Bald Eagle Area advanced to the PIAA Class 2A state championship game with the same formula it’s been using all softball season.
Pitching and timely hitting have been the hallmark of the 2023 season for the Lady Eagles.
Star pitcher Sierra Albright was at her best in the June 13 semifinal against South Williamsport at Central Mountain High School. Albright tossed a four-hitter, struck out a whopping 16 batters and intentionally walked opposing pitcher Alizabeth Schuler twice.
It was Albright’s 12th shutout of the season.
“She did a great job controlling the strike zone,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “She neutralized their power hitters.”
The game was scoreless until BEA erupted for four runs in the top of the sixth against Schuler. And then Albright took it from there in a 4-0 victory, thrilling the large BEA contingent.
“It feels fantastic,” Lucas said. “We were so close last year, so to be able to survive our league schedule and play well enough to get back to this game is a credit to these gals and my coaching staff.
“The team worked very hard this past winter, and did everything we asked of them. I’m so proud of what they accomplished.”
BEA (23-2), which beat Minersville, 3-2, in the semifinals June 8, was set to play undefeated District 5 champion Everett (25-0) at 11 a.m. Thursday at Penn State’s Beard Field at Nittany Lion Softball Park.
Everett shocked defending champion Neshannock, 9-6. Neshannock had won 48 games in a row. Neshannock beat Penns Valley, 9-0, in the first round of the state playoffs.
In the sixth inning, Kailey Eckert laced a triple to left field with one out. She scored when Alexia Baney followed with a single to center. Sydney Thompson delivered the third straight hit — a single to left field.
“Kailey Eckert had a great day at the plate,” Lucas said. “She had three great at-bats.
Ava Stere then blasted a ground-rule double to left to score Baney. The original ruling was, oddly enough, a home run, but after a meeting among all of the umpires, it was ruled a ground-rule double.
Alyssa King made the score 4-0 when her single to center plated Thompson and Stere.
Albright retired the side in the bottom of the sixth with two strikeouts and a pop-up. In the bottom of the seventh, she induced another pop-up, hit a batter and then recorded two more strikeouts. Albright caught Gianna Goodman looking for her 16th strikeout.
Goodman, who had two hits, was a little bit of a thorn in Albright’s side. She led off the bottom of the first with a triple to left. Albright followed with a strikeout and an intentional walk to Schuler, who stole second. But Albright followed with two strikeouts.
South Williamsport (21-3) threatened one more time in the fourth when Lily Reidy doubled to left-center and Mikiaya Hills reached on an infield hit. Hills stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but Albright struck out Maddie Pinkerton for the third out.
That led to BEA’s big sixth inning and, ultimately, the win.
“Just a great team victory,” Lucas said.
ECKERT HOMER WAS BIG IN QUARTERFINALS
BEA reached the semifinals with the win over District 11 champion Minersville on a hazy, overcast afternoon at Central Columbia High School on June 8.
Eckert, who had two hits off pitcher Kaycee Raczka, delivered the biggest hit — a two-run home run over the right field fence in the fourth inning to give the Lady Eagles a 3-2 lead.
The speedy Taylor Habovick, who had reached on a one-out single to right, stole second and third and also scored.
“Kailey Eckert is a spray hitter,” Lucas said. “She is a lefty, so she gets pitched away a lot. Her first hit was to the left center gap and her third time up they tried to come back inside, and she turned on the pitch.
“She has exceptional power for her size, and the arm strength to throw out any base runner. Obviously, the two-run home run gave us back the lead we never relinquished. (It was) a very important at-bat at the time.”
BEA star pitcher Albright had another sterling pitching performance, tossing a three-hitter, striking out six and walking three. Reczka gave up six hits, struck out five and walked three.
Minersville (16-9) challenged Albright right off the bat in the top of the first. The Battlin’ Miners loaded the bases, but she worked out of the jam with two strikeouts.
“Sierra pitches through adversity better than most,” Lucas said. “Her ability not to get stressed allows her to do her thing. She doesn’t let bases-loaded situations control her pace. She remains focused and gets the job done with the help of her defense.”
In the bottom of the first, Eckert doubled and scored when Baney’s bunt single was misplayed.
“I have always believed that scoring the first run sets the tone for the game,” Lucas said. “Your pitcher pitches better with a lead, and it puts pressure on the other team to fight back. We left too many runners in scoring position, so that’s an area we need to improve on.”
BEA held the 1-0 lead until Minersville’s Emily Hart hit a two-run home run over the center field fence in the top of the third. In the bottom of the inning, BEA loaded the bases with no outs, but Reczka wiggled out of the jam with three outs, including two strikeouts.
With a runner on first in the top of the seventh and one out, BEA third baseman King gloved Grace Sterner’s line drive. King threw to first baseman Stere to catch the runner off first to complete a double play and end the game.
