Saegertown unable to overcome Laurel
The Saegertown softball team took on Laurel, at Allegheny College, in the PIAA Class 2A State playoffs on Monday. The Panthers fought hard, but could not overcome Laurel in a 6-2 defeat.
"We gave ourselves plenty of opportunities. We just couldn't get the hit in the right spot," Saegertown head coach Derek Peterman said.
The Panthers started the game off balance when the Spartans hit a triple with two outs on the board. After the triple, Laurel scored off a wild pitch.
The bottom of the first and the top of the second were three up and three down, before Maddy Pratt singled in the bottom of the second to get the Panthers' first baserunner.
With the game still tied in the bottom of the third, Hailey Obenrader was up to bat. Hailey Obenrader hit a double to the left center wall with two outs on the board. Next up was Myla Miller who singled to right field. Hailey Obenrader was able to run home to tie the game at one.
Tori Obenrader singled next to put a runner on first and second. With two outs already on the board, the Panthers could not create any more offense when Rylee Price went out swinging.
Laurel broke the tie in the top of the fourth, after a miscommunication in left field caused the ball to drop between two Panthers.
After only Mackenzie Brauen got on base in the bottom of the fourth, the Spartans put up a big fifth inning to stretch the lead.
With two outs on the board again, Laurel scored the first earned run on Hailey Obenrader all playoffs. Laurel then hit a bomb to left field and the ball could not find its way back to the plate in time and all of a sudden it was 4-1.
"Laurel's a no slack team. They're a very good team and they put the ball in play. So obviously they're at-bats were executed well," Peterman said.
Saegertown was down, but was able to strike back in the bottom of the fifth.
Hailey Obenrader was walked, before Tori Obenrader hit a line drive double to bring her sister home.
After getting back within two, Hailey Obenrader battled with Laurel's Ivy Pancher on the plate. With a runners on second and third the duo went the distance with nine fouls, three balls, before the final strike. Hailey Obenrader capped off the inning with a strike to keep the game 4-2.
In the bottom of the sixth, Pratt got to second on a double. With only one out, the Panthers looked to be in a good spot to cut the lead down.
Miley Manning was up to bat. She ground a ball towards Laurel's shortstop, who got Pratt out before throwing it first to get Manning out to end the inning.
At the top of the seventh, the Spartans were ready to add to their lead again.
Laurel had a runner on second base when Hailey Fell hit a two-run homer to make the game 6-2.
The Panthers fought hard in the bottom of the seventh. Leah McGill and Hailey Obenrader got on base with a single. Saegertown had one out before two hits ended in outs, to conclude the Panthers season.
"Now we're looking forward to the next season. We've got a young, young team," Peterman said. "[We hope to see] more leadership out of the younger girls. It's their turn."
Saegertown boasts a load of talent in their soon-to-be upperclassmen getting a year older.
"Our sophomores have been looking up to the juniors and seniors, so now it's their turn to step up. We've got good things coming," Peterman said.
The team loses two seniors, Maddy Pratt and Miley Manning.
"I told the tribune at the beginning of the year, we had big goals," Peterman said. "Maddy Pratt wanted to win D-10 and we did our thing to get it done. Miley Manning, you couldn't ask for a better defensive player. Great kids, they've got a great future ahead of them"
Saegertown ends the season 18-4.
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Laurel (6)
(AB-R-H-RBI) Lang 4-1-0-0, Seifert 3-2-1-1, Fell 4-2-3-2, Krol 3-0-0-0, Pascoe 3-0-1-1, Evans 3-0-1-0, Pancher 3-0-0-0, Balcom 3-0-2-0, Bair 3-1-0-0.
Saegertown (2)
(AB-R-H-RBI) H. Obenrader 3-2-2-0, Miller 4-0-1-1, T. Obenrader 4-0-2-1, Price 3-0-0-0, Brauen 3-0-0-0, Pratt 3-0-2-0, Manning 3-0-0-0, McGill 3-0-1-0, Swanson 3-0-0-0.
Laurel 100 120 2 - 6 8 1
Saegertown 001 010 0 - 2 8 2
BATTING
2B: L - Player; S - H. Obenrader, T. Obenrader, Pratt.
3B: L - Fell.
HR: L - Fell.
PITCHING
(IP-H-R-ER-BB-SO) L - Balcom 7-8-2-2-1-8; S - H. Obenrader 7-8-6-3-3-12.
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