Bad inning dooms West Branch in 5

DuBOIS — One bad inning.

West Branch head softball coach Dan Betts said the Lady Warriors would need solid pitching and great defense to beat Union on Thursday in the PIAA Class 1A quarterfinals at Heindl Field in DuBois.

But a four-run fourth inning by the Scotties, thanks to two errors and a misplayed bunt, lifted Union over West Branch 5-2.

"We jumped out to the lead and I knew it was going to take a good pitching performance and playing perfect in the field to win," said Betts. "We got a pretty good pitching performance, it was just those couple of errors. It really was one inning that decided the whole game."

West Branch pitcher Makena Moore struck out 12 batters and allowed just five hits doing her part in the circle.

The Lady Warriors took a 2-0 lead after three innings, thanks to a big hit by catcher Greysyn Gable.

No. 9 hitter Madison Butler, singled into right before moving to second on a wild pitch by Union starter Mia Preuhs.

Brooke Bainey drew a walk, before Gable stepped up to the plate with two outs and smacked a double into right center field.

Both Butler and Bainey came home on the play, while Preuhs struck out the next batter to end the frame.

Moore had a scoreless bottom of the third, but ran in to trouble in the bottom of the fourth.

Scotties leadoff hitter Olivia Williams doubled to start the inning, then moved to third on a bunt that turned into a fielder's choice by Allie Ross.

Williams scored on a wild pitch to cut it to 2-1.

Addie Nogay layed down a bunt and reached on an error, moving Ross to third.

Preuhs was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Olivia Benedict, who reached via another error, plating Ross to tie the game.

Another bunt led to another error, as Nogay scored to give Union a 3-2 advantage.

Yet another error allowed Preuhs’ courtesy runner Maddie Settle to score to give the Scotties a 4-2 lead.

Moore eventually got out of the inning, one hit and three errors later.

"One inning that cost us the game," Betts said. "Playing on turf, which we normally don't do, forced a couple of the errors we had.

"The one was a mental error, but we battled the whole way to the end. Union is a really good team. They have some kids who can hit the ball."

West Branch had just one baserunner the rest of the way, in the top of the fifth, but she was caught stealing and Preuhs struck out the next two batters to get out of the frame unscathed.

Union added a final run in the bottom of the fifth inning on an RBI double by Benedict to set the final at 5-2.

Preuhs finished the game with 17 strikeouts. She walked two and gave up three hits.

Union plays Claysburg-Kimmel, a 5-1 winner over Chartiers-Houston on Monday at a site and time to be determined.

West Branch finishes the season at 20-5. The team loses three seniors in Hannah Betts, Kamryn MacTavish and Alaina Royer.

"There were some highlights for us," Betts said. "There were some good things done today. Players are upset, but we made some plays that were positive. But it's hard when the season ends.

"I told the kids that there were eight teams left in the state and only one of those is standing out the end. So there are seven teams that don't make it. But at the start of the season there are over 100 teams in Class 1A and you made it down to the final eight. That's something to be proud of.

"This matches the furthest a team from West Branch has gone. They wanted to be the first one to do that. But there is a lot of talent coming back and next year is a new season. It's a bright future for us."

West Branch—2

Bainey 3b 2100, Ca. Wesesky 1b 3000, Gable c 3012, Moore p 3020, Ch. Wesesky cr 0000, K. MacTavish ss 2000, Royer dp 3000, Graham cf 3000, Betts rf 3000, Butler lf 3110, Thompson 2b (flex) 0000.

Union—5

Williams 2b 3110, Ross cf 3100, Nogay lf 2211, Preuhs p 2000, Settle cr 0100, Benedict dp 2012, May 1b 2000, Gorgacz ss 2000, Cameron c 3000, Casalandra 3b 2000, Jendrysik rf (flex) 0000. Totals: 21-5-3-3.

Score by Innings

West Branch 002 000 0—2 4 4

Union 000 410 x—5 3 1

Errors—Moore, Gable, K. MacTavish, Ca. Wesesky. Williams. LOB—West Branch 4, Union 5. DP—West Branch 1. 2B—Gable. Williams, Benedict. SAC—Nogay, May. HBP—Preuhs. SB—Nogay 2. WP—Preuhs.

Pitching

West Branch: Moore—6 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 12 SO.

Union: Preuhs—7 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 17 SO.

WP—Preuhs. LP—Moore.

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