EBENSBURG — It was a very good week for Centre County softball teams, especially for surging giant killer Philipsburg-Osceola.
After giving up four runs in the first inning to fourth-seeded Central Cambria, the ninth-seeded Lady Mounties, erupted for five runs in a cold, windy and rainy second inning, tacked on four more in the next three innings and upset the Lady Red Devils, 9-6, on Friday, May 23, in the District 6 Class 3A semifinals.
The Lady Mounties (14-6) have beaten eighth-seeded Huntingdon, top-seeded Forest Hills and now the Lady Red Devils (15-6) in the playoffs to reach the district title game for the first time since the 2018 season.
“I’m just so happy and proud of the girls for their hard work,” P-O first-year coach Mike Herr said, “and playing together through these playoffs. Our seeding in the district didn’t mean anything because we know what we’re capable of, and it’s starting to pay off.”
The Lady Mounties will get another chance for another upset on Thursday, May 29, at Mount Aloysius College in the District 6 title game when they play second-seeded Bald Eagle Area (18-3). BEA beat P-O, 13-3, during the regular season. Regardless of who wins the playoff game, both qualified for the state playoffs.
After opening the playoffs with an 11-inning 3-2 win over Penns Valley, the Lady Eagles advanced to the championship with a 1-0 win over sixth-seeded Marion Center.
While P-O and BEA advanced to the championship, Bellefonte and State College both won district titles. State College beat Altoona, 5-4, on Tuesday, May 20, at Mount Aloysius to win the Class 6A title. On the same day, Bellefonte beat Juniata, 6-1, at home to capture the Class 4A title.
Early on, it didn’t look like P-O would make that list of Centre County finalists. Central Cambria scored fours in the first inning off P-O pitcher Alivia Bizzarri.
Momentum swung to P-O for good as storm clouds grew dark and the Lady Mounties piled up five runs on four hits and took advantage of a run-scoring wild pitch by starting pitcher Aubrey Ruddek and a run-scoring throwing error on the same play.
Emily Gustkey, who went 3-for-5 from the leadoff spot, drove in a run before the wild pitch and error.
“That was a huge counterpunch,” Herr said.
P-O’s Morgan Vaughn, Macie Bush and Maddyx Hampton, batting sixth through eighth, had two hits each in a 13-hit attack.
Bizzarri knocked home a run with a single in the third and with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. Back-to-back doubles by Vaughn and Bush produced a run in the fourth inning.
Bizzarri wasn’t overpowering as she gave up 10 hits and four walks while striking out three, but she came up with the big outs when she needed to. She was facing some adversity as she was hit below her left eye with an errant softball before the game, causing swelling and limiting her vision.
“It’s real tough to see, actually,” Bizzarri said, “but they told me that if I didn’t have any headaches or anything, I was good to go.”
“We just switched it up a little bit. With getting hit in the eye, I didn’t have much time to warm up. The first inning or two were kind of warmups for me.”
Her defense was on point behind her, playing errorless and turning two double plays of Aubrey Ruddek ground balls. P-O sure-handed third baseman Ashlyn Havens had eight putouts and started the first double play.
“Ashlyn Havens is phenomenal,” Bizzarri said. “I love her. I’ve played with her since JO Little League. She’s always had my back.”
The Lady Red Devils drew closer in the bottom of the sixth when Avery Biter pounded a two-run home run over the center field fence. But that’s the closest Central Cambria got as Bizzarri again clamped down, yielding a single and a walk the rest of the way.
BEA’S GAVLOCK HITS WALKOFF HOMER
Bald Eagle Area found itself in a scoreless game for the first six innings against Marion Center as BEA ace Sierra Albright and Marion Center pitcher Cheyenne Silvis dueled in the pitching circle.
But sophomore Kendall Gavlock, hitting ninth in the batting order, led off the bottom of the seventh by slamming a walkoff home run over the center field fence. Gavlock, who also had a double, and her teammates celebrated jubilantly when she trotted to home plate.
“Kendall has been steadily coming along,” BEA coach Don Lucas said. “Her defensive play at first had really improved, and in the last part of the season has squared up on the ball as well as anyone.
“She has really learned to take the ball to the opposite field with power and (with the walkoff homer) proved she can turn on a ball with power just as well. She has really been an asset turning the lineup over.”
Albright turned in another no-hitter, but it wasn’t easy in this game, which had a rain delay at the start. She struck out 12 and walked six in earning her 13th shutout of the season.
The Lady Eagles had their opportunities in the first six innings. They loaded the bases with one out in the fourth and didn’t score against Silvis, who gave up seven hits and two walks while striking out six.
BEA’s all-time hits leader Kailey Eckert had two hits.
STATE COLLEGE
State College captured the district title thanks in part to a three-run fifth inning and a combined four-hitter by starting pitcher Addison Harpster and reliever Paige Moriarta.
Harpster knocked in three runs, while Jessica Hawbaker had two hits and scored two runs. Sydney Wells also had two hits, including a double.
Harpster struck out 10 and walked two while giving up two hits in five innings. Moriata struck out five, walked three and yielded two hits.
“It is a wonderful feeling to see this group of players come together and win a close game,” State College first-year coach Courtney Morrison said. “They believed the entire game, and at no point showed any nervousness.
“It was great to see them come together and put up the three-run inning and continue to roll. We have talked about all season stringing things together, and working for the extra bases. The players didn’t try to do too much that inning and capitalized on bunting, base hits and quality at-bats.”
The Lady Little Lions were to play District 10 champion McDowell at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, at Mount Aloysius College in a sub-regional game. Bellefonte was to follow at 5:30 again District 8 champion Carrick. The Centre County Gazette went to press before those games were played.
BELLEFONTE
Bellefonte pounded out 12 hits, erupted for five runs in the fourth inning and got a combined two-hitter from freshman starting pitcher Adrienne Masullo and freshman reliever Abby Herr.
“It feels great to win a district championship,” Bellefonte coach Eric DeVinney said. “The last few years we haven’t had a title game, so I’m really happy for the team that they were able to experience that with a wonderful outcome.”
Cleanup hitter Jaylee Lose went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Masullo also had three hits, including a double. Taylor Brown and Sloan Moore had two hits apiece, including doubles for both.
Masullo struck out seven, walked two and gave up one hit in five innings. Herr struck out three, walked none and gave up one hit.
“Masullo and Herr pitched great,” DeVinney said. “They put a lot of time and effort into pitching, and that was proven last night. They work really well together.”
