Warren had a shot at redemption and took advantage.
After losing to Harbor Creek, 4-3, on Monday in a nine-inning thriller, the Lady Dragons bounced back in dramatic fashion, winning 3-2 Wednesday at Hawbaker Field.
It came down to the wire, but Warren ended things in style when Rachel Hasselman, the first batter up in the bottom of the seventh, hit a walk-off home run.
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Mitchell Wilston
Perfect form
Warren’s Kaitlin Ishman smacks a home run with perfect form in Warren’s 3-2 win over Harbor Creek.
"These kids have been working really hard," said Warren coach Mark Bupp. "We've lost six games by one run this year; you've really got to admire their resilience."
HarborCreek struck first, scoring an unearned run in the first inning, but when the second inning came around Warren had an answer.
After Samantha Bevevino got on base with a single, Erica Blair drove her home with a big triple that caused HarborCreek's center and right fielder to collide head on.
"Erica's triple that drove in Samantha was big for us. That got us right back into it," said Bupp.
After swiftly retiring three HarborCreek batters in the top of the third, Warren took the lead, 2-1, when Kaitlin Ishman smacked a solo shot over the center field fence. She hit home runs in both the varsity and junior varsity wins on the day.
Warren freshman pitcher Alexa Bupp, who had nine strikeouts and four assists in the win, would keep HarborCreek from scoring again until the seventh inning.
"She had a good game on the mound," said Bupp.
In the seventh inning HarborCreek tied the game up, 2-2, when a Huskies' batter drove home a runner with a single. Warren finished up the inning before HarborCreek could score again, and then the Dragons took their final at bat, and they only needed the one.
Down 0-2 in the count, Hasselman slugged a deep walk-off home run, ending the game with a redemptive, 3-2, win.
A one-run win, no less.
"I'm really happy for Rachel," said Bupp, "it was just clutch."
It's been a tough year for 5-7 Dragons, who started the season with a five-game losing slide, but have battled back.
"We still have to do the little things better," said Bupp. "After that we will be more successful."
Bupp and Taylor Mineweaser had three hits each in a 12-0 junior varsity win. Bupp hit a game-ending three-run homer to win by the 10-run rule.
HARBORCREEK(2): K. Pasierb, 3b, 3-0-1-0, H. Reichenback, cf, 3-1-0-0, N. Rzodkiewicz, c, 2-0-0-0, V. Langer, 2b, 3-0-0-0, K. Rzodkiewicz, p, 3-1-2-1, K. Reilly, 1b, 3-0-0-0, A. Faipler, lf, 3-0-1-1, D. Faipler, rf, 3-0-1-0, Zielinski, ss, 3-0-1-0. Totals 26-2-6-2.
WARREN(3): K. Ishman, 3b, 3-1-2-1, K. Hultquist, rf, 3-0-1-0, S. Moyer, cf, 3-0-0-0, A. Bupp, p, 3-0-0-0, R. Hasselman, 1b, 3-1-2-1, S. Bevevino, dp, 2-1-0-0, E. Blair, lf, 2-0-1-1, T. Mineweaser, 2b, 2-0-1-0, S. Williams, c, 2-0-0-0. Total 23-3-7-3.
HarborCreek 100 000 1 - 2 6 0
Warren 011 000 1 - 3 7 3
3b-Erica Blair (W). HR-Ishman (W), Hasselman (W). WP-Bupp. LP-K. Rzodkiewicz.
Junior varsity game
HarborCreek 000 00 - 0 0
Warren 003 63 - 12 16
2b-Mineweaser (W), McIntyre (W). 3b-Latimer (W). HR-Bupp (W), Ishman (W). WP-Fehlman. LP-Reilly.
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Youngsville 12, Eisenhower 2
Youngsville completed a season sweep of their cross-county rival with a 12-2 six-inning victory over Eisenhower Wednesday at Youngsville High School.
"It's always fun to beat Eisenhower," said Youngsville coach Mark Nyquist, whose Eagles will be in the District 10 Class A playoffs out of Region 4. "They always give us a heck of a game."
The Eagles were led offensively by Shelby Anderson who went 4-for-4 from the plate with a triple, two-run home run and three RBI on the day.
"Anderson's been tearing the cover off the ball lately," Nyquist said.
Youngsville starter Nicole Ciukaj limited Eisenhower to just five hits on the day, all singles, while also helping offensively, going 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
"Ciukaj pitched a phenominal game," Nyquist said.
The Eagles opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the first inning, then added two more in the second. Kelsey Repke's RBI single in the top of the third inning got Eisenhower on the board. Youngsville answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Anderson led off with a triple, then scored on Katie Gustafson's infield single later in the inning, giving the Eagles a 6-1 lead.
Eisenhower struck again in the top of the fifth inning as Haylie VanOrd, Lauren Sherry and Lyndsey Arford hit consecutive singles with one out. Arford's hit plated VanOrd to bring the Knights within four at 6-2.
Youngsville again answered the bell in the bottom of the inning, scoring five runs. Elise Dunn led off with a single, followed by Anderson's 2-run homer. Gustafson singled then was driven in on Colleen Rex's single. Judi Lewis followed with an RBI double, then scored on Amber Fox's single.
"We've finally started hitting with runners in scoring position," Nyquist said. "Now we've started getting those clutch hits."
Dunn and Anderson both singled to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Ashley McLaughlin's sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position and Gustafson was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jessica Jameson drew a walk to put the game away.
"We're on a tear right now," Nyquist said. "We've got to keep rolling. I like playing games everyday, especially when we're playing this well."
The Eagles will look to win their fourth straight game Thursday when they travel to North East. Youngsville is 7-7 in Region 4 and Eisenhower is the only other Class A team in the mostly-Class AA region, so one of the two teams makes the playoffs. Ike is 1-11 in the region.
EISENHOWER (2): ab-r-h-rbi Repke, cf 3-0-1-0, Byrd, ss 3-0-0-0, Stanton, c 3-0-0-0, Dinger, 2b 3-0-2-0, Barnett, 3b 3-0-0-0, Ward, lf 3-0-0-0, VanOrd, dp 3-2-1-0, Sherry, 1b 2-0-0-0, Arford, rf 2-0-1-1, Totals 25-2-5-2
YOUNGSVILLE (12): Rex, c 4-3-2-1, Lewis, lf 3-1-1-2, Fox, ss 2-1-2-2, Ciukaj, p 4-1-1-2, Dunn, 1b 4-2-2-0, Anderson, dp 4-2-4-3, McLaughlin, 3b 3-0-0-0, Gustafson, rf 3-1-3-1, Jameson, cf 3-1-0-1, Totals 30-12-15-12
Eisenhower 001 100 - 2 5 3
Youngsville 321 051 - 12 15 1
2b-Lewis (Y), Ciukaj (Y). 3b-Anderson (Y). HR-Anderson (Y). WP-Ciukaj. LP-Morrison.
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West Forest 16, Tidioute Charter 0
WEST HICKORY - Wednesday was another tough outing for the Tidioute Lady Bulldogs as they suffered a 16-0, three-inning defeat at the hands - and bats - of the West Forest Indians.
Despite being held without a run, the Lady Bulldogs finished the game with a total of four base hits. Anna Lindemuth had two of the team's hits and Patricia Shields and Makayla Hallas added one hit each.
TCCS will try to close its season with a victory -or two - Thursday when they visit Kennedy Catholic for a doubleheader.
TCCS(0): York, 3b, 2-0-0, Shields, c, 2-0-1, Hallas, p, 1-0-1, A. Lindemuth, cf, 2-0-2, Lester, ss, 2-0-0, L. Lindemuth, 3b, 1-0-0, Buckley, lf, 1-0-0, Burris, 2b, 1-0-0, Kitelinger, rf, 1-0-0, Totals: 13-0-4
WEST FOREST (16): Schwab, ss, 2-2-1, Wagner, lf, 1-2-1, Dubrawka, c, 2-1-0, Meddock, 1b, 2-3-1, See, p, 1-3-1, Niels, 3b, 2-3-2, Clark, 2b, 3-1-3, Marano, cf, 2-0-0, Hillard, rf, 1-1-0, Totals: 16-16-9
TCCS 000 - 0 4
West Forest 646 - 16 9
HR-Clark (W), grand slam. WP-See. LP-Hallas.