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Cook's one-hitter leads to triumph over Clearfield |
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Written by Dan Walk
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Tuesday, 11 May 2010 |
HYDE — Senior starting pitcher Kelsey Cook was nearly perfect, and the Punxsy softball team registered all the timely hits it could ask for while defeating Clearfield 9-1 in what could be a District IX Class AAA Championship preview Monday.
Cook was hitting the corners and kept Clearfield's batters off-balance all game. She surrendered just one hit — a B.J. Bowman home run — during her complete-game performance while striking out 14.
Punxsy manager Alan Pifer said that most of Cook's pitches were working well, leading to very few opportunities for Clearfield to earn a hit.
"She got stronger as the game went on," Pifer said. "Most of her strikeouts came during the last few innings."
Punxsy did all it could to provide Clearfield with little hope as the playoffs are a few weeks away. The Lady Chucks, the reigning two-time champions, were unopposed in the district playoffs last season after beating the Lady Bisons for the district crown in 2008.
This year, Punxsy finished the regular season with a 2-0 record against the Lady Bisons after defeating them 9-2 April 14 and 9-1 Monday.
"We talked about that before the game," Pifer said. "We figured we would see them in districts, and we didn't want to give them any confidence."
Punxsy's clutch bats showed up during the final five innings, as big hits with runners in scoring position fueled the nine runs that the Lady Chucks scored.
"It hasn't been happening much lately," Pifer said of Punxsy's clutch hits. "Tonight, they seemed to come through."
Up 2-1 through four frames, Megan Kauffman singled and Ashley Barenchik walked before both advanced into scoring position thanks to a wild pitch. Then, a two-run single pushed Punxsy's lead to 4-1.
Angela Laska singled and stole second base in the sixth inning, but with two outs, Punxsy didn't appear as if it would add to its lead. That's when Kauffman singled Laska to third before Laska was able to come home on a Clearfield error.
With Kauffman on third after a wild pitch, Barenchik walked and stole second base. This time, with both Kauffman and Barenchik in scoring position, Neal provided the big blow — a two-run single, much like what Powell accomplished an inning prior.
Punxsy's 7-1 lead became 9-1 when Jenna Reitz and Cook reached base on walks. Laska then singled in Reitz, and Amber Lellock knocked home Hannah Giavedoni, who was Cook's courtesy runner following the walk.
Punxsy never trailed in the game, as Bowman's solo home run in the fourth cut the Lady Chucks' 2-1 lead in half.
Barenchik's second solo home run of the season — a two-out blast — provided Punxsy with a 1-0 lead through three innings. She finished the game with three runs scored.
Neal, Reitz, Laska, Lellock and Kauffman each had two hits apiece, with Punxsy totaling 12 as a team. One of Reitz's hits was a double.
Both Neal and Powell drove in a pair, and Kauffman scored twice.
The Lady Chucks will now have a day off to prepare for Bradford, which comes to town for a 4:15 p.m. start Wednesday. Punxsy's seniors will be celebrated prior to the game.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 12 May 2010 )
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