D’j… vu for Beth-Center in loss to Lady Bucs
CALIFORNIA – Same score, same opponent, same field, same quarterfinal round of the playoffs, and nearly two years ago to the date, the Beth-Center softball team once again was left thinking about the one Buc that got away. Only this time Chartiers-Houston’s Casey Kapis drove in the only run in the final inning, instead of scoring it, as the Lady Bucs eliminated the Lady Bulldogs (15-7) from the WPIAL Class A playoffs with a 1-0 extra-inning win at California University’s Lilly Field.
Kapis, who scored on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning in the 2001 meeting, plated Shana Tarr from second base with a game-winning single to center field in the top of the eighth inning on Thursday.
The Bucs retired the Lady Bulldogs 1-2-3 in the bottom of the eighth, capped off by none other than Kapis throwing out Kristi Mazzaferri from the seat of her pants after snaring Mazzaferri’s grounder to second.
“Whew,” gasped Chartiers-Houston coach Dan Ross. “(After not scoring in the seventh inning) I just felt that the tides were going to turn, but we took the lead and showed that we do have something left.”
Chartiers-Houston (14-6) left the bases loaded in the seventh inning when Elexis Riggle tried scoring from second on a Shannon Arnold single to center. Riggle safely retreated back to third base when Beth-Center catcher Kim Urcho dropped the ball while applying a diving tag. Megan Criswell then walked and Brittany Renko fouled out to third baseman Courtney Kurowski to end the inning.
“We played a solid game,” said Beth-Center coach Frank Mazeppa. “I hate to us lose, but (Chartiers-Houston) scraped runs that they needed.”
Chartiers-Houston pitcher Jen Alderson notched the win pitching eight innings with nine strikeouts, while surrendering four Bulldog hits and two walks. Beth-Center’s Chelsea Stotka also pitched a complete game, yielding six hits and three walks while striking out six.
Alderson scattered the Bulldog offense as all four hits came in from different batters in separate innings. Beth-Center did have its opportunities with eight runners left on base, including Kurowski at third in the second inning after reaching on a double.
“I knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Mazeppa said. “We had our opportunities, (but) they are a good team and they are very well coached. It was a good game all the way around.”
Tarr and Riggle led the Bucs with two hits apiece. Tarr led off the eighth inning with a single off the out-stretched glove of Beth-Center shortstop Stacey Greenawalt. Alderson then advanced Tarr to second on a sacrifice bunt, before Kapis knocked in the game-winner.
“I was thinking about bunting Shana (in the top of the eighth),” Ross said, “but she hit the ball right on the nose. After that I thought we had an opportunity.”
Beth-Center threatened in the fifth and sixth innings, leaving two runners on in each frame. In the fifth, Lesley Kurjanowicz singled to right-center, moving Stotka to second with one out. However, Alderson was able to escape the inning by striking out Breanne Paletta and throwing out Alisha Holt, who hit a grounder back to the mound.
In the sixth, Mazzaferri singled up the middle and stole second base. Alderson struck out Kurowski, walked Tammy Pendland and retired the Bulldogs by throwing Julie Bakewell out on yet another groundout to the pitcher.
The game marked the third straight year the two teams met in the playoffs.
Including the Bucs’ 1-0 win in 2001, Beth-Center won last year’s meeting in the WPIAL semifinals, 8-5.
The Lady Bulldogs advanced to the WPIAL championship game last year before losing, and were the second seed in this year’s pairings.
“It’s a great rivalry,” Ross said. “We talked about (the game two years ago); you never know what’s going to happen.”
“I have no complaints,” Mazeppa added. “It was two outstanding jobs by two outstanding teams.”
Chartiers-Houston will play either Burgettstown or Leechburg in the semifinals.