Lady Bulldogs set the pace for an early victory
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CLAYSBURG -- Claysburg-Kimmel set the tone in the first inning of its District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal game with Penns Manor.
The Lady Bulldogs pounded five hits, including three for extra bases, and scored five runs to stake itself to a much bigger lead than they would even need.
C-K rode a 13-hit attack and a one-hit pitching performance straight into the semifinals with a 15-0 four-inning victory over the Lady Comets on Monday afternoon.
"We really hit the ball well today," Claysburg-Kimmel coach Mike Barbarini said. "We came in knowing we have to start the playoffs well and our hitting really carried us through the first couple of innings. They didn't make mistakes, we executed when we needed to."
Starting pitcher Emalee Cavender had control inside the circle as she kept Penns Manor off balance with her fastball and change up as well.
"Their pitcher (Cavender) throws a great change up and that's such a weapon in this game," Penns Manor coach Nate Luther said. "... That's a tough adjustment."
The senior finished with seven strikeouts, no walks and only had two base runners reach -- a single by Clara Henry in the second and an error in right field by Launa Musselman off the bat of Alyssa Altemus in the third.
"She (Cavender) was solid on the mound -- she's been solid all year," Barbarini said. "She didn't pitch much inside today, we went away from them (Penns Manor). We noticed when they were hitting that they were pulling everything."
Bella Francona provided plenty of punch at the plate for Claysburg as the offensive leader by going 4-for-4, including two doubles and a triple, with five RBIs, and scoring three times.
Other than a hit-by-pitch that grazed a Lady Comet, the defense got off the field in only 14 pitches.
In the bottom of the first, the offense got going as Cavender's single was followed by a strikeout by Jenna Helsel.
Francona's triple plated Cavender before McKenna Black doubled to push her across.
After Musselman grounded out, Jaylee Swindell doubled to score Black, and then was followed by Zakera Bush getting hit by a pitch.
Freshman Savanna Crissman singled home Swindell, and then Bush came across to touch home on a wild pitch by PM's Allison Rhea to put C-K up 5-0.
The Lady Bulldogs tacked on two more in the second as Francona scored on Black's RBI double where she advanced to third on an overthrow by the Penns Manor's Summer Fennell from left field.
Musselman knocked in Black on an infield single to put C-K up 7-0.
"Once we were down seven, I thought we really got down on ourselves and our focus was gone," Luther said.
The third inning saw six Bulldogs cross the plate as Crissman, Alexa Francona, Helsel, Bella Francona, Black and Musselman reached to make the score 13-0.
Crissman walked, Payton Hinish singled, Helsel got a free pass, Bella Francona had two RBIs on a double, Black singled in a run and Musselman singled for Claysburg.
After a 1-2-3 top of the fourth for Cavender, Crissman was hit by a pitch, Hinish struck out, Cavender walked and Helsel grounded into a 6-3 play.
Bella Francona nearly hit the ball out to end it as her double to left one-hopped off the fence to score Crissman and Cavender to end the game.
"She (Francona) had 30 RBIs on the season and she had five tonight. So. She's keeping that going," Barbarini said. "It just seems like she concentrates a little more when people are in scoring position."
PENNS MANOR (0): Pegg 2b-p 200, Altemus c 000, Jioio cf-2b 200, Hrubochak ss 200, A. Rhea p 200, Horn rf 000, Henry 3b 201, Shields rf-cf 100, L. Rhea 1b 100, Fennell lf 100. Totals -- 13 0 1.
CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (15): Cavender p 321, J. Helsel cf 310, B. Francona 3b 434, Black c 323, Zai. Bush cr 010, Musselman rf 312, Swindell ss 311, Zak. Bush 1b 210, Crissman 2b 121, A. Francona lf-cr 010, Hinish dp 201. Totals -- 24 15 13.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Penns Manor 000 0XX X--0 1 2
Claysburg-Kimmel 526 2XX X--15 13 1
E--Altemus, Fennell, Musselman. 2B--B. Francona 2, Black 2, Swindell. 3B--B. Francona. RBI--B. Francona 5, Black 2, Cavender, Musselman, Crissman, Swindell. SB--Cavender, B. Francona, Musselman. WP--A. Rhea 6. PB--Altemus.
PITCHING
Penns Manor: A. Rhea (L) --3 innings, 12 H, 2 K, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 14 R, 14 ER, 103 pitches.
Pegg -- 2/3 innings, 1 H, 1 K, 1 BB, 2 R, 2 ER, 14 pitches.
Claysburg-Kimmel: Cavender (W) -- 4 innings, 1 H, 7 K, 0 BB, 1 HBP, 0 R, 0 ER, 61 pitches.
Records: Penns Manor (8-8); Claysburg-Kimmel (20-1).