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By Michael Boytim
mboytim@altoonamirror.com
LORETTO -- Glendale made it to the PIAA Class A semifinals last season, but if the Lady Vikings wanted a repeat of that this year, they needed to win Wednesday's consolation game against Ferndale at Saint Francis University after a loss in the District 6 semifinals to Claysburg-Kimmel last week.
Thanks to a very strong pitching performance from Madison Peterson, a few Ferndale mistakes and RBI singles by Peterson and Kelly Kasaback, they punched their ticket with a 3-0 victory.
"We knew we had to come out and play hard, because they have a good pitcher," Peterson said. "It feels good to be back in the state playoffs. Hopefully we make another run and go as far as we did last year."
Wednesday's pitcher's duel between Peterson and Ferndale's Angela Wagner was marred by a defensive mistake in the bottom of the third inning.
Glendale's Alyssa Sinclair led off with a walk and stole second and third. With one out, Lady Vikings career home run leader Riley Best soared a fly ball to the outfield that was deep enough to be a sacrifice fly, but Ferndale centerfielder Abby Barley darted in front of teammate Leah Grassa at the last minute, and the collision caused the ball to come out.
Sinclair scored, and Best ended up at third. Peterson drove her home and went to second on another error, and Kasaack's two-out single made it 3-0.
"We can't win if we don't score," Ferndale coach Chris Wagner said. "That inning where they got the three runs should have never happened. I went a lot more aggressive calling the pitches this time, and it just didn't work out. They were sitting on the fastball that inning, and I should have caught on a lot quicker. That's what happened. Every time we threw a fastball, they hit it. If we would have thrown pitches to move like we did the rest of the game, they would have never scored."
Wagner only allowed one baserunner the rest of the way, but the damage was done.
"I can't even describe how good of a player Angela Wagner is," Glendale coach Bruce Vereshack said. "I have so much respect for that girl. She can beat you by herself. She's such an impact player. We knew it was going to be tough, but to face a pitcher like that and win, we're pretty happy with that."
Peterson allowed just two hits and struck out nine. She said the three runs helped her relax.
"Once we got those runs, we just took control from there," Peterson said. "We were excited."
Ferndale's best chance to score came in the fifth inning when Deajah Chatman reached on an error, and Sahmara Tillman reached base but turned toward second and was tagged out. Peterson got a strikeout to strand a runner at third.
"Maddie is tough to score on," Vereshack said. "Usually if you can get three, that's enough."
Peterson also had two of Glendale's five hits. Ferndale's season ended with a 13-10 mark.
Glendale will play the District 5 champion, either Meyersdale or Berlin Brothersvalley, on Monday at the District 5 site. The Lady Vikings beat Meyersdale, 6-5, in the first round last year.
"I told the girls everybody is 0-0 now," Vereshack said. "We went down to Meyersdale last year and played them there in the first round of the playoffs. It went OK. We're going to try and repeat last year. There are 16 teams left, and we're one of them. We have a shot."
FERNDALE (0): Wagner p 300, Sechrengost 3b 300, Leverknight ss 300, Chatman 1b 300, Urban pr 000, Craig c 200, Quisar lf 000, Tillman dp 200, McGough 2b 200, Grassa rf 201, Barley cf 100. Totals -- 21-0-2.
GLENDALE (3): Best cf 310, Peterson p 312, Cavalet 2b 300, Kasaback lf 301, Taylor ss 301, Buterbaugh 3b 301, Rydbom c 300, Sinclair 1b 110, Weld rf 200. Totals -- 24-3-5.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Ferndale 000 000 0--0 2 3
Glendale 003 000 X--3 5 1
E--Quisar, Barley, McGough, Kasaback. RBI--Best, Peterson, Kasaback.
PITCHING
Ferndale: Wagner (L)--6IP, 5H, 7K, 1BB, 3R, 1ER, 84 pitches.
Glendale: Peterson (W)--7IP, 2H, 9K, 1BB, 0R, 0ER, 89 pitches.
Umpires: Tom Culp Sr. (HP); Alex Culp (1B); Tom Culp Jr. (3B).
Records: Ferndale (13-10); Glendale (19-4).