Lady Hornets top Wyalusing in extra innings

By: Ed Weaver  /  May 5, 2017

The Wellsboro Lady Hornets needed nine innings to defeat Wyalusing 2-1 for their 11th straight win on Thursday, May 4.

It was a pitcher's dual the entire game as both teams combined for 8 hits. After a scoreless first inning by both teams the Lady Rams scored the game's first run on a solo home run by Kyleigh Jo Ward. The score remained 1-0 in favor of Wyalusing until the top of the fourth inning.

Freshman Cathryn Brought hit a leadoff double to get on base before a sacrifice fly to center field by sophomore Hailey Neal scored her to tie the game.

From that point on both teams struggled with hits as each defense made play after play until Wellsboro struck again in the top of the ninth.

With one out, Neal reached first due to a fielding error by the Wyalusing second baseman. Junior Kailee Clymer then put down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance Hailey to second. With two outs, sophomore Heidi Zuchowski, with a 1-1 count, hit a line drive slicing away from their right fielder, who got a glove on it but couldn't handle it, allowing Neal to score from second.

Junior Alyssa Yungwirth then got their 3-4-5 hitters out in order to seal the win. 

"For a team with no seniors, these girls handle pressure situations very well," said head coach Ron Brought. "We had outstanding pitching again tonight with Cathryn starting the game and taking us into the 5th inning only allowing one run on two hits. Alyssa followed that with 5 strong innings of one hit ball, shutting down the meat of the Wyalusing order in the bottom of the ninth 1-2-3. To support their pitchers our team played tight defense with no errors. At the end of the day our girls played team softball and manufactured a run to win. These types of pressure situations will prove valuable to our future success."

Junior Sydney Tremper was 2-for-4, Brought was 1-for-2 with 2 walks, and Yungwirth and freshman Ryann Adams were both 1-for-4. Neal and Zuchowski both had RBI's.

Brought started on the mound and went the first four innings, allowing one run on two hits with a strikeout. Yungwirth pitched the final five innings in relief, allowing a hit and striking out four.

The win improves the Lady Hornets' record to 12-1 (11-1 NTL Large School Division). The team will be back in action on Monday, May 8 as they host rival North Penn-Liberty.