Bellefonte softball rallies in second inning to defeat Philipsburg-Osceola 8-5
With just two more games in the regular season left for both Bellefonte and Philipsburg-Osceola, the teams battled it out on Wednesday afternoon.
The game went back and forth with the Lady Mounties jumping on the board with a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Bellefonte hung around in the game and rallied back with a 4-run second inning and two more insurance runs in the third to end up with an 8-5 victory.
Lady Raiders sophomore Carley Clarkson was the winning pitcher, going seven innings, allowing five runs on nine hits, while walking three, striking out one and allowing one home run. Alivia Bizzarri took the loss for Philipsburg-Osceola, pitching six innings, allowing eight runs (six earned) on 10 hits, while striking out five and allowing a home run.
Every hard-fought battle that Bellefonte head coach Travis Foster’s team faces in the regular season prepares them for the postseason. Wednesday’s back-and-forth under the 80-degree weather and clear sunny skies was no different.
“We had a rocky start,” Foster said. “Our pitcher (Clarkson) was just a little jittery and didn’t have her best stuff early, but she settled in well. She gave up minimal hits and gave up a few late. That’s fine. We had the idea that we’re going to score some runs today. Let’s get out and try to put a big spot on the board and see where we go from there. She battled and it’s only going to make us better.”
Part of Bellefonte’s second-inning onslaught were the sweet-swinging bats of third baseman Sienna Barnhart and first baseman Taylor Brown. The sophomore and first-year duo paired to drive in two runs each to boost the Lady Raiders to a 6-3 lead at the end of the inning.
Barnhart clobbered a single to score Madiosn Ripka and Madison Melius. After reaching first base, Brown sent Bizzarri’s pitch over the center field fence to plate two runs. Barnhart finished with a 2-for-3 day from the plate with two RBIsin, while Brown went 1-for-3 with the aforementioned home run.
“I think we all worked well together and we did really well with two outs,” Barnhart said. “Overall, our offense was really good today.”
Brown added on her home run: “It felt good having my team behind me. It helps when they are looking out for me.”
The Lady Mounties jumped on the scoreboard first with Paige Jarrett singling to lead off the top of the first. London Cutler immediately walked and Mykenna Bryan drove in Jarrett on a single. Like clockwork, Karissa Taylor knocked in two more runs on a single with Cutler and Bryan crossing the plate. Barnhart crossed the plate on an error in the first inning for Bellefonte to trail 3-1.
Bellefonte added four runs in the second for the 6-3 lead. The Lady Raiders padded their lead in the third with Ripka doubling and later being driven in by Madison Melius. Melius scored on an error by the catcher, rounding third base and marching home for the 8-3 lead.
Karissa Taylor hit a home run of her own for Philipsburg-Osceola to trail 8-4. The Lady Mounties scored one final run to ultimately fall 8-5.
Philipsburg-Osceola head coach Steve Frank saw the team’s fortunes change just in one inning.
“They were swinging at good pitches at the beginning of the game,” Frank said. “The zone opened up a little and we were swinging at some bad ones at the wrong time.”
This story was originally published May 11, 2022 at 10:05 PM.
