Lady Eagles hope history is on their side today

By Walt Moody

Maybe déja vu isn’t the correct term, but Bald Eagle Area softball coach Dave Breon sure has a strange feeling he’s been here before.

CDT file photo/Christopher Weddle

Bald Eagle Area’s Margaret Rougeux, left, and Janelle Poorman look on after the Lady Eagles’ 3-2 loss in eight innings to Loyalsock in last year’s PIAA Class AA softball title game at Shippensburg University.

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• Zoned in

In 2004, the Lady Eagles lost the PIAA Class AA title game to a District 4 power and came back the next season to win the title.

That same scenario could happen today as BEA (23-3) faces Brandywine Heights (27-0) in Class AA title clash at noon at Shippensburg University’s Robb Field.

The similarities between the 2005 season and this season are not lost on Breon, who is making his fourth trip to the title game in six seasons at BEA. Here’s a few:

• The Lady Eagles got new uniforms before the 2005 season as well as this year.

• In 2005, the Lady Eagles scored seven runs against Philipsburg-Osceola in the District 6 title game, something they did this season.

• In 2005, they allowed just one run in three PIAA games to advance to the title game, the same amount they’ve allowed this season.

• In the 2005 final, BEA faced District 3 champion Brandywine Heights for the title.

• This is like too strange — too, too strange,” Breon said.

What remains is whether this year’s Lady Eagles can capture the gold like the 2005 squad, which blanked the Bullets 6-0.

Breon’s 2005 squad rode the right arm of Brittany Rees to the title and this year he has a pitcher cut in the same mold. Megan Shaw (18-2, 0.94 ERA) has allowed just nine hits and one run, while striking out 20 and walking one in three PIAA wins.

Shaw’s strength is her control, having walked just eight batters in 1411/3 innings.

“On average if she misses location a half a dozen times the whole game, that would be about it,” Breon said.

“That’s not very many. That’s the way Britt was. If I asked for it high and in, that’s where she’d put it. That’s what made Britt so successful in 2005. She was like a bulldog and I see the same thing with Megan.”

Shaw has been at her best when the pressure is turned up. She’s 12-2 for her career in the postseason, with her only losses coming against the eventual state champion — Philipsburg- Osceola (1-0 in 2007) and Loyalsock (3-2 in eight innings in 2008).

It’s a streak that Shaw isn’t hoping to extend today. “I hope it’s my turn,” the senior right-hander said, “I’m just going to go out and keep throwing like I’m throwing. Throw what coach calls for me and my defense will play well behind me. We’ll hit and hopefully it turns out in our favor this time.”

Hitting is where this team differs from the 2005 squad. Even though BEA hit two home runs in the state title game, it was the team that more often wore out the gaps with doubles and had several excellent baserunners.

This year’s squad is a team that former Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver would love because it can beat you with the two-run homer. The Lady Eagles, led by Jasa Mitchell (7) and Brooke Klinefelter (6), have 23 home runs.

“There’s more power in this lineup versus the 2005 team,” Breon said. “The 2005 team there was more balance and speed. This team is built more for power.”

While the power is big, Breon said leadoff hitter Taylor Parsons (.333) could have a big impact. Parsons had two hits in Monday’s semifinals and had two hits and was on base four times in last year’s title game.

“When she gets on, that makes things happen,” Breon said. “We can do some things then. We’ve got to get her in scoring position because she’s got some wheels. On a base hit, she is typically going to get in there.”

“I feel a little more confident this year, just knowing that I was there last year and knowing what happened,” said Parsons, who throws right-handed, but bats lefty. “I’m seeing the ball really well. Hopefully, I’ll just stick with that.”

The Lady Eagles have struggled at times in the postseason, getting just five hits in a 3-1 win over Bishop Canevin and three hits in a 1-0 semifinal squeaker against Riverside.

Breon is buoyed by the fact his team is making contact, having struck out 12 times in the three PIAA games.

“I’m not disappointed in the way they’re swinging,” he said. “The fact that they’re putting the bat on the ball and not striking out, that doesn’t bother me. We’re facing better pitching and runs are going to be at a premium. I don’t think we’re doing anything wrong or we’re tanking. We’re just seeing better pitching.”

The Lady Eagles will see one of the best in the state in Brandywine Heights’ Alyssa Fegely. The senior is 26-0 with a minuscule 0.23 ERA. Fegely has struck out 241 and walked just 9 in 152 innings.

Fegely enters today’s title game having thrown seven consecutive shutouts and she’s allowed just six runs (five earned) for the entire season. She’s the big reason why the Bullets have trailed just one-half inning all season.

Fegely, 97-7 for her career and headed to Moravian College, has a history with Centre County teams. She suffered her worst career outing when P-O torched her 11-6 in the 2007 title game.

Bullets coach Don Roach said BEA will see a different pitcher than the one who was in the circle two years ago.

“She’s just matured as an athlete,” Roach said. “She’s become much more mentally tougher. I’ve yet to see her be fazed by something. I believe she is the complete softball player at the (Class) AA level.

“She’s a very good competitor,” he added. “If something is not going her way, she keeps working until it does go her way.”

Breon’s scouts had a look at Fegely in a 7-0 rout of Central Columbia in the PIAA semifinals and agree with Roach’s assessment.

“She’s probably not the same pitcher she was when she was a sophomore against Philipsburg,” Breon said. “She’s got some different pitches. It’s just going to be another battle like it was against Riverside or it would be against Philipsburg.

“She’s up there in velocity,” he added. “She’s up there around what Meg is. That’s not going to bother us because it’s not like it’s something we haven’t seen before. We just have to find a way to scratch out two or three runs. If we can do that I’ll feel pretty good with Megan.”

Shaw will face a lineup, whose worst hitter is batting .286. Led by center fielder Jenn Dalickas (.482, 8 homers, 38 RBIs) and Fegely (.444, 7 homers, 24 RBIs), the Bullets feature seven players batting .348 or better.

“The good thing is that we have consistently hit up-and-down the lineup,” Roach said. “Going into Monday’s game, every single starter was hitting .300 or better. That is such a plus because something can just happen at any time or any place.”

Roach said his team, like BEA, is motivated to take home a gold. Fegely, catcher Leanda Helms and second baseman Amanda Shoemaker started on the squad that was thumped by Philipsburg-Osceola.

“It left a sour taste in their mouths. That’s for darn sure,” Roach said. “They remember that. They haven’t talked about it a whole lot, but they remember.”

Breon expects another nail-biter today.

“It’s going to be a dogfight,” he said. “We’re looking at two really good teams going at it again. Maybe a mistake is going to make the difference.”

BEA’s players are determined not to allow an error prevent them from walking in the footsteps of a team that brought home the school’s first PIAA softball title in 2005.

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

“This is what we’ve been in the gym since October for and done everything,” added second baseman Parsons. “This is where we want to be and it’s nice to be here.”