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Jeff-Mo Leechburg Recap

5 min read

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                                    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R      H E LOB

Jefferson-Morgan      1 1 0 0 0 0 0                     2 5 0 6

Leechburg                  0 0 2 0 0 1 X                   3 5 2 3

HBX

Leechburg: M. Wright (2B, Bot 2 off C. Dugan) M. Pierce (2B, Bot 7 off C. Dugan)

By Joe Smeltzer

For the Observer-Reporter

Peters Township-  Last Wednesday, Jefferson-Morgan’s hope for a WPIAL championship ended in just three and ½ innings, when the Rockets fell 15-0 to county rival and No. 1 seed West Greene.

Coming into Tuesday afternoon, Jeff-Morgan (11-8) still had a shot at the PIAA tournament, but it would need to beat second-seeded Leechburg to get there.

While the Rockets hung with the Blue Devils (17-2) all afternoon, they fell short, and ended their season with a 3-2 loss at Pleasant Valley Elementary School.

“(When) we play against these other teams that aren’t West Greene, we can hang with them,” Jeff-Morgan head coach Rich Rush said. “The biggest thing with my girls is just getting them to have the confidence in themselves that they can play with these teams, and I think this year went a long way for that.”

It took the Rockets just three batters to draw first blood. Pitcher Caitlyn Dugan helped herself, driving in shortstop and leadoff hitter Jasmine Demaske for the game’s first run. Jeff-Morgan added on in its next at-bat. After Maddie Van Divner singled, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, Savanah Clark drove her in with a groundout to make it 2-0.

After leaving runners on base in the first two innings, Leechburg’s offense broke through in the bottom of the third. The Blue Devils cut the deficit in half when Kristen Knapp scored on a popout to short by McKenna Pierce. Leecburg tied it one batter later on an RBI groundout by pitcher Emma Ritchie, who would go on to get the win.

Jefferson-Morgan threatened in the fourth, loading the bases on a single and two walks. With two outs, however, Ritchie retired Demaske, and Leechburg escaped with the game still tied.

Neither team scored again until the bottom of the sixth.

With Dugan having set down nine in a row, Pierce lead off the sixth for Leechburg, and doubled down the left field line. She would come around to score on a groundout by Ritchie, giving the Blue Devils their first lead of the evening, and the only advantage they would need.

With their season on the line in the seventh, the Rockets got a runner to second base, but Dugan grounded out to end the ballgame.

For Leechburg, Ritchie threw all seven innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits, walking three and striking out six. The Blue Devils are now on to the state tournament, where they will face the district 9 champion.

For the Rockets, Dugan got the loss, giving up three runs, all earned, on five hits over six. Dugan also walked a batter and struck out five.

Despite ending the season with consecutive losses, things are looking up for Jefferson-Morgan.

Of the starters from Tuesday’s game, The Rockets have seven coming back, and four of which being freshman. With West Greene- who is favored to win the WPIAL championship this afternoon against Union- losing several key pieces, Jeff-Morgan has an opportunity to close the gap in 1A Section 2.

“I think we have a little bit more confidence this year, definitely,” Dugan said. “So just confidence (will be important).

For Rush, building on that confidence will be key to the Rockets making their way to states in 2020.

“We beat a four-seed (Sewickley Academy) and we played right with the two seed,” Rush said. “They have to carry that off into next year, and know that they have the ability… we’re going to be a tough team next year.”

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