PHILIPSBURG — The Philipsburg-Osceola softball team continued to dominate by going 3-0 in four days, winning at Juniata, 11-0, on April 21, shutting out Clearfield, 6-0, on April 23 at home and blasting Richland, 10-1, on April 24 at home.
The Lady Mounties raised their record to 14-1 with a 6-2 win over Huntingdon at the Curtis Park Athletic Complex.
Macie Bush fired a one-hitter against Clearfield while striking out nine and walking none. Clearfield’s hit came with two outs in the fourth inning. The Lady Mounties gave her a big cushion when they scored three runs in the bottom of the first.
Emily Gustkey led the offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and three runs scored. Morgan Vaughn went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Haylie Koptchak also went 2-for-3, while Kendyl Meersand stroked a double.
P-O found itself in a 1-1 game going into the bottom of the sixth against Richland on senior day, but the Lady Mounties erupted for nine runs in the inning.
Gustkey again led the offensive attack, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Maddyx Hampton and McKenna Thorp had two hits apiece, including a Thorp triple. Vaughn added a double. Bush tossed a three-hitter, struck out four and walked two.
Bush fired a two-hitter, struck out eight and walked one in the five-inning game against Juniata. Natalie Fleck led the Lady Mounties on offense, going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Hampton had two hits and two RBIs. Gustkey homered, while Bush drove in a run with a double.
BALD EAGLE AREA
Bald Eagle Area opened the floodgates in the first inning and rolled to a 15-0 rout at Central on April 21, but the Lady Eagles were beaten by Bedford, 8-2, at home on April 24.
BEA (9-4) rebounded with a 7-1 win over Bishop Guilfoyle on April 27 at home.
The Lady Eagles scored 13 runs in the first inning against Central.
Raelee Repasky and Lilly Harter had two hits and three RBIs apiece. Macey Guenot, Kendall Gavlock and Harlee Witherite also collected two hits apiece. Karlee Fisher tossed a two-hitter in the shutout.
“We got an excellent outing from the freshman Fisher,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “Obviously Central is a very young team, but Karlee was facing gals she will face down the road. We played excellent defense, turning a 5-4-3 DP (double play) with the majority of the balls hit were pounded into the ground.
“We got timely hitting up and down the lineup, with multiple players having two hits.”
Repasky had two hits and two RBIs against BG. Addie Burns and Witherite also had two hits. Witherite also earned the pitching win, tossing a four-hitter, striking out six and walking two while being backed by a strong defensive performance.
“Our outfield played tough, making a number of catches,” Lucas said, “especially Hailey Simpson snagging a ball with a diving catch down the right field line.”
The good news against Bedford was the offensive performance of Burns, who had three hits. Carley Guenot had a two-run hit.
The bad news is that Bedford pounded out 14 hits against Fisher.
STATE COLLEGE
State College erupted in a 14-4 win over Altoona at home on April 23 — a day after losing to Chambersburg, 8-4, at home.
In the six-inning win over Altoona, the Lady Little Lions (6-4) got three hits, including a double, and three RBIs from Paige Moriarta.
Elizabeth Sikorski, Kate Gilmore, Sarah Williams and Lily Williams had two hits each in State College’s 16-hit attack. Ellie Lingle homered and drove in three runs, while Sikorski and Lily Williams doubled.
Moriarta struck out eight and walked one in four innings in the pitching circle.
Moriarta gave up nine hits and six walks against Chambersburg, but she struck out 14. She also doubled. Victoria Witmer hit a home run.
ROWCOTSKY OUT AT PV
The Penns Valley School District fired first-year softball coach Brian Rowcotsky recently for what PV Athletic Director Tyler Fink called “a violation of school policy.”
Fink didn’t reveal what the violation was. Dustin Dalton has been named the interim coach of a program that’s 1-8 as of April 27 and has had a lot of turnover recently. Longtime Penns Valley coach Terry Bumgardner resigned as coach following the 2025 season.
There’s also been a lot of turnover within Centre County softball programs.
On April 13, it was announced that State College coach Scott Kaminske was relieved of his duties. Additionally, Philipsburg-Osceola coach Mike Herr resigned before the season started following allegations of inappropriate behavior.
WEEK OF APRIL 30 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
April 30
Bellefonte at Bedford
Penn Cambria at Philipsburg-Osceola
Mechanicsburg at State College
May 1
Bald Eagle Area at Penn Cambria
Philipsburg-Osceola at Bishop McCort
