May 29, 2009 5 min read

CALIFORNIA – The Carmichaels Lady Mikes ended their impressive 2009 campaign on a sour note Wednesday by way of a 10-1 loss to the Leechburg Lady Blue Devils in the WPIAL Class A Consolation Game at California University of Pa.’s Lilly Field. With the win, Leechburg (16-4) claims the third and final spot in the PIAA Class A Playoffs that will start next week. “We were very, very loose today,” Leechburg coach Jim Oberdorf said. “We watched this team played against Vincentian (Academy) in the last round and they played them hard. We had a great group of kids and they are excited about states. We got four more hard games to win if we want to win it all.”

Despite the loss, Carmichaels (15-4) shocked Class A softball by advancing to the final four teams with such a young team that includes only two seniors.

Freshmen Megan Bayles led off the game with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Bayles would be stranded at second as the Mikes couldn’t get the run in to take the early lead.

“That first inning was big for both teams,” Carmichaels coach Dave Briggs said. “We got the early hit and were able to set the table, but we just didn’t get that other hit to knock in a run. We didn’t score early and that open things up for them. They beat us at our on game as their offense got a lot of timely extra-base hits.”

Carmichaels sophomore ace Kasey Osborne pitched a three-up, three-down first inning, but got in some trouble in the second.

Senior Keri Barnes opened the bottom of the second with a stand-up double and crossed home plate via a RBI double by sophomore Kelly Klingensmith. Another run would score on the play as a high, errant throw sailed over Carmichaels catcher’s head.

Later in the inning, senior Keli Barnes produced a RBI groundout that increased the Blue Devils’ lead to 3-0.

In the fourth, Leechburg added one more run as Keri Barnes was able to reach base on a single, advance to second on a groundout, stole third and then made her way to home off another Mikes’ error.

The floodgates open in the fifth for the Leechburg offense, as the Lady Blue Devils were able to take control of the game with a four-run inning.

“We always come into every game with the attitude of whatever happens, happens,” Oberdorf said. “Whether it’s our offense or pitching, we are just a loose team that wants to win out there. The kids didn’t worry about anything; they just played their hearts out.”

The Blue Devils sent nine batters to the plate in the inning and collected two doubles and four run-producing hits as they led 8-0.

The Mikes cracked the scoreboard in the sixth with a RBI fielder’s choice by senior Shayleigh Busti that scored sophomore Erica Keller. Keller had two of the Mikes’ four hits in the contest.

“Their pitcher was able to mix up her speeds,” Briggs said. “We have seen pitchers like her this season, I thought we were prepared for it today, but that’s the way softball goes. I don’t think it was nerves; it was just one of those games.”

“I think it was one of our worst games of the season since our section opener, but this game doesn’t diminish what we have accomplished this year. We were proud of our playoff run, but we still wanted to win this game.”

Leechburg was able to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth via a run-producing double by junior Victoria Oberdorf. Oberdorf would later scored on an Osborne wild pitch to end the offensive onslaught for the Blue Devils

Senior Trisha Klingensmith kept the potent Mikes’ offense off-balance the whole game and was able to induce 12 groundouts in seven innings of work. Klingensmith only allowed a run on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

“Sometimes it’s a struggle for Trisha to throw 40 feet,” Oberdorf said. “But she has pinpoint accuracy and a heck of a change-up, and that’s why I went with her today. She did a great job out there, and I’m really going to miss her next year.”

Osborne, who has been solid for Carmichaels all season in only her second year, suffered the loss as she went six innings, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits with three free passes, three strikeouts and four wild pitches.

“Opportunities like this don’t come every day,” Briggs said. “It’s been like a decade since Carmichaels’ softball has advanced this far in the postseason. You can’t assume that we are going to be here next year, either. I feel bad for my seniors because they really wanted it bad. We just didn’t score enough runs today.”