Carmichaels wins section title in softball
Carmichaels erased a 1-0 deficit with four fifth-inning runs, and the Lady Mikes clinched their first section title since 1999 with a 6-2 win over Avella Friday in Section 1-A action. The victory, Carmichaels’ 13th straight, pushes the Lady Mikes Section 1-A mark to 9-0. Carmichaels closes out section play Monday at home against West Greene.
“To be where we’re at, I don’t think anybody gave us a shot at beating Chartiers-Houston twice or Avella twice,” said Lady Mikes coach Albert McMinn. “We’re ranked third in the WPIAL behind Sto-Rox and Leechburg. There are two teams above us (in Class A) and 40 below us.
“Those are just numbers though. You have to play the game on the field. Our next season (WPIAL playoffs) will begin after we play West Greene. Anything can happen in the playoffs.”
Carmichaels (14-1) fell behind 1-0 when Avella scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning. But the Lady Mikes parlayed six of their 13 hits with a walk together in the top of the fifth inning to take the lead for good.
After one out, Dottie Virgili drew a walk off losing pitcher Dilanne Bedillion. Jamie Menhart singled, then leadoff hitter Jessica McMinn singled to load the bases. Pinch-hitting for Angie Lasko, Arielle Workman then singled to right-centerfield to tie the game.
Bedillion then struck out Sara Pavel, before Autumn Willis singled to score Menhart and give Carmichaels a 2-1 led. Winning pitcher followed with a single to send McMinn home with Carmichaels’ third run, then Amber Willis capped the inning when she singled to drive home Workman.
Avella cut the lead in half, scoring a run after the first two batters were retired in the bottom of fifth, but Carmichaels came back with two of its own in its next at bat.
Virgili tripled off Bedillion to lead off the inning, and after one out, McMinn singled. But Virgili hesitated and was thrown out at home with McMinn taking second base on the play.
Lasko then singled McMinn to third, before Pavel brought home McMinn with a single. Autumn Willis drove in the Lady Mikes’ final run with a single to score Lasko.
“We’re hitting the ball well, and we are playing good defense,” Albert McMinn said.
“We made some changes at the start of the season, and now everybody knows what to do in their positions.”
Metcalf (14-1) went the distance, allowing five hits. She struck out eight while walking just one.
Perhaps overlooked by the rest of the WPIAL, Metcalf has won two duels with Chartiers-Houston’s Jen Alderson as well two with Bedillion. The junior right-hander defeated the Lady Bucs, 1-0, last week, and also fired a 1-0, two-hit game in the first win over Avella earlier this season.
“She’s very underrated,” Albert McMinn said. “She’s one of the best defensive pitchers I’ve seen, and in big games, she pitches excellent. She comes prepared. She’s just like Autumn Willis. They make up an excellent battery. You couldn’t ask for anything more.
“Autumn threw out two runners at third base, two at second, fielded a bunt and threw out the batter and threw out two hitters who had struck out and were running to first base. She had another great game. She just steps up when it’s time to play. She drove in two runs as well.”
Bedillion struck out seven and walked three through seven innings. Avella drops to 6-3 in Section 1-A, and must defeat Chartiers-Houston in its section finale to make the postseason.