WINGATE — The Bald Eagle Area softball team entered the District 6 Class 3A playoffs as the No. 4 seed, but the Lady Eagles playing fifth-seeded Huntingdon in their first game of the playoffs.
Huntingdon had beaten BEA twice during the regular season, 8-2 in the season opener and 12-2 on May 11.
Despite that weight on their shoulders the Lady Eagles avenged those losses at the best possible time, beating the Lady Bearcats, 3-0, on a warm, sunny day behind Harlee Witherite’s clutch pitching and hitting on May 11 at home.
“There’s an old saying that it’s hard to beat the same team three times,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “The first two times we played them we just didn’t play well.
“Tonight, Witherite pitched very well. She kept the ball low in the strike zone, and they just kept popping it up and were hitting ground balls. We played very well defensively and we strung hits together, which the first two games we didn’t do.”
The win advanced BEA (15-6) into the semifinals at top-seeded Bedford at 4 p.m. on May 21. Bedford beat eighth-seeded Cambria Heights, 3-0.
In the other semifinal game in Class 3A, second-seeded Philipsburg-Osceola was to host third-seeded Westmont Hilltop after the Lady Mounties rolled to an 11-1, five-inning win over seventh-seeded Forest Hills on May 18. We’ll take a little closer look at that game later.
Witherite, a junior, tossed a five-hitter, struck out two and walked three. The only time Huntingdon really threatened was in the top of the sixth inning with BEA holding a 2-0 lead.
The inning began with shortstop Addison Burns making a diving stop of a McKaela Brown ground ball up the middle and throwing her out at first.
But back-to-back singles by opposing pitcher Alivia Nicklow and Julia Foster followed. An error on a fielder’s choice loaded the bases with one out. Witherite, though, got two pop-ups to end the threat.
BEA hitters hadn’t had much luck against Nicklow, who finished with five strikeouts and one walk while giving up seven hits, in the first three innings.
In the fourth, Casey Angellotti laced a one-out double to left field and Lilly Harter singled to center. Witherite plated Angellotti with a single to center field for the first run.
“Harlee battled Huntingdon’s pitcher for five or six pitches and then she drove the ball to left field,” Lucas said. “It was huge.”
Kendall Gavlock’s ground ball to second base scored courtesy runner Carley Guenot to make it 2-0.
With two outs in the sixth, Witherite collected her second hit — a single to center. Gavlock followed with an RBI double to give BEA a 3-0 lead.
“She was kind of in a mini slump,” Lucas said. “She worked terribly hard in practice. We have been working hard on better at-bats. When Gavlock is on she can be lethal.”
Huntingdon had two runners on base in the seventh when Witherite induced Nicklow pop-up for the final out. The Lady Eagles began to celebrate.
P-O SCORES 7 IN SECOND
There was no drama in Philipsburg-Osceola 10-run rule win over Forest Hills at the Curtis Park Athletic Complex. The Lady Mounties scored all of their runs in the first three innings, including a seven-run second inning.
“Today was a great team win,” P-O coach Becca Kephart said. “Everyone showed up and did their job. The defense was great and our bats were fantastic. We were very disciplined at the plate.”
P-O (17-2) finished with seven hits and six walks. Maddyx Hampton and McKenna Thorp had two hits and two RBIs apiece.
“Maddyx Hampton was clutch today with two big hits, and she got us on the board to start the game,” Kephart said. “She was phenomenal at shortstop today and made a ton of great plays.”
Morgan Vaughn had three RBIs, while Emily Gustkey scored three runs from the leadoff spot. Mia Butler was 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored. Macie Bush went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Bush tossed a four-hitter, struck out two and walked none in the pitching circle. She threw 37 of her 57 pitches for strikes.
“Macie Bush continues to be impressive on the mound,” Kephart said. “Her confidence and work ethic continue to amaze me, even at this point in the season.”
The win earned P-O a shot against Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference foe Westmont Hilltop (17-3), which beat sixth-seeded Central Cambria, 6-4.
BELLEFONTE, STATE COLLEGE IN TITLE GAMES
Bellefonte and State College were also scheduled to play District 6 playoff games after the Centre County Gazette went to press.
Top-seeded State College (9-7) was set to play second-seeded Altoona (6-13) in the Class 6A championship game on May 20 at Mount Aloysius College. State College easily beat Altoona twice during the regular season, 13-1 on April 16 and 14-4 on April 23.
The Lady Little Lions had won two straight District 6 titles going into the game, including a 5-4 victory over Altoona last year. State College beat Mifflin County, 6-1, in 2024.
The Lady Little Lions were to play the winner of the District 8/10 game in a subregional on May 26 at a District 8 or District 10 site. State College lost to District 10’s McDowell, 5-2, in last year’s subregional game.
The top-seeded Lady Red Raiders (9-10) were to host second-seeded Juniata (2-14) at 4:30 p.m. May 20 at O’Leary Fields in the Class 4A championship game. It’s the second year in a row the teams played each other in the title game. Bellefonte won last year, 6-1.
The winner plays the District 8 champion (Pittsburgh City League) at a District 8 site on May 26 in a subregional game. Traditionally, the Lady Red Raiders stomp whoever the District 8 team is. They hammered Carrick, 16-1, in last year’s game and 21-1 two years ago. Bellefonte blasted Obama Academy, 27-0, in 2023.
WEEK OF MAY 21 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
May 21
DISTRICT CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS
(4) Bald Eagle Area at (1) Bedford (3) Westmont Hilltop at (2) Philipsburg-Osceola
