Lady Crusaders win big over Ramettes in opener
The Elk County Catholic Lady Crusader softball team opened their season at home against the Johnsonburg Ramettes on Wednesday afternoon, with the ECC squad cruising to a 13-0 fiveinning victory at Benzinger Park.
Emily Mourer struck out 12 while tossing a two-hitter for the Lady Crusaders and also helped her own cause with a home run.
Dana Beimel went the distance in the circle for the Ramettes, giving up 14 hits, walking two, and striking out five.
In addition to Mourer’s home run, Mya Pistner hit a triple and a double, and Lucy Klawuhn also had a double.
Izzi Lawrie hit a double for Johnsonburg.
All of the scoring took place in the first two innings, with ECC putting four runs on the board in the first and then adding 10 in the second.
With two outs in the top of the opening inning, Zoe Grunthaner singled to left to give Johnsonburg a base runner but was left stranded.
A double by Klawuhn led off the home half of the inning, and then she scored as Bailey Thorwart reached base on an error with one out. Following a flyout, Alexa Uhl walked to join Thorwart on base, with Sofiya Cherry entering the game as a courtesy runner. Mackenzie Bille walked to load the bases, and then Thorwart scored on a passed ball just before a triple by Pistner brought home Cherry and Bille to make the score 4-0.
Lawrie was hit by a pitch for the Ramettes to open the second inning, but a groundout and a pair of strikeouts left her stranded.
Sarah Hasselman singled to lead off the bottom of the second, and then she scored on an error following a single by Klawuhn. Klawuhn advanced to second on the error and then tried to score on a bunt single by Sydney Alexander but was unable to beat the throw home. Alexander scored on a single by Thorwart,
and then a home run by Mourer made the score 8-0.
Back-to-back errors put Uhl and Bille on base, with Cherry once again entering the game as a courtesy runner for Uhl. Both scored on a double by Pistner to give ECC a 10-0 lead. Pistner advanced to third on the throw and then scored as Reagan Bauer reached base on a dropped third strike. Hasselman then reached on an error, with Bauer advancing to third. Bauer then scored as Klawuhn reached on an error. A single by Alexander loaded the bases, and then Hasselman scored on a sacrifice fly by Thorwart.
A flyout ended the inning with ECC leading 13-0.
Batters for Johnsonburg went down in order in the top of the third, and Pistner was left stranded in the bottom of the inning after being hit by a pitch with two outs.
Lawrie doubled for Johnsonburg with two outs in the top of the fourth, but a strikeout left her stranded. Hasselman led off the bottom of the inning by reaching base on an error for ECC, but a strikeout and a double play prevented the Lady Crusaders from adding to their lead.
Mourer struck out the side in the top of the fifth, ending the game with ECC recording the 13-0 victory.
The Lady Crusaders (1-0) are next scheduled to be in action on Tuesday, April 2 when they travel to DuBois to take on the DuBois Central Catholic Lady Cardinals in a 4 p.m. game at Heindl Field.
Johnsonburg 0
Dana Beimel 2-0-0, Natalie Dunworth 2-0-0, Zoey Grunthaner 2-0-1, Shelby Sorg 2-00, Izzi Lawrie 1-0-2, Gionna Dellaquila 2-00, Josie Gerber 2-0-0, Ella Halquist 2-0-0,
Icy Addeo 2-0-0. Totals 17-0-2.
Elk Catholic 13
Lucy Klawuhn 3-1-2,
A. Eagen 1-0-0, Sydney Alexander 3-1-2, Jenna Schatz 1-0-0, Bailey Thorwart 2-2-1, Alexa Chamberlin 0-0-0, Emily Mourer 3-1-1, Alexa Uhl 2-0-0, Mackenzie Bille 2-2-0, Mya Pistner 2-1-2, Reagan Bauer 3-1-0, Sarah Hasselman 3-21. Totals 25-13-9.