Rockets make most of return to playoffs, pound Rochester 15-1
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Jefferson-Morgan’s Cait Dugan threw a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and went 3-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt while batting in the Rockets’ 15-1 victory.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Jefferson-Morgan pitcher Cait Dugan (right) is all smiles as she’s greeted by catcher Autumn Gustovich after the Rockets’ 15-1 win over Rochester.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Jefferson-Morgan’s Abby Ankrom hustles home to score on a wild pitch during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game against Rochester at Trinity Middle School on Tuesday.
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Jefferson-Morgan’s Abby Ankrom beats the tag by Rochester’s Syd Bable to score a run for the Rockets in their WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game at Trinity Middle School Tuesday.
Jefferson-Morgan had missed out on the WPIAL softball playoffs the last two years.
The Rockets took full advantage of their return to the postseason on Tuesday afternoon.
Cait Dugan went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and fired a two-hitter as J-M pounded Rochester, 15-1 in five innings, in a Class A first-round game at Trinity Middle School.
The Rockets advance to the quarterfinals where they will play fourth-seeded Sewickley Academy, a 5-4 winner over Monessen, on Monday, May 20, with the site and time to be determined.
“They worked hard this year and they deserve where they finished,” said J-M coach Rich Rush, whose team was second behind top-seeded West Greene in the Section 2 standings.
“It’s a good feeling being back.”
It was Jefferson-Morgan’s first playoff victory since a 2-1 win over Smethport Area in a PIAA first-round game in 2015, the year the Rockets won the WPIAL championship. They fell to Cochranton, 1-0, in their next game, and lost a tough 1-0 game to Monessen in the first round of the 2016 WPIAL playoffs.
J-M (10-6) set the tone immediately against the Rams (3-14), the fourth-place team out of Section 1.
Jasmine Demaske put down a perfect bunt single to lead off the bottom of the first against losing pitcher Kiera Witt, stole second and scored on a pair of passed balls to put Jefferson-Morgan in front to stay.
The Rockets combined for four walks, a hit batter, a sacrifice bunt by Dugan and an RBI double by Savannah Clark to push across four more runs in the inning for a 5-0 advantage.
“In a game like this it’s huge to jump ahead and get the nerves out of the system,” Rush said. “It let’s the girls relax a little bit and play their ball.”
Rochester tallied its lone run in the second when Hailey Cole, who had the Rams’ only two hits, singled in Tab Paylak. An outstanding defensive play by J-M first baseman Brynn Boyd, who caught Sasha Wade’s foul pop up against the fence, helped prevent any further damage.
Jefferson-Morgan put the game away when it exploded for nine runs in the third, all after there were two outs. Autumn Gustovich laced an RBI triple, Dugan smacked a two-run single and Kyra Smitley also singled in a run during the outburst in which 11 consecutive Rockets reached base.
“We did sort of the same thing earlier this year against Monessen when we scored six with two outs,” Rush said. “I told them it doesn’t matter how many outs there are, everybody just do your job at the plate and things will happen.”
Dugan accounted for J-M’s final run when she blasted a triple to the fence in center field and then scored when the throw to third went astray.
Dugan was stellar on the mound with two walks and nine strikeouts. She was supported by error-less play from her defense.
“This is our first time playing on turf all year,” Dugan pointed out. “We went and practiced at a local turf field to get some reps in and I think it really helped.”
Dugan has been on a roll at the plate and in the circle lately, according to Rush.
“About two weeks ago she just all of a sudden jumped to a different level in pitching and she’s carried it over even since,” Rush said of his senior hurler. “I’m not sure what it was but I told her just keep doing it.”
Witt surrendered five earned runs on 10 hits with eight walks and two strikeouts.
“Jefferson-Morgan reminds me of the top teams in our section,” Rams coach Michael Cunning said. “I thought they played well. They’re a humble team, they played sound and efficiently.”
Demaske, Abby Ankrom, Boyd, Dugan, Gustovich and Maddie Vandivner each scored two runs for J-M.
“It feels could to come out and dominate and win,” Dugan said. “That’s what our coach wanted us to do, so we could get into the quarterfinals.”