BRADFORD, Pa. – Lydia Anderson was 5-for-5 with two triples, two doubles, and five RBIs as No. 3 Elk County Catholic advanced to the District 9 Class 1A championship game with a 15-7 win over No.2 Otto-Eldred.
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Anderson also scored four runs on her way to Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game Honors.
“We just had fun and played loose,” Anderson said. “Again, it was just about getting that last out, playing calm, and knowing we can do this.”
See Anderson’s full interview:
Gabby Weisner, fresh off her walk-off winner in the quarterfinals over Redbank Valley, was 4-for-5 with a solo home run and two RBIs, while Syd Alexander blasted a 3-run home run and finished with four RBIs.
Elk County Catholic led 4-0 after two innings.
Otto-Eldred cut the deficit to 4-2 on Jessie Hall’s 2-run single in the fourth inning.
ECC responded in a big way, scoring four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
With a 12-2 lead, ECC was on the verge of ending the game with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Lady Terrors responded with five runs on RBI hits from Bri Heller, Carrie Drummond, Heidi Gordon, and Cally Raught.
Emily Mourer went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Caitlyn Vollmer had two RBIs and Lucy Klawuhn was 1-for3 with two runs.
Mourer got the win, allowing four earned runs in seven innings on 11 hits, striking out 10 and walking six.
Katie Sheeler was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs for Otto-Eldred, while Heller, Drummond, and Raught had two hits apiece as well.
Heller took the loss, allowing eight runs on nine hits in five innings, striking out eight and walking three.
ECC will face DuBois Central Catholic in the D9 title game at 11 a.m. Monday, May 29, at Heindl Field in DuBois.
Otto-Eldred’s season is not over. The Lady Terrors will face Forest Area in the consolation game Monday, May 29, at a time and location to be announced. If Otto-Eldred wins that game and ECC wins the D9 title, then Otto-Eldred will face DCC in a true-second game Tuesday, May 30, with the winner advancing to the PIAA playoffs.
DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 11, FOREST AREA 0, 5 INNINGS
STRATTANVILLE, Pa. – Strong pitching and a seven-run first inning helped top-seeded DuBois Central Catholic advance to the District 9 Class 1A title game for the seventh straight season with an 11-0, five-inning win over Forest Area at Clarion-Limestone.
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The Lady Cardinals, who have won six straight District 9 titles, will go for seven in a row at 11 a.m. Monday, May 29, against Elk County Catholic at Heindl Field in DuBois.
Also see District 9 Class 2A softball semifinal recaps
Melia Mitskavich and Rylee Kulbatsky combined to throw a one-hitter while allowing just two bases runners.
Mitskavich got the win going three innings allowing one hit while striking out six.
Kulbatsky then took over in the fourth inning allowing a base runner on an error in the fifth but not allowing a hit. She struck out four.
Meanwhile, DCC’s offense got production up and down the lineup with nine different players getting hits.
Marina Hanes, the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game, led the way going 3-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs.
“Even though I won’t power swing, I know I just need to execute and get on base,” Hanes said.
DCC’s Marina Hanes had three hits and was named the Allegheny Grille of Foxburg Player of the Game. Photo by Chris Rossetti
DCC got on base a lot in the first inning sending 11 batters to the plate in scoring the seven runs.
Mitskavich helped her own cause with a two-run double to break the ice, while Lauren Davidson also had a run-scoring double. Kulbatsky and Hanes added RBI singles, and Kali Franklin had an RBI groundout in her second plate appearance of the inning. Franklin started the rally with a leadoff single.
“It was really good,” Hanes said. “It motivated us and gave us the confidence to hit better in the second, third, and fourth inning.”
Watch Hanes’ full postgame interview
Mitskavich and Rose Whipple each added a pair of hits in the game with Mitskvaich going 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs and Whipple going 2-for-2 with a walk, an RI, and two runs scored.
Davidson also had a pair of RBIs going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored.
Alexa Carll had the lone hit for Forest Area, a one-out double in the third.
Izzy Flick took the loss going three innings allowing nine runs, seven earned, on nine hits and a walk. Mackenzie Mellon pitched one inning allowing two earned runs on three hits and a walk.
Fifth-seeded Forest Area’s season is not over. The Fires will face Otto-Eldred in the consolation game Monday, May 29, at a time and place to be announced. If Forest Area wins that game and DCC wins the District 9 title then the Firest will play Elk County Catholic in a true-second place game Tuesday, May 30, with the winner earning the second and final PIAA playoff spot award to District 9.
Editor’s Note: Andy Close wrote the ECC/Otto-Eldred story
