Carmichaels keeps perfect run going, wins at C-H
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The Carmichaels Mikes are mighty happy as they leave the Chartiers-Houston field with an 11-6 victory Friday. The win keeps Carmichaels undefeated and in sole possession of first place in WPIAL Class A Section 2.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Rerporter
Carmichaels pitcher Bailey Barnyak (10) falls into a congratulatory hug from her catcher, Kaitlyn Waggett, after notching a strikeout to end the game at Chartiers Houston with an 11-6 victory over the Bucs.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels' Ali Jacobs connects for a hit that drove in two runs, putting the Mikes up 4-0 over Chartiers-Houston.
Mark Marietta
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
The dust settles around home plate as Carmichaels’ Carlee Roberts (13) celebrates the fourth-inning runs that put the Mikes up 6-2 over Chartiers-Houston.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels' pitcher Bailey Barnyak (10) leaves the field after endign the game with a strikeout.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston's Lauren Rush beats the throw to Carmichaels catcher Kaitlyn Waggett and scores the sixth run for the Bucs.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels' Sophia Zalar (43) slides safely into third base ahead of the tag from Chartiers-Houston's Heidi Almo.
Mark Marietta/For the Observer-Reporter
Carmichaels pitcher Bailey Barnyak (10) went the distance for the Mikes in an 11-6 victory over Chatiers-Houston.
HOUSTON – The list of undefeated softball teams in the WPIAL is a short one. There are only three names on the list.
One of the those is Carmichaels, in Class A.
The Mikes aren’t a team that is going to overpower opponents with home runs and they don’t have a pitcher who throws no-hitter after no-hitter. What Carmichaels does have is a lineup that can hit from the leadoff spot to the bottom of the order. The Mikes also have an abundance of speed and two of their best players just happen to be freshmen.
What the Mikes are, in addition to being unbeaten, is a team that constantly puts pressure on the opponent’s defense.
And Chartiers-Houston’s defense cracked Friday in a key Class A Section 2 game.
Freshman Carys McConnell drove in three runs, freshman pitcher Bailey Barnyak tossed a four-hitter, struck out 14 and Carmichaels took advantage of several costly errors by Chartiers-Houston in beating the Bucs, 11-6.
The win improves Carmichaels to 8-0 in the section and 12-0 overall.
“I didn’t even know,” Carmichaels center fielder Sophia Zalar said when told the Mikes are one of the WPIAL’s three remaining unbeatens.
“I just keep playing. Just keep concentrating on the next at-bat. We’re taking it game-by-game. This team is something. I’m so happy to be spending my senior year with these girls. … There’s no pressure.”
Carmichaels put pressure on Chartiers-Houston (5-2, 6-5) early and snapped the Bucs’ six-game winning streak. The Mikes forged leads of 2-0 in the second inning and 4-0 in the third.
Errors were the killer for Chartiers-Houston. Four early miscues led to eight Carmichaels runs.
“You just can’t make five or six errors,” C-H coach Tricia Alderson said. “We gave them so many runs. … That was the whole game. Our defense struggled and they capitalized every time.”
Chartiers-Houston pitcher Meadow Ferri pitched well, striking out 10. She also helped her cause by going 3-for-4 with a double and five RBI.
Ferri, however, didn’t have enough help. Ella Richey, Lauren Rush and Ferri, the top three hitters in the Bucs’ lineup, combined for four hits, three walks, four runs and six RBI. The bottom six spots in the batting order were a combined 0-for-17 with 13 strikeouts.
In comparison, the Mikes’ bottom six spots in the order were on base, counting errors, 13 times.
“We have athleticism, and we have speed,” Carmichaels coach Dave Briggs said. “We put pressure on defenses. This is the most speed we’ve had.
“Top to bottom, our lineup can do it. We have some girls who last year batted at the top of the order but are at the bottom this year. Our lineup, (No.s) 1 through 9, can get it done.”
Carmichaels scored two runs without the benefit of a hit in the second inning and stretched the lead to 4-0 in third when Zalar doubled and stole third base, McConnell was hit by a pitch and Ali Jacobs smacked a two-run single.
The Bucs answered with two runs in the bottom of the third on a two-run single by Ferri, but in need of a shutdown inning in the fourth to continue the momentum the Bucs’ defense broke down. With the bases loaded and two outs, a throw to first base on a ground ball by Jacobs got away and two runs scored. Barnyak followed with run-scoring hit and Carmichaels was suddenly up, 9-2.
The Mikes stole a run in the fifth when Kaitlyn Waggett singled, advanced on a wild pitch and stole third base. The throw to third hit Waggett and kicked into foul territory, allowing her to score.
Chartiers-Houston closed to within 10-6 in the sixth when freshman Lauren Rush hit a run-scoring single and Ferri followed with a three-run double to left centerfield.
Carmichaels scored an insurance run the seventh as Megan Voithofer reached on an infield single, was bunted to second by Zalar and scored on a triple off the wall in left centerfield by McConnell.
Zalar was 3-for-4 with a sacrifice, two runs and a double.
“On the road, in this atmosphere, this was our best win,” Briggs said. “We still have a lot of section games to go, though.”