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By Matt Michelone
For the Mirror
CLAYSBURG -- Tuesday turned into quite a marathon day for the Claysburg-Kimmel softball team, having started the day around 2:30 p.m. -- and a long second semifinal game involving the Inter-County Conference tournament -- before finishing the day.
Everett had to rally back to defeat the top-seed in the District 6 Class 2A playoffs West Branch, and appeared to be on its way to doing so again with a runner at third.
That effort was thwarted as a ground ball to Savanna Crissman set up a double play. The Lady Bulldogs' Zakira Bush launched the ball to McKenna Black for the 4-3-2 double play to give the Lady Bulldogs a 3-2 win in the title game at night.
"I know we had to get those two out before because we were facing the top part of their lineup," Claysburg-Kimmel pitcher Emalee Cavender said. "We just played well, defense worked, I'm just glad everything worked out the way it did after I threw a seven-inning game before this one."
Along with beating the defending PIAA Class 2A champion Lady Warriors, Claysburg also pounded Meyersdale in the semifinal, a 9-1 a game in which Cavender both homered and tripled.
"We were willing to tie up the game and go to the bottom of the seventh," Claysburg-Kimmel coach Mike Barbarini said. "We just made a heck of a play throwing to first, throwing back home and getting her out at home. That's a very tough play to throw it to first all the way across the diamond and then back home if she would've just taken off."
Claysburg got on the board in the first inning as Cavender scored on a wild pitch, and Black on an RBI single helped get the home team on the board, 2-0.
In the fifth inning, Everett answered as Jade Colledge belted a two-run single to the outfield which helped tie up the game.
Cavender scored the game-winning in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch to get the lead back. She ended up having a busy day on the mound, going the distance in both games. In the championship game, she struck out six while giving up eight hits.
"Luckily I have a good off-speed pitch I can rely on. It's hard to throw fastballs 14 innings," Cavender said. "It's makes it so nice as a pitcher when your defense makes outs so you don't have to pitch so many pitches each inning."
Barbarini saluted his senior hurler.
"Good athletes step up when you need them and she did that for us today," he said. "Emalee pitched a heck of a two games, kept them off balance."
The Lady Bulldogs will shift their focus as the third seed to a Monday matchup at 4 p.m. in the District 6 Class 2A quarterfinal where they will host the winner of Thursday's opening-round contest between Penns Manor and Purchase Line. Everett is still awaiting its opponent for the District 5 postseason.
C-K 3, EVERETT 2
EVERETT (2): Price cf 312, Colledge 2b 302, M. Hillegas 3b 300, Wood p-1b 302, McCahan cr 000, B. Hillegas ss 301, Feathers c 300, Kauffman 1b-p 311, Brady lf 300, Bowser rf 200. Totals 26-2-8
CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (3): Cavender p 220, Helsel cf 211, B. Francona 2b 300, Black c 302, Musselman rf 301, Swindell ss 300, Bush 1b 200, Crossman 2b 200, Hinish dp 200, A. Francona Flex-cr 000. Totals: 22-3-4.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Everett 000 020 0 - 2 8 1
Claysburg-Kimmel 200 010 X - 3 4 0
E - Feathers. 2B - Brady. RBI - Colledge 2; Black.
PITCHING COMPARISON
EVERETT: Wood (L), 5 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO; Kauffman 1 IP 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO.
CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL: Cavender (W), 7 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO.
Record: Everett (16-3); Claysburg-Kimmel (19-1)
Umpires: Home: Jim Noye, First: Dave Claycomb, Third: Dave Adams.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Meyersdale 000 010 0 - 1 7 0
Claysburg-Kimmel 121 203 X - 9 10 2
2B - Dupre (M). 3B - Cavender (CK). HR - Cavender (CK). RBI - Sleasman (M); Cavender 2, Helsel, B. Francona 2, Black, Musselman, Crissman (CK). BB - I. Donaldson 6 (M); Cavender 1 (CK). SO - I. Donaldson 6 (M); Cavender 3 (CK).
C-K 9, MEYERSDALE 1
MEYERSDALE (1): Dupre ss 401, Hertz 1b 401, Donaldson p 401, Daniels 2b 301, Long 3b 200, Daughton c 312, Beal cf 300, Donaldson rf 300, Sleasman lf 301. Totals -- 29-1-7.
CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (9): Cavender p 232, Helsel cf 311, B. Francona 3b 322, Black c 402, Mussleman rf 402, Swindell ss 310, Bush 1b 311, Crissman 2b 200, Hinish ph 110. Totals -- 25-9-10.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Meyersdale 000 010 0 -- 1 7 0
C-Kimmel 121 203 X -- 9 10 2
2B--Dupre. 3B--Cavender. HR--Cavender. RBI--Sleasman, Cavender 2, Helsel, B. Francona 2, Black, Musselman, Crissman. WP--Cavender. LP--Donaldson. SO--Cavender 3, Donaldson 6. BB--Cavender 1, Donaldson 6.