Lady Crusaders defeated Bradford on the road Tuesday
The Elk County Catholic Lady Crusader softball team used a big 11-run third inning to defeat the Bradford Lady Owls 13-3 in five innings in a game played on the road in Bradford on Tuesday afternoon.
Emily Mourer and Mackenzie Bille shared time in the circle for ECC. Mourer started the game and worked the first three innings, giving up two hits, walking one, and striking out five. Bille took over for the final two innings, walking three and striking out one.
Kalie Dixon pitched for Bradford, giving up 15 hits and walking five.
Both pitchers had big days at the play. Mourer had a pair of doubles for ECC, and Dixon had a home run and a double. Bailey Thorwart also hit a home run for ECC.
The Lady Crusaders got their first base runners of the day in the top of the opening inning on back-toback two-out singles by Thorwart and Mourer, but a popout prevented ECC from getting on the board.
Kendyl Cruz led off the home half of the inning by reaching base on an error, and then Sophia Cornelius drew a walk to join her. Kruz scored with Dixon at bat, and then Cornelius scored on Dixon’s double, giving the Lady Owls an early 2-0 lead.
Mourer struck out the next three batters to leave Dixon stranded.
ECC tied the game with their first two runs of the day in the top of the second.
Bille drew a leadoff walk and then Reagan Bauer walked with one out to join her on base. Both scored on a single by Sarah Hasselman to tie the game at 2-all.
Batters for Bradford when down in order in the home half of the inning.
The Lady Crusaders took the lead with their big 11-run top of the third inning.
Sydney Alexander drew a leadoff walk and then Thorwart singled to join her on base. Both scored on Mourer’s first double of the day to put ECC ahead 4-2.
Alexa Chamberlin entered the game as a courtesy runner for Mourer and advanced to third on a single by Mya Pistner. A sacrifice bunt by Bille scored
Chamberlin, increasing ECC’s advantage to 5-2.
Pistner scored as Alexa Uhl reached base on an error, making the score 6-2. Sofiya Cherry entered the game as a courtesy runner for Uhl, and she advanced to second as Bauer reached base on an error. Hasselman walked to load the bases, and then both Cherry and Bauer scored on a single by Lucy Klawuhn. Hasselman scored on a sacrifice fly by Alexander, and then Thorwart’s home run to left also scored Klawuhn, making the score 11-2.
Mourer followed that up with her second double of the inning, with Chamberlin once again taking over as a courtesy runner. Pistner singled, and then a single by Bille scored Chamberlin and moved
Pistner to third. Pistner scored on a single by Uhl to put ECC ahead 13-2 before a lineout brought Bradford back up to bat.
Dixon hit a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 13-3.
In the top of the fourth, Hasselman drew a leadoff walk and Klawuhn singled to join her on base, but the next three batters went down in order to leave both stranded.
Bradford also left a batter stranded in the bottom of the inning.
Bille hit a one-out single in the top of the fifth but was erased at second as Uhl hit into a fielder’s choice. Bauer singled to join Uhl on base, but she was then erased at second for the third out as Hasselman hit into a fielder’s choice.
Bradford left another runner stranded in the home half of the inning, with ECC securing the 13-3 five-inning win. Elk Catholic 13
Lucy Klawuhn 4-12, Sydney Alexander 3-1-0, Bailey Thorwart 4-2-3, Emily Mourer 3-0-3, Kiri Emmert 1-00, Mya Pistner 4-2-2, Mackenzie Bille 2-1-2, Alexa Uhl 4-0-1, Reagan Bauer 3-2-1, Sarah Hasselman 2-1-1. Totals 30-13-15.
Bradford 3
Kendyl Cruz 2-1-0, Sophia Cornelius 2-10, Kalie Dixon 3-1-2, Bella Zandy 2-0-0, Mallory Craig 2-00, Kasey Poe 1-0-0, Alyssa Johnson 1-0-0, Haile Jackson 2-0-0, Adilynn Brown 2-0-0. Totals 17-3-2.
Score by innings
ECCHS 02(11) 00 Bradford 201 00
R 13 3