Bellefonte tops Central Mountain to win D6 5A championship

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 27, 2021

Photos by Tim Weight

LORETTO – Back where they belong!

The Bellefonte softball team came in as the second seed in this year’s District 6 Class 5A contest against the top seeded Central Mountain team who lost earlier in season against the same Lady Red Raiders they were facing for the title.

In the first contest, Bellefonte shut out the Wildcats 6-0. Central Mountain was looking for a little payback with the stakes riding a little higher than that of the regular season.

It would be a classic pitching battle as Bellefonte’s Lexi Rogers went head-to-head with hard firing pitcher Adalynn McKeague.

In a game that would span two days because of Mother Nature’s interference, the game would be a nailbiter with Bellefonte notching the 5-3 victory and capturing the D6 title.

“It was so incredible to watch the girls celebrate after the final out. They were jumping into each other’s arms, going crazy. They have worked so incredibly hard to get to this point, and to see one of our goals checked off the list feels great,” said Bellefonte coach Travis Foster. “I’m really proud of them all. We’ll enjoy it for the weekend and then it’s time to get back at it, next week.”

Early in the first day, the Wildcats would strike first as lead off hitter Alyssa Fisher would send a blast over the left field fence, giving the Lady Wildcats a 1-0 advantage.

But the Central Mountain lead would only be temporary as the Red Raiders would get right back in it as Hanna Lauck would send an explosive blast over the high centerfield wall, knotting things at one.

Bellefonte and Rogers would keep the Central Mountain bats quiet in the second and the game made it in to the third and then lightning made its way into the late afternoon sky causing the game to be forced to finish at one in the third and making the teams resume the contest early Thursday back at St. Francis University.

It would be a change of momentum in the contest as the Red Raiders battled to outscore the Wildcats 4-2 to in the remaining innings capture the title and earn their spot in the PIAA state playoffs.

It would be in the top of the fifth when the Red Raiders would make their move.

Madison Melius took advantage of a Central Mountain miscue to get to second. Setting the stage for Gardner. She did not disappoint as she blasted a double down the right field line, scoring Melius to make it a 2-1 contest.

Reichert singled in her next time up and scored a bustling Gardner upping it to a 3-1 lead.

After Central Mountain retaliated with a run, cutting it to a 3-2 contest, the Lady Raiders would once again answer the call.

Haylie Rimmey started another rally as she smoked a double down the line in left scoring Sara DeHaas and teammate Grace Novitsky, extending the Red Raider advantage to 5-2.

The Wildcats would add one late but it was too little too late as the Lady Raiders lifted their hands in victory.

Picking up hard earned RBIs on the night were Lauck, Tara Reichert and Lily Gardner.

Rogers went the distance with six strikeouts while McKeague finished with an 11-strikeout performance in a losing effort.