Bald Eagle Area softball’s all-around performance lands it a spot in the District 6 3A title game
Ask Bald Eagle Area softball coach Don Lucas to make a template for his ideal team and it would feature, pitching, defense and hitting, all of equal size and importance.
On a magnificent Thursday afternoon at the Milesburg Little League Field, his Lady Eagles got outstanding defense, superb pitching from Madison Peters and just enough hitting to subdue Westmont Hilltop, 3-0, and advance to the District 6 3A finals at 5 p.m. Wednesday at St. Francis University in Loretto.
“We talk to the team about the three phases of the game — pitching, hitting and defense,” he said. “Usually, if you win two of those three phases you win the game. Today we won all three.”
Leading the defense were third baseman Autumn Tobias and center fielder Mara Hockenberry.
Tobias made a leaping catch of a line drive off Zailee Saeda in the second inning, and then made what Westmont Hilltop coach John Grace described as the key play in the game when she dove and caught a pop-up bunt attempt on a suicide squeeze then turned and doubled the runner off third for an inning-ending double play.
“That suicide squeeze is our bread-and-butter play,” Grace said.
Hockenberry had five put outs in center field, several on balls she ran down.
“Tobias had a heck of a game at third,” Lucas said. “And Mara just runs balls down in the outfield. Their coach said after the game that it was like there was four of her out there.”
Through the first five innings the game was a pitcher’s duel between Peters and Westmont-Hilltop’s Bailey Thornton.
Westmont-Hilltop mounted a threat in the second that Tobias killed with her double play while the Lady Eagles left runners at first and third in the fourth.
“The way it was going, I thought it was going to come down to who got the big hit or made a miscue,” Peters said.
It was Westmont-Hilltop.
Peters drew a lead-off walk in the fifth. Courtesy runner Haley Bucha moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Maegan King. Katelyn Smitchko followed with a double to short left-center to score Bucha. One out later Maddie Eckley singled to left-center to score Smitchko and Hockenberry singled Eckley home with the third run of the inning.
“They got three hits that just dropped in,” Grace said. “That’s the way the game goes. We had a runner in scoring position and we can’t get her in and they get three hits to drive in their runs.
“But we knew they were good. We talked to some people who had played them. Their pitcher worked the ball in and out. They’re good. They’ll go far in the playoffs.’’
Peters struck out eight and allowed only two hits and worked out of trouble thanks to her defense, which has not allowed a run in the playoffs.
“I was pleased with the way Madison pitched her way out of jams,“ Lucas said.
With the win BEA, raised its record to 18-2 and caused Lucas to break coaching precedent.
“We gave the girls tomorrow and Saturday off,’’ he said. ”In my entire coaching career I’ve never done that. But they’re high school kids, it’s a holiday weekend and they need to get away from softball and just have some fun.”
District 6 3A semifinals
Westmont-Hilltop 000 000 0 - 0 2 0
BEA 000 030 x - 3 - 6 1
WP - Madison Peters, 7 IP, 2 H, 8 SO, 0 BB; LP - Bailey Thornton, 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 2 SO, 3BB; 2b - Katelyn Smitchko, Kendall Shingler; DP, BEA; LOB - BEA 4, FH 3.
Records: BEA 18-2, FH 11-6
Next game: BEA vs. Cambria Heights, 5 p.m. Wednesday at St. Francis University.
District 6 2A semifinal
Marion Center: 000 000 0 - 0 runs, 1 hit
Penns Valley: 021 022 0 - 7 runs, 8 hits
WP - Kendra Bumgardner - 8 SO, 2 BB, 1 HB; LP - Jasmine Hill, 1 SO, 2 BB, 1 HB; HR - Avelyn Van Heyst (PV); 3B - Allie O’Brien (PV); 2B- Ellie Coursen (PV)
Next game: Penns Valley vs. TBA 5 p.m. Thursday at St. Francis University
This story was originally published May 27, 2021 at 6:43 PM.