Trending
NORTHERN CAMBRIA -- Left-hander Reese Pinnizzotto fittingly stopped Northern Cambria cold as Portage claimed a 3-1 victory on Thursday afternoon in a District 6 Class 1A softball playoff game.
The Mustangs (11-11) travel to top-seeded Conemaugh Valley at 4 p.m. Monday for a quarterfinal-round game. Manager Tim Trusik said Portage will need to repeat Thursday's blend of strong pitching and reliable defense in order to achieve a victory against the Heritage Conference runner-up Blue Jays.
"We didn't have the best outcomes in those games," Trusik said, recalling 19-7 and 12-2 losses on April 21 and 23, respectively. "But we think we can run with this team. So if we play like we did tonight, we'll be in it."
Pinnizzotto struck out four, walked none and allowed an unearned run in her toughest inning, the second.
"Reece did a great job throwing first-pitch strikes to a lot of the batters. And we know that's huge," Trusik said. "Northern Cambria hit the ball hard at our defense, and we made some good plays."
"We were hitting her. We just didn't get our hits to fall," Northern Cambria manager Kandi McCabe said.
Northern Cambria (9-11) received a strong start from right-hander Alyssa Yahner. She scattered eight hits, struck out two, hit a batter and walked one. Yahner set down seven straight batters through the middle innings.
"We've had a lot of close games that we should have won," McCabe said. "We've lost five games by one run. (We lost) this game and a couple of others by two."
The Mustangs scored a pair of runs in their first turn at bat. Kendall Stancovich led off with a single, and advanced to third when Chloe Trusik's single was misplayed by the right fielder. Pinnizzotto and Mikaila McCoy delivered RBI groundouts that put Portage ahead for good.
"It's very important. It helps us get confident," Pinnizzotto said.
McCabe acknowledged the Colts' defensive shortcomings and the role they played throughout the season.
"We've definitely focused on our hitting. And our defense has let us down in a lot of games, including this one," she said.
The Lady Colts' only run came on a single by Julia Mitory in the second inning. Pinnizzotto, however, pitched out of the bases-loaded predicament with a pair of force plays at the plate and an inning-ending ground out.
"We had to tighten up our defense, we played well the rest of game, and Reece pitched a great game," Tim Trusik said.
"I think (the game) went really well with our defense coming through behind my back. Hitting my spots was very important, and (so) was having the girls behind me," Pinnizzotto said.
Pinnizzotto then retired 10 straight batters before she yielded a one-out single to Yahner. The Portage left-hander allowed only five hits in a complete-game effort and did not walk a batter on a chilly afternoon with temperatures in the mid-40s.
"I'm used to it. I like pitching in the cold," she said. "You have to be tough either way, no matter what the weather."
Portage added an insurance run in the sixth inning when Kiera McCarty's sacrifice fly sprang home McCoy.
The Colts attempted to play the smallest of small ball as they attempted several bunts that were well-anticipated, especially by Stanvovich, the third baseman.
"We tried to lay a couple of bunts down. But they did a good job. We've definitely improved with their bunting over the season. But (we hit them) right to where the defenders were. And the same thing with our hitting. We were putting the bat on the ball," McCabe said.
PORTAGE (3): Stancovich 3b 411, C.Trusik 2b 411, Pinnizzotto p 301, McCoy c 210, A.Trusik ss 202, McCarthy 1b 200, Smith cf 300, Stager rf 301, Halerz dp 301, Offman lf 301, Noel lf 000. Totals -- 26-8-3.
NORTHERN CAMBRIA (1): Bernecky c 400, Vasil ss 301, Hollingsworth 2b 300, Yahner 311, Messina lf 301, McCabe 1b 301, Mitory rf 301, Weller 3b 300, Czar cf 300. Totals -- 28-1-5.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Portage 200 001 0 - 3 8 1
Northern Cambria 001 000 0 - 1 5 1
E - Mitory, A.Trusik. LOB - Portage 5, Northern Cambria 6. SF - McCarthy. RBI - Pinnizzotto, McCoy, Mitory, McCarthy. HBP - McCoy (by Yahner). WP - Yahner 2. PB - McCoy.
PITCHING
Portage Pinnizzotto (W) 7 IP 5 H 1 R 0 ER 0 BB 4 K
Northern Cambria Yahner (L) 7 IP 8 H 3 R 2 ER 1 BB 2 K
Team records - Portage (11-11), Northern Cambria (9-11)
Umpires - Home, Mike Madera, First, Tracy Neff; Second, Alex Fedor; Third, Bill Zambotti.