Glendale picks up plenty of contributions in tournament victory
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By John Hartsock
jhartsock@altoonamirror.com
SOMERSET -- Glendale punched its second consecutive berth into the semifinal round of the PIAA Class 1A softball tournament Thursday, and there were several heroes for the Lady Vikings in their 5-4, eight-inning quarterfinal-round victory over District 7 runner-up Carmichaels on the Somerset Area High School softball field that made that happen.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Madison Peterson tossed a complete game victory, throwing 99 pitches and allowing just six hits to outduel Carmichaels freshman Barley Barnyak, who also threw all eight innings, tossing 143 pitches, allowing six hits, and striking out eight.
Senior shortstop Jillian Taylor contributed with her glove and bat for Glendale, crushing a solo third-inning home run, and executing a huge double play singlehandedly in the seventh inning after catching a line drive, and outracing Carmichaels senior Sophia Zalar back to the second base bag after Zalar had led off the inning with a double.
Sophomore right-fielder Ava Weld came up with what proved to be the game-winning hit for the Lady Vikings -- a double in the top of the eighth inning that knocked in courtesy runner Koltlyn Cavalet from second base with the go-ahead run that broke a 4-4 tie.
The team effort pushed Glendale (21-4) into the state semis for the third time in school history. The Lady Vikings will face District 11 champion Tri-Valley, a 10-1 quarterfinal-round winner over Old Forge Thursday, in a semifinal matchup Monday at a site and time to be determined.
It all left Glendale coach Bruce Vereshack speechless in the immediate aftermath.
"It's no accident when a team gets this far at this point in the season,'' Vereshack said. "I was trying to talk to the players in the huddle on the field after the game, and I just didn't know what to say.
"There's no quit in any of these girls,'' said Vereshack, whose team finished third in the District 6 tournament, where the Lady Vikings needed a victory in the consolation game to qualify for the state tournament.
"They believe in themselves,'' Vereshack added. "This is only the third time in school history but the second time in two years that our program has made it to the semifinals of the state tournament. We're there now, and everybody that is still there has a chance to win it all.''
Glendale lost to Montgomery of District 4 in last year's semis, falling one win shy of the state championship game.
Peterson is hoping that Glendale can go further this year.
"This feels great,'' Peterson said. "We made it to this point last year but we just fell one game short. To have another chance this year is really exciting.''
With the score tied 4-4 after seven innings, Glendale pushed across the winning run in the top of the eighth.
Junior catcher Caitlyn Rydbom drew a one-out walk, and Cavalet entered the game for her as a courtesy runner. Senior first baseman Alyssa Sinclair executed a perfectly-placed bunt to advance Cavalet to second, and Weld responded by lining her huge two-strike double just inside the left field line, scoring Cavalet to put Glendale ahead to stay, 5-4.
"I was so excited, it was so emotional for me,'' Weld said. "When I hit that ball, I thought it would be fair, and I definitely got more excited when I realized that it was fair.''
Vereshack offered his kudos to the first-year varsity player for coming through in such a clutch situation.
"Isn't that something, with two strikes, too,'' Vereshack marveled. "She really turned on that pitch, and the ball stayed inside the line.''
With the game tied, 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Carmichaels (19-2) had a chance to close the deal in regulation, but Taylor's glove work at shortstop for Glendale stymied that threat.
Zalar twisted a double just beyond the third-base bag and into short left field to start the inning, giving Carmichaels a prime scoring chance. Batis followed with a line drive that Taylor snared while moving to her left. Zalar had left second base on contact, and Taylor raced to second in time to double her off.
"I know that I have a long arm span, and I knew instinctively that I could get to that ball and make the double play at second,'' Taylor said. "I just want to do everything that I can to help my team get the win.''
Carmichaels coach Dave Briggs said that Taylor's play was a tough turn of events for his team.
"We were set up right there,'' Briggs said. "(Batis) hit the ball right on the nose, but right at their girl.''
Taylor put Glendale temporarily ahead, 4-3, with her long solo homer over the fence in left-center field in the top of the third, but Carmichaels responded to tie the score with a run in the bottom of the inning when Batis led off with an infield single, stole second and eventually scored on an infield single by Kendall Ellsworth.
Both teams scored three runs in the first inning, with Glendale capitalizing on three walks, a hit batsman, and an error, and Carmichaels using two hits, three stolen bases, and a Glendale error to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
"I thought that both pitchers settled down after the first inning,'' Briggs said. "It's frustrating because I think we have a team that could have won the state championship this year.''
Glendale still has the opportunity to do that, but must get past another tough challenge on Monday.
"I'm at a loss for words - what an emotional win today in a matchup of evenly-matched teams,'' said Vereshack, whose team defeated previously unbeaten District 5 champion Meyersdale in this past Monday's opening round of the state tournament.
"We've taken out two of the top teams in the state to this point,'' Vereshack added. "I think that we can beat anybody.''
GLENDALE (5): Best cf 311, Peterson p 500, Kaprice Cavalet 2b 310, Kasaback lf 411, Taylor ss 311, Buterbaugh 3b 401, McNitt cr 000, Rydbom c 101, Koltlyn Cavalet cf 010, Sinclair 1b 300, Weld rf 301. Totals - 29-5-6.
CARMICHAELS (4): Zalar cf 412, Batris 2b 321, McConnell ss 410, Jacobs 1b 400, Barnyak p 301, Simon cr 000, Ellsworth 3b 401, Waggett c 300, Voithofer rf 300, Staggers lf 000, P. Plavi dh 301. Totals - 32-4-6.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Glendale 301 000 01--5-6-2
Carmichaels 301 000 00--4-6-1
2B--Weld, Batis. HR--Taylor. RBI--Taylor, Weld, Ellsworth 2, McConnell. SAC--Sinclair. SB--Koltlyn Cavalet, Zalar 2, Batis 2, P. Plavi. HBP--Kaprice Cavalet (by Barnyak); Batis (by Peterson). DP--Glendale turned one (Taylor unassisted double play after catching line drive by Batis).
PITCHING
Glendale: Peterson (W) 8IP, 6H, 4R, 2ER, 1BB, 3SO, 99 pitches.
Carmichaels: Barnyak (L) 8IP, 6H, 5R, 4ER, 7BB, 8SO, 143 pitches.
Records: Glendale (21-4); Carmichaels (19-2).
Umpires: Al Gotasart (plate); Dave Lowry (first base); Annette Gotasart (second base); John Beachly (third base).
Time of game: 2:03.