RECAP
UNIVERSITY PARK — Susquenita’s softball ride — poof — is over.
But what a ride it was.
The Blackhawks played in the District 3 championship for the first time, won their first district title and advanced to the PIAA playoffs for the first time in the history of the program.
Monday, Susquenita’s season — the wins, the accomplishments, the fun bus rides, the togetherness, the camaraderie — came to a screeching halt.
Mackenzie Klinger and Megan Grozier knocked in three runs apiece, and District 4 champ Central Columbia iced the game with a 4-run sixth in the Blue Jays’ 10-5 victory over the Blackhawks in a PIAA-AA state semifinal at Penn State’s Beard Field.
Susquenita, which finished its season with a nifty 23-4 record with 10 seniors dotting the roster, led 5-4 after three innings, but Central Columbia got to Blackhawks’ starter Kayla Rhome for the go-ahead runs in the bottom of the fourth, and then tacked on four more in the sixth to sew it up — and send Susquenita home for good.
But what a ride for coach Ron Baker and his squad.
ON DECK
Central Columbia will take on District 6 champ Bald Eagle Area in the PIAA-AA state finale on Friday at 10 a.m. back here at Beard Field. BEA beat D6 runner-up Phillipsburg-Osceola 7-3 in the other semifinal on Monday at Penn State.
PIVOTAL SEQUENCE
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth, Central Columbia put together a rally and grabbed the lead for good.
Rhome got a quick out, but leadoff hitter Marissa Shelhamer belted a double and went to third on Carley Swisher’s base hit. Swisher swiped second, and then Rhome retired Kimmy Hollister on a foul pop to catcher Kora Zeigler.
But with two outs, Mackenzie Klinger slapped a single through the left side, plating Shelhamer and Swisher and the Blue Jays were up 6-5 — and seized control for good.
SIEGRIST GETTING OUTS
Central Columbia starter Paige Siegrist gave up five runs over the first three innings before settling in.
Over the final four frames, the righty allowed just three singles, and she retired 13 of the final 17 hitters, including a lights-out, ultra-clutch top of the sixth, when she sat down leadoff hitter Vanessa Hoffman (chopper to short), Carra Stevens (hopper to third) and Amber Turpin (pop to second) on four pitches.
Siegrist, a righty who likes to mix her pitches, also had a 1-2-3 seventh, sending Central Columbia to the state title game for the first time since 1994, when the Blue Jays won the PIAA crown.
DIAMOND NOTES
Susquenita struck first in the top of the first, with Zeigler delivering an RBI single to plate Stevens, who reached on a fielder’s choice.
But Central Columbia put up a 3-spot in the bottom of the first, with Klinger delivering a sac fly, Allison McCracken picking up an RBI single, and Rhome plunked Emily McCracken with the bases loaded to force in the third run.
Susquenita got one back in the second when Nicole Ebersole belted a 1-out triple and scored when Hoffman reached on a error, and it was 3-2.
Cassie Auxt delivered the bit hit in Susquenita’s 3-run third; her 2-run single plated courtesy runner Heather Heckert and Rachael Sterner, giving the Blackhawks a short-lived 5-4 cushion.
INSURANCE
Central Columbia broke it wide open in the bottom of the sixth, taking advantage of two walks, a hit batter and a throwing error.
Allison McCracken walked with the sacks juiced for a run, and Grozier followed with a 2-run single and the damage was done.
STAT PACK
Turpin and Auxt both went 2-for-3 for Susquenita, which hammered out 11 hits, but couldn’t get anything going after the third. … Swisher went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, a steal and three runs for Central Columbia, which matched Susquenita with 11 hits. … Grozier went 3-for-4 with a double and Allison McCracken went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, knocked in two runs and scored three times for Central Columbia, which improved to 24-2. … Central Columbia survived four errors — two in the third, when Susquenita scored three runs. … Central Columbia was in the state semifinals for the third time in the last six seasons.
SOFTBALL LIFER
Central Columbia coach Duane Ford is in his — gulp — 46th season as the Blue Jays’ head coach. Monday’s win was his 771st as the program’s skipper.
DUGOUT CHATTER
Susquenita pitcher Kayla Rhome after the game — “We tried to keep our heads up and the team kept trying to back me up … we did the best we could. It was a great season. I wish we could have made it to the state championship. We’re a small school and we don’t always get looked at a lot, but we made it really far and this is a great accomplishment.”
Rhome on the back-and-forth battle vs. Central Columbia — “We kept huddling and talked about not giving up. We kept cheering and we kept staying loud, but things didn’t come out our way.”
Rhome on getting the start in the state semifinals — “I was excited. I tried not to be nervous and to just go out there and throw my game.”
Rhome on Blackhawks’ seniors and playing with this group — “I grew up with these girls. The last four years have been amazing. I’ll definitely miss them.”
Susquenita coach Ron Baker on his team’s success — “It’s been tremendous. I don’t even know what to say. We’ve gone further than we’ve ever gone before, but obviously we’re disappointed that we’re not playing Friday (in the PIAA finals).”
Baker on what he told his team after the game — “We talked about the ride we had and that I’m very proud of them. They’ve been playing ball either with each other or against each other since they were 10. This was a very special group.”
Central Columbia coach Duane Ford postgame — “Every year we set some goals. League title. District title. And now we have a good shot at a state title. A little bit of luck and a bounce here and there, and you can make your run. We try and get to the state playoffs and go as far as we can.”
Ford on surviving Susquenita’s early onslaught — “If you would have told me that we would have four errors in the first three innings and we’d still be ahead at some point, I would have said that wouldn’t have been very likely against a team like that.”
REINHART ON INSTAGRAM: JeffReinhart77