Jun 3, 2013 3 min read

STATE COLLEGE – The early deficit wasn’t foreign to the Burgettstown softball team.

Same for the errors and nerves.

The only problem was that five days after scoring the game’s final nine runs to down Frazier in the WPIAL Class A consolation round, the Blue Devils didn’t have a similar push against Claysburg-Kimmel in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.

Burgettstown made four errors, trailed by four after the first three innings and never recovered en route to a 4-0 loss to the District 6 champions at Penn State University’s Nittany Lion Softball Park.

“We just didn’t play well,” Burgettstown coach Mark Deer said. “We didn’t hit the ball. Too many errors again. Off and on all year that’s haunted us. Some games we were able to come back, today we couldn’t; we couldn’t hit the ball.”

Right fielder Shannon Briggs had two singles and Caley Ritts contributed one, but the Blue Devils didn’t manage much else against Claysburg-Kimmel pitcher Kiersten Coho, who struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

Burgettstown’s best chance came in the sixth. With the infield drawn in expecting her to bunt, Briggs beat out a dribbler up the line.

But Caley Ritts’ grounder was hit right at second baseman Courtlin Holland, who tagged Briggs and threw to first to complete the double play.

Claysburg-Kimmel actually led Southern Huntingdon, 4-0, in the District 6 final before giving up four unearned runs and trailing in the bottom of the seventh. So it wasn’t just Burgettstown thinking the Blue Devils might make a run.

“The last few games we’ve been coming from behind, so to get ahead, you can relax a little more,” Claysburg-Kimmel coach Mike Barbarini said. “But they didn’t want to relax too much because we were ahead, 4-0, in the last game, and (Southern Huntingdon) came back and scored five in an inning.”

Claysburg-Kimmel took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Madison Ickes singled up the middle past a sliding Brenna Butts. Center fielder Kala Brumbaugh walked. Both scored on run-scoring groundouts.

The Lady Bulldogs’ lead doubled in the fourth, courtesy of a pair of Burgettstown errors and one odd run-down.

Shortstop Mallory Cox and Holland reached on errors, and first baseman Mercedeze LeMaster singled, triggering the bizarre play. After catching Holland between second and third, Burgettstown chased her down and got the out – at the expense of Cox scoring.

Pitcher Kiersten Coho made it 4-0 with another single to right, the Bulldogs’ first – and only – RBI base hit of the game.

The loss ends Burgettstown’s season at 17-6. Not only did the Blue Devils win the Section 1-A title, but they reached the WPIAL semifinals for the first time since 2006.

“They had a great season,” Deer said. “Nothing to be ashamed of. There are a whole lot of teams sitting at home (Monday).”

Claysburg-Kimmel will play Neshannock in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals. … Bryanna Lonick took the loss, allowing four runs – none earned – on five hits with two walks and no strikeouts.