

“I loved that our kids fought until the end,” Constantino said. “There was no give up. I am very, very grateful for their effort.”

Chestnut Ridge moves into the PIAA playoffs where it will play the second-place team out of the WPIAL in the first round Monday, June 5.

“Chestnut Ridge will make some noise in the PIAA playoffs,” Constantino said. “That is a very good team out there.”

            

BASEBALLL

CENTRAL MOUNTAIN 6, DUBOIS 0

WINGATE, Pa. – Brady Myers and Chase Brush combined on a three-hit shutout to lead Central Mountain to a 6-0 win over DuBois in the District 6-8-9 Class 5A subregional title game at Bald Eagle Area.

Myers went 6 ⅔ innings allowing three hits and four walks while striking out nine on 99 pitches. Brush came on and needed five pitches to strike out the only batter he faced.

Gabe Johnson and Garnder Fravel each had two hits for Central Mountain.

Johnson was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, a run scored, and an RBI. His homer made it 6-0.

Fravel went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBIs.

Connor Foltz also drove in two runs for the Wildcats (21-1) going 1-for-1 with a double, a walk, and a run scored, and Levi Schlesinger walked twice and scored twice.

DuBois started seldom used on the mound Davey Aughenbaugh.

Aughenbaugh, according to MaxPreps, had pitched just 1 ⅔ innings on the season, but the junior threw well in the first inning not allowing a run before giving up one in the second and two in the third.

In 2 ⅔ innings, he allowed three earned runs on three hits, five walks, and a hit batter while striking out one. Freshman Noah Farrell then gave up two earned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out five in 2 ⅓ innings, and Tycen Roy gave up the home run, the only hit he allowed, in an inning of work.

Tyler Chamberlin, Ricky Clark, and Gavin Kaschalk had singles for the Beavers’ offense.

Central Mountain will face Penn-Trafford, the third-place team out of the WPIAL, in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs Monday, June 5.

                       

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