Lady Raiders top Lady Wildcats for fifth consecutive title

LORETTO — The Bellefonte softball team won its fifth District 6 title in a row and 22nd overall last week with a 5-3 win over Central Mountain at St. Francis University’s Red Flash Field in the Class 5A championship game.

Bald Eagle Area and Penns Valley, meanwhile, advanced to this week’s district championship games in Class 3A and 2A, respectively, at St. Francis.

After BEA beat Penn Cambria, 5-0, in the quarterfinals last Monday, the Lady Eagles beat Westmont Hilltop, 3-0, in the semifinals. Fifth-seeded Penns Valley hammered Blairsville, 15-3, in five innings in the quarterfinals on Tuesday and belted top-seeded Marion Center, 7-0, in Thursday’s semifinals.

State College, however, saw its season end with an 8-2 loss to Mifflin County in the Class 6A championship game at SFU.

Philipsburg-Osceola suffered a rare quarterfinal loss to second-seeded Cambria Heights, 3-2. Heights was scheduled to play BEA for the championship at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Penns Valley was scheduled to play second-seeded Mount Union at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Bellefonte was set to play a state playoff play-in game at noon on Wednesday at Red Flash Field against DuBois.

Here’s a closer look at how the Centre County teams did:

BELLEFONTE

Bellefonte’s game started its game with Central Mountain last Wednesday, but the game was suspended after three innings with the score tied, 1-1, due to rain.

The game resumed the next day with the Lady Raiders (17-2) scoring two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Pitching ace Lexi Rogers struck out six, walked six and gave up six hits.

When the last out was made, the Lady Raiders celebrated another title.

“It was a great day. I was so happy for the girls,” Bellefonte coach Travis Foster said. “They have worked so hard, and to see their excitement was incredible.”

Central Mountain pitcher Adalynn McKeague struck out 11, walked two, gave up one earned run and tossed a six-hitter. Bellefonte’s Haylie Rimmey had two hits and drove in two, while Hanna Lauck hit a home run. Lily Gardner doubled in the goahead run in the fifth. Tori Reichert drove in Gardner with a single.

BALD EAGLE AREA

Maddie Peters had two playoff shutouts going into Wednesday’s game with Cambria Heights.

Peters tossed a two-hitter, struck out eight and walked nine against Westmont Hilltop. That was coming off of a one-hitter against Penn Cambria.

She was helped by a sterling defense behind her against Westmont. Third baseman Autumn Tobias made a diving catch on a suicide squeeze bunt and threw back to third to complete a double play in the second inning. Center fielder Mara Hockenberry also made numerous running catches.

“Maddie pitched a great game,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “We played very well in the field with our outfield literally taking away numerous would-be hits. We didn’t hit as well as I would have hoped, but did string three together that produced three runs. I thought we won the three phases of the game – pitching, hitting and defense.”

The game with Cambria Heights was a matchup of an experienced playoff team in BEA and a finals newcomer in Heights. BEA has won seven district titles and appeared in the district championship 15 times.

Heights (19-1), which hammered Richland, 10-0, in five innings in the semifinals, has never played in a district title game.

PENNS VALLEY

Penns Valley ace Kendra Bumgardner tossed a one-hitter, struck out eight and walked two against Marion Center. She also knocked in two runs.

Allie O’Brien had three hits, including a triple, drove in two runs and scored two runs. Ellie Coursen had two hits, including a double. Avelyn Van Heyst hit a home run, knocked in two runs and scored two runs.

“I am just so proud of this team,” Penns Valley coach Tessa Deardorff said. “They have worked so hard and have really supported each other and played as a team, especially the last few games. They really deserve this and I’m excited to see how we do in the title game.”

Mount Union advanced with a 10-0 win over United in the quarters and an 8-3 win over Claysburg-Kimmel in the semis.

The Lady Rams (14-6) haven’t played in the district championship since 2008 and haven’t won a district title since 2002. Penns Valley has won five district titles and appeared in the finals 10 times.

PV’s quarterfinal at Blairsville was delayed a day because of rain. The delay didn’t stop the PV bats, which pounded 14 hits. Winning pitcher Bumgardner had three hits, including a home run and three RBIs. Noelle Webb had two hits, including a homer, and drove in four.

Avery Dinges doubled, homered, scored three runs and had two RBIs. Van Heyst had two hits, including a double.

STATE COLLEGE

Mifflin County charged out to a 5-0 lead as it scored four runs in the third inning, with the big blow being a Josie Kibe grand slam. It was the first of her two home runs.

The Little Lady Lions (12-9) were unable to solve pitcher Devanie Condrack, who tossed a four-hitter, struck out five and walked one.

Senior Olivia Herncane had two doubles and scored both runs. Junior Zia Bodnar gave up 10 hits, struck out five and walked three.

“The game was a tough one for us,” State College coach Shawn Herncane said. “We got down a little early and had a pretty big hole to dig out of. We hit the ball hard a few times and it looked like we might get something started, but the hits were right at people and didn’t fall for us.”

The game was the last for senior starters Herncane, Logan Soltis and Carsyn Spencer, as well as Molly LaMotte.

“Credit to our team though as they didn’t quit fighting. Also, credit to our four seniors for not only leading us during this game, but for the entire season. They were outstanding all year.”

PHILIPSBURG-OSCEOLA

Philipsburg-Osceola (10-8) was held scoreless by Lady Highlanders ace Paige Jones for five innings until it scored two runs in the sixth.

London Cutler had an RBI single and Autumn Ricketts drove in a run with her second double. But that’s all the Lady Mounties could muster against the left-handed Jones, who retired the final four batters she faced.

“This is very disappointing,” first-year P-O coach Steve Frank said. “We were right there. Certain girls didn’t step up when they needed to.”

The game was the last for seniors Jordan McDonald, Hannah Minarchick and Megan Simpson.