In a matchup of undefeated Region 6 foes, Warren prevailed over visiting McDowell, 2-0, thanks to timely hitting, strong defense, and another fantastic pitching performance from sophomore Alexa Bupp.
Pitching dominated the early part of the game, with both teams failing to reach base until Sam Bevevino drew a leadoff walk for the Dragons to start the third. After advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt from Taylor Mineweaser, Bevevino came around to score when Kaitlin Ishman smashed a two-out double to deep center that nearly cleared the fence. Ishman's hit was the lone extra base hit of the game.
The Dragons threatened to blow the game wide open in the sixth after loading the bases with no outs, but managed to tack on only one run when Mineweaser drew a bases loaded walk. Warren coach Mark Bupp called that extra run "a difference maker in a tight ballgame."
Article Photos
Times Observer photo by Jonathan McAfoos
Lead runner
Warren’s Sam Bevevino prepares to take a lead off of second base in the third inning of a softball game on Thursday with McDowell at Hawbaker Field. Bevevino led off the inning with a walk and came around to score the game’s first run on Kaitlin Ishman’s double.
Alexa Bupp did her part, making the two runs the Dragons scored stand up by pitching another shutout. Bupp allowed only two hits while walking zero and striking out ten, including striking out the side in the third.
Warren's defense played a key part in the victory. Right fielder Kristin Hultquist gunned down a runner at first on a potential line-drive single.
Later, first baseman Rachel Hasselman threw out a runner racing for second after an errant pick-off throw.
Coach Bupp was proud of the way the defense played all game. Ishman stood out at second base.
"Alexa's throwing well and she had great defense behind her," said coach Bupp. "We expected a low-scoring affair tonight and knew if we played good defense we'd be alright."
With the win, Warren (5-0, 3-0 in Region 6) is now the only undefeated team in their region. McDowell is 3-1 in region.
Warren travels to play Mercyhurst Prep on Saturday in Erie.
McDOWELL (0): ab-r-h-rbi: Loader, cf, 3-0-0-0, Kolb, 2b, 3-0-0-0, Carone, c, 3-0-1-0, Pecar, cr, 0-0-0-0, Samluk, ss, 3-0-0-0, Flagg, rf, 2-0-1-0, Hewett, p, 2-0-0-0, Pollifrone, 1b, 2-0-0-0, Lojowski, 3b, 1-0-0-0, Fuller, ph, 1-0-0-0, Fuller, lf, 2-0-0-0, Totals: 22-0-2-0.
WARREN (2): ab-r-h-rbi: Ishman, 2b, 4-0-2-1, Eaton, ss, 2-0-0-0, Bupp, p, 3-0-0-0, Hasselman, 1b, 3-1-2-0, Hultquist, rf, 3-0-0-0, Blair, lf, 2-0-0-0, Bevevino, 3b, 2-1-0-0, Mineweaser, dp, 2-0-0-1, Walter, cf, 3-0-1-0, Williams, c, 0-0-0-0, Loutzenhiser, cr, 0-0-0-0, Totals: 24-2-5-2.
McDowell 000 000 0 -0 2
Warren 001 001 0 - 2 5
2b - Ishman (W). WP - Bupp. LP - Hewett.
Junior varsity game
McDowell 302 24 - 11 10
Warren 001 00 - 1 1
2b-Fuller (M), Krane (M). WP-Lewis. LP-Loutzenhiser.
---
Girard 5, Eisenhower 4
GIRARD - Playing with a lead.
The Lady Knights fell to 0-6 on Thursday with a close 5-4 Region 4 loss at Girard, but this was the most competitive game they've played, according to Ike coach R.J. Williams.
"They're getting competitive," he said, "a little more assertive, a little more aggressive."
Eisenhower loaded the bases right off the bus, and Kearsten Maine's RBI single capped a three-run first inning.
Williams said things didn't go completely Eisenhower's wa the rest of the way, stranding seven runners in the game.
Haylie Birt hit a blast down the line that was just foul that would have broke a 4-4 tie in the fourth.
Kelsey Repke, who led off the game with a single, finished with two hits, as did Maine against Girard (4-3).
EISENHOWER (4): Repke 1b 4-1-2-0, Byrd ss 2-1-0-0, Birt 3b 3-1-1-0, Stanton c 4-0-0-1, Maine lf 4-1-2-1, D. Williams 2b 2-0-0-0, K. Williams cf 3-0-0-1, Barnet rf 3-0-0-0, Morrison p 2-0-1-0. Totals 28-4-6-3.
GIRARD (5): Hatton ss 3-1-1-2, McDonald c 3-0-0-0, M. Fails p 3-1-3-2, Bolt 1b 2-0-0-0, Wurst lf 3-0-0-0, J. Fails dp 2-1-0-0, Ghastin cf 2-2-1-0, Cooper 3b 3-0-0-0, Allen 2b 3-0-1-1, Bonnell rf 0-0-0-0. Totals 24-5-6-5
Eisenhower 301 000 0 - 4 6 1
Girard 121 001 x - 5 6 1
2b-Birt (E). HR-M. Fails (G). WP-M. Fails. LP-Morrison.
---
Northwestern 11, Youngsville 7
ALBION - Sometimes, you beat yourself.
Youngsville committed 10 errors and every one of them seemed to hurt during an 11-7 loss to Northwestern Thursday in Albion.
"I'm just disappointed," said Youngsville coach Mark Nyquist. "This is the first year I could honestly say we could've beaten this team and we just weren't in the game mentally. Luckily we get back on the field tomorrow and hopefully will bounce back. I was just very discouraged by the effort today."
The Lady Wildcats did all of their damage in two innings, scoring seven times in the second inning and plating four more runners in the fifth.
Youngsville (3-2) got an RBI triple from Judi Lewis and RBI doubles from Amber Fox and Kennedy Cratty, but it wasn't enough to overcome the team's defensive lapses.
Cratty, Shelby Anderson and Katie Gustafson all belted out two hits while Fox, Lewis, Jessica Jameson and Julia Sveda finished with one hit each.
Youngsville will try to get back to its winning ways Friday when it hosts Iroquois in a game that was postponed on Tuesday.
YOUNGSVILLE (7): ab-r-h-rbi: Rex, c, 4-1-0-0, Kn. Cratty, ss, 4-1-2-1, Fox, p, 3-2-1-1, S. Anderson, dp, 3-0-2-2, Dunn, 1b, 4-0-0-0, Gustafson, 3b, 4-1-2-0, Lewis, lf, 4-1-1-1, Jameson, cf, 3-0-1-1, Sveda, rf, 3-1-1-0, K. Anderson, 2b, 0-0-0-0, Totals: 32-7-10-6
NORTHWESTERN (11): ab-r-h-rbi: Taylor, cf, 4-2-1, Griffen, ss, 3-1-0, Campbell, c, 3-1-1, Pisquala, p, 4-1-1, Miniaci, dp, 4-1-1, Copeland, lf, 4-1-1, Bibby, rf, 4-3-3, Potter, 3b, 4-1-1, Osborne, 2b, 0-0-0, Totals: 30-11-9
Youngsville 000 142 0 - 7 10 10
Northwestern 070 040 x - 11 10 2
2b-Cratty (Y), Fox (Y). 3b-Lewis (Y). WP-Pisquala. LP-Fox.
---
Otto 16, Sheffield 4
The Sheffield softball team took to the field for the first time in nearly two weeks Thursday against Otto-Eldred.
It was not a welcomed return to the diamond.
The Lady Terrors plated ten runs between the second and third innings, overwhelming the Wolverines for a 16-4 victory at Sheffield Area High School.
Only one of the Sheffield runs was driven in as first baseman Hannah Vile delivered an RBI groundout in the third inning.
The Wolverines (1-2) were limited to three hits in the loss, getting singles from Anna Baldensperger, Maddie Fiscus and Brooke Hoffman.
Sheffield returns to the field Monday, hosting East Forest.
OTTO (16): ab-r-h-rbi: Milliron, c, 3-2-1-1, Koast, 2b, 3-2-1-1, Brown, ss, 5-2-2-2, Houben, 3b, 0-2-0-0, Shellander, dp, 4-2-1-0, Anderson, rf, 3-1-1-0, Bell, 1b, 4-2-1-2, Greeley, cf, 3-1-2-2, Woods, lf, 2-1-0-0, Downey, ph, 1-1-1-1, Skillman, ph, 1-0-0-0, Totals: 29-16-10-9
SHEFFIELD (4): ab-r-h-rbi: Fry, cf, 2-0-0-0, Maines, 3b, 3-0-0-0, Viler, 1b, 3-1-0-1, Baldensperger, lf, 2-1-1-0, Barr, ss, 2-0-0-0, Fiscus, p, 3-0-1-0, Pratz, rf, 1-1-0-0, Hoffman, c, 3-0-1-0, Pollock, 2b, 2-1-0-0, Totals: 21-4-3-1
Otto-Eldred 046 42 - 16 10
Sheffield 111 01 - 4 3
2b-Milliron (O). 3b-Greeley (O). WP-Brandt. LP-Fiscus.
---
West Forest 23, TCCS 7
Tidioute scored a season-high seven runs, but West Forest was just too much in a 23-7 decision Thursday in Tidioute.
The Lady Bulldogs finished the contest with two total hits, getting singles from Anna Lindemuth and Larisa Pyle.
TCCS is off until April 20 when it hosts Commodore Perry.
WEST FOREST (23): ab-r-h-rbi: L. Schwab, ss, 4-4-3, A. Schwab, rf, 2-2-1, Barnett, rf, 0-1-0, Dubrawka, p, 4-4-3, Wagner, cf, 1-3-1, Scott, c, 3-1-0, Boxer, 3b, 3-2-1, Hilliard, lf, 1-1-0, Hartsell, lf, 1-0-0, Burke, 2b, 2-3-2, Marano, 1b, 2-1-0, Farrell, 1b, 0-1-0, Totals: 23-23-11
TCCS (7): ab-r-h-rbi: Kightlinger, 2b, 0-1-0, Wolford, ss, 1-0-0, A. Lindemuth, c, 3-0-1, L. Lindemuth, 3b, 2-1-0, Tyler, p, 1-1-0, McChesney, lf, 1-1-0, Sonney, 1b, 0-1-0, Weilacher, rf, 0-1-0, Schaberl, cf, 0-0-0, Pyle, cf, 1-1-1, Totals: 9-7-2
West Forest (11)75 - 23 23
TCCS 403 - 7 2
2b-L. Schwab (W) 2, Dubrawka (W), Burke (W). 3b-Wagner (W). HR-Boxer (W). WP-Dubrawka. LP-Tyler.