Bucs earn nail-biting win in PIAA softball playoff opener
McMURRAY — The wonderful part of the PIAA softball playoffs is you never know what’s coming next.
Take Chartiers-Houston for example.
The Bucs first-round PIAA playoff game Monday at Peterswood Park promised to be a slugfest. Berlin Brothersvalley reached double digits in runs scored 13 times this season, with the most coming against North Star, 22, and Chartiers-Houston did it nine times.
But here these two teams stood, combining for three runs in the game, and Chartiers-Houston came away with a 2-1 nail-biting win in the Class 1A opener.
Chartiers-Houston (19-2), the District 7 champion, advances to the next round against either West Branch Thursday at a site and time to be determined. Berlin Brothersvalley, the District 5 runner-up, ends the season with a 16-8 record.
“We’ve had some 3-2, 5-4, 6-5 games but not 2-1.” said Chartiers-Houston head coach Tricia Alderson. “It’s been a while.”
Chartiers-Houston scored a run in the second and a run in the third innings, and that was all that was needed. The Bucs scored in the second inning when Taryne Drilak doubled to center field, went to second on a wild pitch and scored when Berlin Brothersvalley catcher Elsie Barna tried to pick off Drilak at third base. The throw went down the line in left field and Drilak scored easily.
Berlin Brothersvalley tied it 1-1 in the top of the third. Coral Prosser beat out a grounder to shortstop, stole second base and came all the way around when Carley Poorbagh hit a glancing shot off the glove of the Chartiers-Houston first baseman.
The Bucs retook the lead in the third inning when Ella Richey beat out an infield grounder to third then stole second base. Meadow Ferri drove her in with a grounder to third.
Richey had a strong game, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. She probably saved two runs by throwing out runners in the third and fourth innings. She almost had another but the pitch from Ferri caught her off balance. Also, Richey did not have a passed ball.
“I feel like the pressure is the same no matter what,” said Richey. “You just have to have confidence in your teammates.”
“After we threw those girls out, we felt pretty good about them not running,” Alderson said. “She’s an all-state catcher for a reason.”
Berlin Brothersvalley had a runner reach third base with one out in the sixth but Ferri struck out the Nos. 4 and 5 hitters in the lineup to end the threat.
“That was a heck of a game, wasn’t it,” said Berlin Brothersvalley head coach Brian Slope. “You have two pitchers do what they do and you end up with a game like this.”
Ferri struck out nine and walked four. Berlin Brothersvalley starter Elena Ritchey struck out and walked three.