Bald Eagle softball smothers Southmoreland in PIAA Class 3A Softball Championships
It was just another day on the mound for Bald Eagle softball pitcher Sierra Albright.
The first-year right-handed starter picked up her first playoff victory on Monday with the Lady Eagles notching a 4-1 victory over Southmoreland in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A Championships. Albright lasted seven innings, allowing four hits and one run while striking out 11.
Her ability to look calm on the mound is innately part of her being. And if she is rattled, there will be an expressionless stare back into the catcher’s mitt to get the next out.
“I felt really good,” Albright said. “I was a little nervous. I don’t really think while I’m out there. Nothing really bothers me whenever I’m pitching.”
She was backed up by the strong bats of her team. Ava Stere and Sydney Thompson each had multi-hit games for the Lady Eagles. Stere went 3-for-3, driving in three runs and was walked once to lead Bald Eagle to victory.
“I was just looking for a good pitch that I could drive,” Stere said. “Then, I could just do what I can to get my teammates in. We went up to the plate and we were ready to attack good pitches and we were just ready to go. So, whenever there was a good one down the middle, you were ready to attack and advance the other runners and get on-base.”
Maddy Cyphart was Southmoreland’s starter. She allowed five hits and three runs over 1.5 innings, striking out one and walking one. Maddie Brown entered in relief for Cyphart, allowing one run on four hits over 4.1 innings and striking out one.
First-year Lady Eagles catcher Kailey Eckert set the table for her team. The leadoff hitter went 2-for-4, scored two runs and drove in a run. Converting her on-base percentage of .500 in the game into two runs, she was able to keep pressure on Southmoreland’s defense.
The Lady Eagles collectively went 9-for-28 from the plate.
“Definitely from the beginning of the year to the end of the year, we grew and jelled together,” Eckert said. “We’re just starting to put our hits together and they’re compacting and putting pressure on the infield to make them have more errors. It’s helping us out a lot.”
Bald Eagle jumped onto the scoreboard first when Stere doubled to score Eckert to give the team a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Eckert singled in the bottom of the second to plate Shae Housel, followed by a Stere single for Eckert to score her second run of the game and give the Lady Eagles a 3-0 lead.
Southmoreland’s lone run came when Gabriella Grahaik doubled, scoring Bea Paurlikausky in the top of the fourth. Stere answered with another double in the bottom of the frame to score Sydney Thompson, giving the Lady Eagles a 4-1 lead.
Bald Eagle is set to take on Deer Lakes in the second round on Thursday. The time is to be determined.
This story was originally published June 6, 2022 at 8:20 PM.
