COCHRANTON, Pa. – Saegertown manufactured a couple of early runs and Rhia Paris belted a solo homer in the sixth inning for some insurance in a 3-1 win over Cochranton.
The win gave Saegertown (9-2) a regular season split against their Region 2 rival.
“When I hit it, I kind of knew it was out,” Paris said of her blast.
See Paris’ full interview here
Mikaila Obenrader pitched the first four innings before giving way to Alyssa Arblaster. Obenrader came back in after Arblaster issued a leadoff walk in the seventh. Obenrader struck out the side in the seventh to preserve the win for the Panthers, finishing with 12 strikeouts in five innings, allowing four walks and two hits.
“We want these types of games,” said Saegertown coach Jennifer Bowes. “We want this to prepare us as we move forward into the playoffs.”
Saegertown dances around trouble in both the sixth and seventh innings. With one out and the bases loaded in the seventh, Cochranton’s Keirstynn Miller hit a routine fly ball to right field. Kacie Miller camped under it for the out and threw a strike to catcher Rylie Braymer to nab Zoey Hanson and keep it a 2-run game.
“These are the things we’ve been preaching from the beginning,” Bowes said. “I think this was a little bit of a confidence builder in that it proves that the things we’re doing every day and the things we’re telling them that they’re capable of doing are going to pay off.”
With two outs in the second inning, Cochranton pitcher Dani Hoffman allowed two walks and a single, and Saegertown’s Natalie Halsey drew a walk to bring in the first run of the game.
The following inning, Arblaster led off the inning with a single and scored on Obenrader’s groundout.
Cochranton (8-7) scored its lone run of the game in the fifth inning, as Macie Williams walked with two outs, stole second, went to third on an error on the throw, and came home on a wild pitch.
“We didn’t capitalize a couple of times when we had opportunities,” said Cochranton coach Mark McGuire. “We’ll live to play another day. It’s not season-ending or anything like that. We’ll be ready to go again on Monday. We played them (Saegertown) tough twice in two completely different ball games.”
Braymer had two of Saegertown’s four hits.
For Cochranton, Hoffman went all seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, striking out seven and walking five.
Katelyn Ewing had two of Cochranton’s four hits.
