EBENSBURG — Sometimes championships are won and lost on adapting to the game being played, and Thursday Claysburg-Kimmel won its third-straight District 6 softball championship by adjusting to Juniata Valley’s adjustment.

The Lady Bulldogs took a five-run lead through three innings, but the Lady Hornets started dealing with C-K pitcher Isabella Paris’ speed by going the opposite way and used her power to create their own with home runs by Lexey Smith and Brooklyn Harman.

Claysburg-Kimmel catcher Makenna Black walked over to Lady Bulldogs coach Mike Barbarini after the second blast and told him Juniata Valley was crushing the outside offerings they were pitching.

Paris shifted to working the inside corner, and though she did allow Kelsey Ersek’s deep home run to left in the sixth inning that made it a one-run game, Claysburg-Kimmel was able to hold on for a 5-4 victory that upped its record to a perfect 25-0.

Claysburg-Kimmel's McKenna Black is tagged out by Juniata Valley third baseman Bethany Devore after attempting to stretch a double. MIrror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

“After the third inning, they started hitting the ball and figuring Isabella out a little bit,” Barbarini said. “We had to change some things up and start pitching them inside instead of keeping throwing them away, because they kept hitting everything over the fence to right. We adjusted a little bit, and she adjusted her pitching. We were able to hold on and score enough runs to win.”

Claysburg-Kimmel will begin the PIAA Class 1A playoffs on Monday at home against District 4 runner-up Bucktail.

“We’re looking forward to taking it to them and moving on to the second round,” Barbarini said.

Juniata Valley, which was making its first appearance in the District 6 softball championship game, will play District 9 champion DuBois Central Catholic on the road on Monday.

“I’m extremely proud,” Juniata Valley coach Robbie Hall said. “I can’t say enough about the grit and the toughness these girls have. At the beginning of the season, we started off well and then went on a slide. They started to doubt themselves, but we had a talk one day, and we told the girls there was nowhere to go but up. We dug our heels in and started working, and I’m proud of them.”

Early in the game, Juniata Valley may have struggled with the spotlight of playing in a district final against an undefeated team that has been in the position before.

The Lady Hornets made five errors in the first three innings and three in the first inning alone to contribute to Claysburg-Kimmel’s 5-0 lead.

“The first two innings there were a lot of nerves,” Hall said. “Once we shook those nerves and settled in, we started playing our style of ball. It worked out. Not quite the way we wanted to, but we gave them a run for their money.”

Just two of Claysburg’s five runs were earned. One of those was a solo home run from Savanna Crissman to lead off the bottom of the second inning, and it seemed like the rout may be on.

However, Juniata Valley kept it close by recording four outfield assists — three when C-K players tried to stretch hits into extra base hits and another where right fielder Khloe Brown threw out a runner at first base.

“We’re always aggressive like that,” Barbarini said. “With the short field like it is here, their outfielders were able to throw directly to the bases from the fence, and that was something we didn’t adjust to. I told the girls after that I ran us into three different outs. I took responsibility for that, and maybe we need to reel that in and realize we are just as good at second base as at third base.”

After Smith got Juniata Valley on the board with a solo home run to lead off the fifth, Kassidy Watson laced her second hit of the game to center before Harman’s two-run blast.

“As a team, we have had our highs and lows all year,” Harman said. “We came here on a rollercoaster ride, and we gave them a run for their money. I thought they thought they were going to beat us out of the water, and they didn’t. As a team, I believe we can make it far and be a tough team against anybody.”

Ersek’s home run made it 5-4, but Juniata Valley’s next five batters were retired to end the game.

“(My girls) are like a bunch of rabid dogs,” Hall said. “They keep coming after you.”

Black had two hits for Claysburg-Kimmel, and Launa Musselman had a sacrifice fly for the Lady Bulldogs.

“It’s fantastic,” Barbarini said. “To get ahead like that and have them battle back and have our girls hold on is a fantastic feeling, especially to have now won three in a row.”

Senior Bella Francona led off the bottom of the first with a walk, stole second and scored on an error. She also had a hit in the second inning.

“It’s nice winning this for a third time and making it for a fourth,” Francona said. “Now that we’ve won it, we have a good road in our bracket to hopefully win a state championship.”

The Lady Bulldogs were eliminated in the second round last season after making it to the PIAA semifinals two years ago before a heartbreaking loss to Union.

“We just have to keep our confidence up,” Francona said. “We have played together for a long time since we were little. We know we can keep winning if we stay confident.”

As for Juniata Valley, each step the Lady Hornets take from here will blaze a new path for the program.

“I love Juniata Valley,” Harman said. “This team, we made history tonight. I think we did awesome.”

JUNIATA VALLEY (4): B. Devore 1b-p 300, Hall p-1b 301, Ersek ss 311, Brown rf 300, Smith dp 311, Sager cf 000, Watson 3b 312, Harman lf 311, Mease c 300, J. Devore 2b 200. Totals — 26-4-6.

CLAYSBURG-KIMMEL (5): Francona 3b 211, Swindell ss 300, Black c 312, Paris p 311, Musselman lf 200, Hinish dp 200, Zai. Bush rf-pr 010, Crissman 2b 311, Zak. Bush 1b 300, Harclerode cf 201. Totals — 23-5-6.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Juniata Valley 000 031 0–4 6 5

Claysburg-Kimmel 212 000 X–5 6 0

E–Ersek 2, Sager, Mease, J. Devore. 2B–Harclerode, Black. HR–Smith, Harman, Ersek, Crissman. RBI–Harman 2, Smith, Ersek, Musselman, Crissman.

PITCHING

Juniata Valley: Hall (L)–4IP, 5H, 6K, 2BB, 5R, 2ER; B. Devore–2IP, 1H, 1K, 0BB, 0R, 0ER.

Claysburg-Kimmel: Paris (W)–7IP, 6H, 9K, 0BB, 4R, 4ER.

Umpires: David Murosky (HP); Gary Kost (1B); Paul Swanson (2B); Brian Sonak (3B).

Records: Juniata Valley (12-10); Claysburg-Kimmel (25-0).