State College won four games in as many days last week to hike its record to 60-. The Little Lady Lions beat Centtal Dauphin, 13-0, in six innings on Monday, Cumberland Valley, 2-0, on Tuesday, Central Mountain, 5-2, on Wednesday and Altoona, 16-0, in three innings.
“We are really playing as a team,” State College coach Shawn Herncane said. “We have been able to win playing a lot of different ways so far. We’ve had great pitching and great defense.”
Against Central Dauphin, freshman leadoff hitter Sydney Wells went 3-for-5 with two doubles, five RBIs and two runs. Freshman Jess Hawbaker, freshman Gabby McTavish, senior Ava Bierly and sophomore Gabi Todd had two hits each. McTavish also had two RBIs and doubled.
Senior pitcher Zia Bodnar, who has four shutouts, tossed a one-hitter, struck out nine and walked two. State College scored eight runs in the first inning.
Bodnar came out on top of a pitching duel with Cumberland Valley starter Evelyn Coburn and reliever Sydney May. Bodnar tossed a two-hitter, struck out eight and walked none. Coburn combined for a 2-hitter, five strikeouts and walked none.
Bodnar won another pitching duel at home against Central Mountain pitcher Adalynn McKeague. Bodnar gave up only three hits to the Lady Wildcats (6-1), struck out 11, and walked none. Two of the hits were home runs by Harley Kunes.
McTavish had two of her team’s five hits off of McKeague. Hawbaker had a double, and Todd singled and had two RBIs. McKeague struck out 10 and walked two.
The Lady Little Lions scored 14 of their 16 runs against Altoona in the second inning.
Bodnar had a three-inning no-hitter, collected two hits, including a home run, and three RBIs. McTavish also had two hits, three RBIs each and a home run. Hawbaker had two hits and three RBIs. Mady Burkey also had two hits to go with two RBIs. Wells knocked in two runs and scored three runs. The Lady Little Lions were scheduled to play a home game against Cedar Cliff on Tuesday and Central Dauphin on Thursday before playing in the Big Spring Tournament on Saturday.
P-O EDGES BELLEFONTE
Three-time state champion Philipsburg-Osceola was 0-4 going into its game against Bellefonte last Thursday at P-O’s Curtis Park Athletic Complex. But the Lady Mounties pulled out their first win, 5-4, over the Lady Red Raiders in dramatic fashion.
Mykenna Bryan’s one-out single drove in London Cutler in the bottom of the seventh inning with the winning run. Cutler had a single, scored two runs and drove in a run.
P-O’s Paige Jarrett had two hits and an RBI. Karissa Taylor hit a home run, while freshman Alivia Bizzarri doubled, scored a run and was the winning pitcher.
Bizzarri struck out five, walked one, gave up one earned run and scattered eight hits.
Bellefonte’s Tori Reichert and Emmalyn Shawley had two hits apiece, and both doubled. Maria Cotter and Madison Melius also doubled.
Josselyn Nau took the pitching loss, striking out three, walking one and scattering nine hits.
Two days earlier, Penns Valley scored seven runs in the second inning and won at P-O, 10-5. Scottie Dinges had a big day again, going 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs from the leadoff spot. Avelyn Van Heyst and Kailen Winkelblech had two hits apiece. Van Heyst had two doubles, three RBIs and scored two runs. Winkelblech had a double, two RBIs and scored two run.
Bryan had three hits, including a double, and knocked in three runs off of winning pitcher Taylor Bumgardner.
Leadoff hitter Jarrett and No. 9 hitter Camryn Chverchko had two hits apiece.
“They played together,” Penns Valley coach Terry Bumgardner said. “Taylor gutted it out in the circle, and we played solid defense behind her. It was a great bounce back for us.”
Two days later, the Lady Rams pounded Juniata, 12-0, in six innings. Taylor Bumgardner earned the shutout, tossing a two-hitter and striking out six. She helped herself by going 4-for-4 and scoring two runs.
Ellie Coursen went 3-for-3 and scored three runs. Van Heyst had two hits, including a home run, and two RBIs.
Gracie Riddle answered a lot of questions from the No. 8 spot by going 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Winkelblech and Clara Brooks doubled. Clearfield nipped Bellefonte, 4-3, last Tuesday.
Taylor Brown and Nau had two hits apiece. Brown hit a home run and Nau doubled and drove in two against ace Emma Hipps, who pitched a five-hitter, struck out 10 and walked two. Nau yielded eight hits in the loss.
Penns Valley, P-O and Bellefonte all had games Monday postponed due to the return of snow. The Lady Rams (3-2) were to travel to Huntingdon on Thursday and host Hollidaysburg on Friday. The Lady Mounties were to host Clearfield on Tuesday and play at Clearfield on Thursday. Bellefonte (2-3) was to host Bald Eagle Area on Thursday before playing in the Williamsport Tournament on Friday.
BALD EAGLE AREA
Bald Eagle Area pounded out an 11-1 win over Tyrone in six innings on Thursday at the Milesburg Little League Complex.
Katelyn Smitchko delivered three hits, including a home run, while Marina Shawley had three hits, including two doubles.
Kailey Eckert had two hits, including a double. Maddie Perry and Alyssa King had two hits apiece. Sierra Albright tossed a one-hit gem, struck out eight and walked one.
“Overall a good game offensively and defensively,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “The team one through nine was very aggressive at the plate and attacked the ball probably the best all year.”
Two days earlier, BEA beat Hollidaysburg, 7-3. Ava Stere and Sydney Thompson had two hits and a double apiece. Perry also had two hits. Albright struck out eight, walked two and tossed a five-hitter.
The Lady Eagles (3-2) were snowed out at Huntingdon on Monday. They were to host Punxsutawney on Tuesday before making the short trip to Bellefonte on Thursday.
