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CLAYSBURG -- Claysburg-Kimmel jumped all over West Branch starting pitcher Madison Nelson in the first inning on Monday afternoon.
The Bulldogs erupted for seven runs in the frame, and despite being held in check by relief pitcher Makena Moore the rest of the way, the damage was already done.
C-K used its big first inning, while getting a strong pitching performance for Sierra Walters, to knock off the Lady Warriors, 8-3, in District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal action.
"It was a very important first inning," Claysburg-Kimmel coach Mike Barbarini said. "They pitched a girl (Nelson) that we struggled with last year (in a loss). They didn't pitch what I consider their ace (Moore) right away. I think that was the big thing. We timed her (Nelson) really well in the first inning, had some big hits and took advantage of some of their mistakes. That propeled us on to the win."
Of the seven runs scored, the 16-3 Lady Bulldogs got five of them with two outs.
Leadoff hitter Emalee Cavender ripped a double to get things going before Jenna Helsel grounded out to the shortstop, Kamryn MacTavish.
Walters came through with a single scoring Cavender, Nevaeh Walter doubled in Walters before Rebekah Claar popped out to Brooke Bainey at third base.
Bella Francona got the two-out rally going for Claysburg as she singled to bring home Walter, then was followed by McKenzi Black's RBI single that plated Francona as Black moved to second on the throw home from West Branch right fielder, Hannah Betts.
Hayden Lamborn beat out the throw to first on an error by Nelson, then was followed by Ryleigh Lehman, who advanced to first on a dropped third strike by Lady Warriors catcher Greysyn Gable.
Both Lamborn and Lehman came around to score as Cavender chased Nelson from the game with a double to the gap.
"Last year, we were so far out in front of her that we couldn't hit her. We lost up there to her (7-1) last year," Barbarini said. "So, he (Betts) probably thought let's try bringing her here and pitching her, and we were all over her the first inning. It worked out in our favor."
West Branch coach Dan Betts made the move to bring Moore into the game, and the sophomore responded by striking out Helsel to end the Bulldogs' seven-run first.
West Branch got two runs back in the top of the second as Gable was hit by a Walters pitch to start things off, and then came around to score when Moore singled and went to third on an error in right by Lamborn.
"The first inning, we got ourselves in a hole," Coach Betts said. "I'm more proud of this team that after that first inning we only gave up one run. We made it go all seven (innings). We could have given up and been done in three, four or five innings and gone home. So, that says a lot about our team."
MacTavish struck out, and then Nelson grounded out to Francona at second -- allowing Moore to score. Walters struck Alaina Royer out looking to end the Warriors' half inning.
West Branch made the score 7-3 in the top half of the third inning when Meghan Cantolina doubled with one out, then scored when Bainey singled in the next at-bat.
Walters got Graham to ground out and then struck out Gable looking to get the Lady Bulldogs out of the jam.
Over the final four innings, Walters faced 14 batters as she retired the side in the fifth and seventh innings, while only allowing a walk to Moore in the fourth and a hit-by-pitch to Gable in the sixth.
Claysburg-Kimmel tacked on an additional run in the bottom of the fourth as Walters homered to straight-away center to set the eventual final.
"Then they (West Branch) made it 7-3, and we finally tacked on a run. We were trying to tack on a run here-and-there," Barbarini said. "That girl (Moore) pitched well after the first inning."
For the game, Walters went the distance with 11 strikeouts, one walk, two hit batters, while surrendering just three hits to the Lady Warriors.
"Walters is a great pitcher. This is the second time we've faced her this year, and we only got two hits off of her and they shut us out 10-0," Coach Betts said. "So, I knew we'd be in a battle."
Second-seeded Claysburg will host Juniata Valley on Thursday at 4 p.m.
The seventh-seeded Lady Warriors ended their campaign at 11-8.
"The veterans on our team kept the young girls in the game," Barbarini said. "Because, you can think, 'Oh, we're up 7-0,' but it's not over until it's over. I kept telling them that too, and the veterans knew that."
WEST BRANCH (3): Cantolina cf 311, Bainey 3b 301, Graham lf 300, Gable c 110, Moore 1b-p 201, Smeal cr 010, MacTavish ss 300, Nelson p-1b 200, McGonigal cr 000, Butler 2b-flex 000, Royer dp 300, Betts rf 200, Wesesky ph 100. Totals -- 23 3 3.
CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (8): Cavender ss 312, Helsel cf 400, Walters p 422, Walter c 312, Claar 1b 301, Francona 2b 411, Black 3b 212, Lamborn rf 211, Lehman lf 210. Totals -- 27 8 11.
SCORE BY INNINGS
West Branch 021 000 0--3 3 3
Claysburg-Kimmel 700 100 X--8 11 2
E--Nelson 2, Gable, Lamborn, Helsel. 2B--Cantolina, Cavender 2, Walter, Black. 3B--Walter, Claar. HR--Walters. RBI--Nelson, Bainey, Walters 2, Walter, Francona, Black, Cavender. SB--Gable. WP--Walters. HBP--Gable (by Walters in 2nd), Gable (by Walters in 6th).
PITCHING
West Branch: Nelson (L) --2/3 inning, 6 H, 0 K, 0 BB, 6 R, 5 ER, 31 pitches; Moore--5 1/3 innings, 5 H, 5 K, 3 BB, 1 R, 1 ER, 73 pitches.
Claysburg-Kimmel: Walters (W) -- 7 innings, 3 H, 11 K, 1 BB, 3 R, 3 ER, 91 pitches.
Records: West Branch (11-8); Claysburg-Kimmel (16-3).