Noah out duels Senge in Uniontown’s win over LH
It was an old-fashioned duel on Monday afternoon at the “Mustang Corral.”
Shots were definitely fired, but it wasn’t a “six-shooter” that Laurel Highlands’ Payton Senge and Uniontown’s Emmaleigh Noah were using, but their right arms, as the two combined to allow three runs (one earned) on five hits over seven innings with 20 strikeouts and two walks.
Neither pitcher gave an inch, but the Lady Red Raiders were able to rally with one run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings for a 2-1 victory over the Mustangs in another chapter of the “cross-town rivalry.”
Uniontown improved to 3-2 in Section 2-4A play and 5-4 overall. Laurel Highlands fell to 2-3 in section action and 3-6 overall.
The Lady Red Raiders have moved into fourth place in the section standings.
“We have a bunch of really good softball players, which is different from kids who want to play softball,” Uniontown coach Jason White said. “It has been a good injection of talent into this program.”
Uniontown didn’t hide from tough competition in non-section play.
“I set our schedule up on purpose to play the South Parks, the Hempfields,” said White. “I need these kids to see good, and I was hoping that was going to give us the strong start we needed.
“We started off a little bit down, but last year, we were shot out of a cannon, straight out of the gate. Hopefully, this is the turning point that we need, and we are going to rise at the end, instead of faltering at the end.”
The Mustangs are in fifth place in Section 2-4A, but head coach Patrick Livingston noted how close his young team is from breaking through.
“We are young, but I feel like we are moving in the right direction,” Livingston said. “This is the third game in a row that we’ve lost by one run. My pitcher, first baseman, third baseman and left fielder are freshmen. We hope our youth can lead to a bright future.”
Noah, a junior, earned the victory in the pitching circle after allowing one unearned run on two hits in seven innings. She had nine strikeouts and walked two.
“She (Noah) did a great job today of pitching, and not just throwing the ball hard and trying to beat people with some velocity because she has good velocity,” White said.
Senge yielded two runs (one earned) on three hits over seven innings. She had 11 strikeouts and no walks.
“It was a great pitching battle,” Livingston said. “We had a great outing from our freshman pitcher. She really did well today. We just hope to turn some of these one-run games around in our favor.”
Laurel Highlands took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Harlie Dirda reached on an error and Kayla Howell scored.
Howell had reached first base on a bunt single before Senge advanced to first on a fielder’s choice. The Lady Red Raiders were unable to tag Howell out at second, which put Senge and Howell on first and second with one out.
Uniontown tied the game at 1-1 in the next half-inning when Alexa Budner singled to third base and advanced to second on an error. She advanced to third base on a passed ball before scoring on Noah’s grounder to second base.
The Lady Red Raiders took the lead in the fifth after Lyric McLee reached on an error, advanced to second on Kendal Nehls’ bunt, and while stealing third base, scored on an error for a 2-1 advantage.
“We made a couple of miscues, and they ended up with two runs,” Livingston said. “We struggled on the offensive side.”
McLee and Lauren White each singled for Uniontown.
Payton Rambo had the Mustangs’ other hit.