The Yough softball team had plenty of experience in tight games entering the playoffs, having had six one-run outcomes this season, going 2-4 in those contests.
The Cougars were in another tight one against Avonworth in the first round of the WPIAL Class 3A playoffs Thursday afternoon. But Yough (13-8) couldn’t string together hits when they needed to and suffered their fifth one-run loss, a 3-2 decision to the Antelopes (10-8).
“We played a good game. It could have gone either way,” Yough coach Dutch Harvey said. “Another one-run game, and that’s been pretty much the story of our year.”
The Cougars had a chance to open the scoring in the top of the second inning. After center fielder Anna Lindler struck out, third baseman Payton Jenkins doubled and starting pitcher Jaidyn Vay reached first after strike three got by the Avonworth catcher.
Vay wasted no time stealing second base, and with two runners in scoring position, Antelopes starter Anna Fowler struck out Erin Reisinger and Kylee Odelli.
“They strung hits together when they needed them, and when we had runners in scoring position, we couldn’t get them across,” said Harvey. “Our pitch selection was a little poor.”
Yough would regret not scoring as Avonworth struck for two runs in the bottom half of the second inning.
Fowler led off with a walk followed by a single from catcher Reese Long. Alexandra Ebehardt then flew out to right field, and Fowler tagged up to third.
With first baseman Cara Kuban next up, Long stole second, and, on the next pitch, Kuban hit a liner to straightaway center field, right at Lindler.
“It was supposed to be a sacrifice bunt, but I missed that and the next pitch was right down the middle,” Kuban said. “I lined it up and knew what I needed to do.”
It was a tough read for the Lindler as the ball was knuckling right at her. She took a step in before realizing the ball was going over her head and wasn’t quick enough to recover. Two runs scored.
“It’s one of those deals where you get a ball that rises like that, and it takes a lot to stay back on a ball like that,” Harvey said. “She was trying to make a play, and you can’t fault her for that.”
After those runs, Vay retired the next 12 batters, striking out five of them, to keep her team in the game.
Said Harvey of his starter: “When we needed her, she came through for us. We’ve been resting her, and I felt that helped her tremendously. She had good speed today, good motion, good spin on the ball. We threw every pitch in her arsenal, and you couldn’t ask for a better pitching performance.”
Vay went six innings, gave up three runs on five hits, struck out six and walked one.
Fowler was even more dominant for the Antelopes. After the Cougars’ threat in the second, she allowed one baserunner in the next nine batters she faced, fanning five in that span.
She would concede a run in the top of the fifth when Reisinger doubled, advanced on a Kylee Odelli groundout and scored when Kierstin Odelli reached on a throwing error to first base by Fowler. That cut the Antelopes’ lead to 2-1.
Avonworth got what proved to be the winning run when, with runners on first and second, Fowler sent a towering fly ball toward the right-center field gap. The ball rolled to the wall for a double, allowing Gaby Interthal to score.
“Anna’s also our home run leader and our RBI leader,” Antelopes coach Bill Mislan said. “Big clutch hits when we need it. She hit a big home run for us the last time out. I can’t say enough about her. She’s just a freshman but is poised and composed out there on the field.”
Fowler’s poise was put to the test in the top of the seventh.
Vay dribbled a pitch toward first, and Fowler picked it up and made another poor throw to first base, allowing Vay to reach.
In successive pitches, Vay stole second and then third and scored when Kylee Odelli fouled out to Interthal, who celebrated the catch but forgot the situation.
Kierstin Odelli then tapped a ball just short of the mound on the third-base side. Fowler came out to field it and made sure to deliver a good throw to first to seal the win.
“I saw the ball coming right to me,” said Fowler. “Remembered the last two times, and I just told myself to take my time. I made sure I aimed it well and made a strong throw to first base.”
Fowler pitched a complete game, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out 12 and walking none.
“She’s been so clutch for us all season,” said Mislan. “The last couple of games, she beat North Hills 3-1, this game 3-2. She’s been up 0-2 on every batter and her last time out she threw 80 strikes. That’s the key to her game, getting ahead of batters and forcing them into tough hitting positions.”
Avonworth will take on top-seeded South Park (17-1) on Monday in the quarterfinals at a site and time to be determined.
They will need to clean up some mistakes if they hope to give the Eagles a scare.
“We’ll need to work on our hitting and clean up some of the errors we had today,” Kuban said.
Added Mislan: “It’s going to be a tough game, a tough challenge, obviously. But you never know. If the girls are on their game, we keep it low scoring, we might have a shot.”
Yough saw its solid campaign end but has a bright future.
“I told the girls that they need to let that burn a little bit and come out next year with passion,” Harvey said.