Aboard to Ship

Lady Eagles make third-inning run stand in another shot at title

By Walt Moody

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Bald Eagle Area softball pitcher Megan Shaw is so stone-faced that she could have a spot on Mount Rushmore. You'd be likely to see more emotion from the carvings of George Washington or Teddy Roosevelt.

CDT/Michelle Bixby

Bald Eagle's Kendra Giedroc, left, celebrates with Courtney Switzer (22) after they defeated Riverside 1-0 at the PIAA softball Class AA Semifinal Round at Legion Park in Hollidaysburg Monday, June 8, 2009. CDT/Michelle Bixby

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• Staying grounded
• Lady Eagles advance to quarters
• Lady Eagles still have some 'unfinished business'

But two pitches into seventh inning of Monday’s PIAA Class AA semifinal nail-biter against Riverside, Lady Eagle catcher Brooke Klinefelter saw something most folks rarely notice — Shaw was nervous.

“I went out there because she was trying to rush the game,” Klinefelter explained. “When she tries to rush it, she kind of gets worked up and wants to throw it as hard as she can just to get the people out.

“I asked her what her problem was,” Klinefelter continued. “She was like, ‘My heart is racing. It’s pounding so fast.’ I said, ‘Listen, we have three outs to get. Relax and we’re on our way to Shippensburg.’ She just kind of smiled and laughed.”

Shaw went back to work and got those final three outs, polishing off a three-hitter in outdueling Riverside’s Kari Falk 1-0 at Legion Park. The triumph returned the Lady Eagles (23-3) to the PIAA title game for the second consecutive season. They’ll meet Brandywine Heights (26-0), a 7-0 winner against Central Columbia, on Friday at a time to-be-determined at Shippensburg University’s Robb Field.

Shaw (19-2) didn’t allow a runner past second base for the second consecutive playoff game. She’s allowed just nine hits and one run in the Lady Eagles’ three PIAA wins. She fanned seven and walked one Monday.

“How about that No. 10 we have out there on the hill?,” BEA coach Dave Breon said of his senior right-hander. “I don’t know if there’s anybody better, but I’m waiting to see her. Maybe we’ll see her on Friday, but she’s going to have to be a lot better than Megan.”

Shaw once again kept her steely approach in the circle.

The Lady Panthers (20-2) had runners at second in the first two innings, but Shaw ended the first-inning threat with a fielder’s choice groundout and the second-inning danger with a strikeout.

It was cruise control for Shaw over the final five innings, even though the pressure was intense.

“Whenever you get this far, everybody is a good team,” Shaw said. “... You have to be careful with what you throw. I was just trying to work location.”

Being careful doesn’t mean letting the other team see how much pressure you feel. Shaw doesn’t.

“She hides her emotions really well,” Klinefelter said. “She can have the most butterflies in her stomach and you can never be able to tell. She keeps her cool out there until you can talk to her after she comes off the field. She’ll tell you the truth that she was all worked up out there.”

Shaw said having an excellent defense calms the nerves. “I have total confidence in them,” she said. “I’m not scared at all when I throw because I know they’re right behind me.”

BEA made nearly all of the routine plays, while defense is what let down Riverside’s Falk (19-2). The right-hander, who will pitch for Edinboro University in the fall, also tossed a three-hitter with five strikeouts.

BEA broke through in the third. With one out, Cortney Switzer hit a looper that initially fooled shortstop Leah Prisuta, who dove forward for the ball, but had it hit off the heel of her glove for an error. Switzer moved to second on Taylor Parsons’ groundout and to third on a wild pitch.

Lily Glunt then hit a hot shot that Prisuta fumbled for another error that allowed Switzer to score. It was a bit of vindication for Glunt, who made the final out with the bases loaded in last year’s 3-2 title loss to Loyalsock

“It feels amazing,” said Glunt. “We practice so hard. We’ve been hitting all week. It feels really good.”

Falk, who showed no effects after being struck in the forehead by a throw from a teammate in warm-ups, had BEA’s power hitters befuddled. Only Parsons, who had two singles, and Switzer, who singled, had any success. Falk stranded three runners in scoring position.

“She was working the outside and she was just a good pitcher,” Glunt said.

“She’s been phenomenal all year,” Riverside coach Pam McCarty said of Falk. “She’s done a great job when she gets behind. You never see her give up. She’s a great pitcher.”

McCarty had some of the same words for Shaw and BEA, which snapped the Lady Panthers’ 16-game winning streak. “It wasn’t a lot of junk pitches,” she said. “It was in-and- out with them. We had to take advantage of that, but it just didn’t happen for us today. The better team won today.”

The Lady Eagles can now turn their attention to Brandywine Heights, coincidentally the same team they beat in the 2005 title game after finishing second the previous season.

Friday’s game time has been changed from 10 a.m. Shaler has graduation that night and the Class AAAA game will move into that time slot.

No matter when the Class AA title game is played, BEA is motivated to return home with a different color medal than last year’s silver.

“Last year, we were happy to get there,” Glunt said. “We’re just not happy to get there this year. We’re not finished, yet. We want to win.”