Lady Scotties stun Yough, 1-0, in 9 innings
ALVERTON — Briana Bunner has hit several walk-off home runs in her career. On Tuesday against Yough, the Southmoreland senior had something else in mind.
“I knew I didn’t have to hit a home run, just hit the ball to the right side and (Olivia Porter) was guaranteed to score.”
Bunner’s “walk-off” ground out did indeed drive in Porter with the winning run in a nine-inning marathon that gave the Lady Scotties a 1-0 win over the Section 4-AAA champions.
Bunner said she was surprised Mularski pitched to her with first base open.
“I had my toes on the (inside batter’s) line to chase a pitch anywhere.”
Southmoreland coach Todd Bunner gave Adeline Nicholson her first pitching start of the season.
“We decided to go with something different. Adeline placed the ball well, we played great defensively, and had key hits when we needed them,” he said.
Nicholson won an unlikely pitcher’s duel with Yough standout Macy Mularski, who probably deserved a better fate after surrendering only two hits and striking out 12 batters.
Nicholson struck out just one batter and gave up eight hits, but she and her defense were up to the task each time in the clutch. Yough (11-1, 15-2) stranded eight batters over the first four innings before Nicholson settled in and retired nine straight batters at one point.
Mularski was perfect through the first 11 Southmoreland batters before Briana Bunner lined a solid double to the left-centerfield fence with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Bunner stole third while Nicholson was drawing a walk, but Mularski got a pop out to end the inning.
Southmoreland (10-2, 12-2) missed a golden chance to win the game in the seventh when Briana Bunner reached second when her line drive was dropped in right field. Mularski survived the error by getting a strike out, a ground out to first, and a pop fly out.
In the Yough ninth, Kierra Waywood walked with one out and Hannah Bach reached first base on a bunt single for her third hit.
But Aubrie Mance bounced into an inning-ending double play, Porter to Bunner. Yough coach Dutch Harvey argued the call at first to no avail.
In the SHS ninth, Porter reached base when she led off with a soft line drive single that fell near second base. Bethany Bunner bunted and was safe when the ball was dropped at first base. Porter continued to third on the bunt and was safe on a close play. Harvey was ejected by the home plate umpire when he came out of the dugout to contest the call.
Brianna Bunner followed with the ground out to second base that drove in Porter to give Southmoreland the win.
Harvey was on the team bus headed home with his team afterwards and was unavailable for comment.
Southmoreland’s defense struggled in the first game at Yough, but played error-free defense in Tuesday’s game.
“This feels real good,” said Todd Bunner afterwards. “Yough is an outstanding team and when you play a softball game like that it was something to watch. Macy pitched an excellent game, but we did what we had to do to win.”