Wagner’s grand slam lifts Rebels past B-C, 11-1
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Seton-La Salle’s Hadley Horensky avoids a diving tag attempt by Beth-Center catcher Sidney Frazee to score a run as Lady Bulldogs first baseman Paige Moore looks on in the background during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School.
Beth-Center pitcher Mackenzie Crile goes into her windup against Seton-La Salle as second baseman Madison Mock looks on in the background during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School.
Beth-Center’s Paige Moore prepares to swing at a pitch against Seton-La Salle during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Beth-Center’s entire infield gathers in the circle to discuss the situation against Seton-La Salle during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School.
Seton-La Salle’s Jada Simon tries to pitch out of a third-inning jam with Beth-Center runners Mackenzie Crile (second base) and Madison Mock (first base) on base during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School. The Lady Bulldogs advanced a runner to second in each of the first four innings, but could only score once in an 11-1 loss.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Beth-Center’s Jen Zelenick bats against Seton-La Salle’s during a WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game at Baldwin High School on May 16, 2018. Zelenick was set to be a three-year starter for the Lady Bulldogs this spring but had her junior season wiped out by the coronavirus pandemic.
WHITEHALL — Beth-Center was battling and hanging in the game against heavily-favored Seton-La Salle during their WPIAL Class AA first-round playoff game on Wednesday.
Then the Lady Rebels’ Lexi Wagner stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth inning and finally put away the feisty Lady Bulldogs.
Wagner crushed a grand slam over the right-center field fence to turn a competitive 5-1 game into a commanding 9-1 lead and propel Seton LaSalle to an 11-1 victory in five innings at Baldwin High School.
Wagner added a double and Brie Hottenfeller doubled twice for the third-seeded Lady Rebels (14-2), who advance to the quarterfinals where they will play Laurel with the date, site and time to be determined.
Beth-Center (3-13), the lowest-seeded team in the bracket, made winning pitcher Jada Simon work out of jams in every inning but one, but could only muster one run and was hurt by its defense.
“I felt like we were a little bit closer than the final score,” B-C coach Don Crile said. “You give credit to Seton-La Salle. They’re an established team and they took advantage of mistakes we made.”
Simon could only muster five strikeouts with two walks and a hit batter, but only surrendered three hits, including two in the first inning.
“What was surprising to me was some of our underclassmen,” Crile said. “I’ve got a couple freshmen starting (Alexis Logan and Halana Durilla) and I’ve got a couple girls that have never played high school or middle school softball come out and have good at bats today I thought.
“They put a little bit of extra effort in during the week and it paid off for them.”
Losing pitcher Mackenzie Crile allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and one intentional walk.
Beth-Center threatened immediately as Jen Zelenick singled to lead-off the game and Bailey Minerd singled one out later. Paige Moore followed with a sharp grounder to shortstop Wagner who got the force out at third and Madison Mock grounded out to end the inning.
The Lady Bulldogs put two more on with no outs in the second as Nicole White reached on an error and Hannah Moore was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second. Again Simon squelched the threat with a grounder and two strikeouts.
Seton-La Salle got on the board in the bottom of the inning as Hottenfeller’s double and two errors led to a pair of runs.
B-C again put two runners on in the third as Crile and Mock drew walks before Simon got an inning-ending strikeout.
The Lady Rebels went up 5-0 in the bottom of the inning as doubles by Wagner and Sarah Cornell, a single by Simon and a run-scoring ground out by Marissa Schuckman produced three runs.
Beth-Center finally got on the board in the fourth. Sidney Frazee singled and took second when Alexis Logan’s bunt resulted in a throwing error. The runners moved up on a wild pitch and Zelenick delivered a sacrifice fly to left to pull the Lady Bulldogs within 5-1.
Seton-La Salle loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning on two errors and Rien Frazier’s bunt single to set the stage for Wagner’s big blow. The Lady Rebels made it 10-1 later in the inning on Hadley Horensky’s single and a three-base error.
Seton-La Salle ended it on the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth when Hottenfeller doubled and eventually scored on Alexis Riske’s deep single to right.
Six of the Lady Rebels’ hits went for extra bases, including a double by Simon.
It was the final game for Beth-Center seniors Paige Moore and Minerd, but the Lady Bulldogs will return seven starters in 2019 and more help is on the way.
“We don’t have a lot of travel ball players,” Crile said. “I’ve got two this year and I’ve got a couple more coming up next year.
“I think we’re going to get stronger the next couple seasons.”