Albright strikes out 16, BEA late rally ices contest over Colts

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 21, 2024

WINGATE – Defending their turf!!

Tuesday, the Bald Eagle softball team opened in defense of its District 6 Class AA title hosting the Northern Bedford Colts at their field in the opening round of the District 6 Class AA playoffs.

The Colts sent Alyssa Yahner to the circle to duel against Sierra Albright.

For the first five innings, the game was a pitchers duel with Yahner allowing only four hits while Albright was unscathed throwing a no-hitter.

Albright shined throughout, capturing the 3-0 victory with a one hitter. She finished with 16 strike outs.

“They’ve (Northern Bedford) had been hitting the ball well,” said Bald Eagle coach Don Lucas when talking about his pitcher. “So she pitched the ball well. She’s tough.”

In the first, Albright had her stuff working on the first pitch to the last. The veteran hurler struck out 2-of-3 in a 1-2-3 inning.

Bald Eagle threatened in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Addisyn Burns sent a screamer on the ground into left. She stole second and moved up to third on a fielders choice by Shae Housel.

That would set the stage for Ava Stere. Stere lasted a gapper deep into the gap between center and right, scoring Burns easily from third.

Sydney Thompson kept the inning alive as she joined Stere on base via a walk.

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Albright was untouchable in the second, striking out three in the inning. The only blemish was a hit with a pitch to Hayley Dumm.

Albright kept the strike outs coming in the third posting two more to add to her list, keeping the lead 1-0 for her Eagles.

Bald Eagle was looking for a little 2-out lightning in the third.

Housel singled and moved up to second on a stolen base.

But the Colts defense got the third out, keeping the Lady Eagles off the scoreboard.

In the fourth, the Eagles’ defense came up big in Albright’s quest for a no-hitter.

Catcher Kailey Eckert dove and caught a blooper to save a possible hit.

From there, Albright continued to blow pitches past the Colts picking up strike outs 8 and 9.

Alyssa Yahner and the Northern Cambria defense also held its own, allowing just four hits through four.

Again, the Eagles tried to push another runner through with two outs.

With two outs, Taylor Habovick singled and stole both second and third. But again they were not able to pick up, keeping the game a one-run contest heading into the fifth.

The fifth would be more of the same with Albright standing tall in the pitcher’s circle, striking out the side to move her no-hit bid into the sixth inning.

Bald Eagle had two outs again with a runner on the fifth.

Eckert roped a grounder into right but was stranded, adding to the tension going into the sixth.

With one out in the sixth Albright’s no hit bid was broken up by Braelyn Pattison on a blooper hit between two Bald Eagle players. But the Lady Eagles got the third out, coming to within three outs of a victory.

Stere notched her second hit of the game to get things started for the Bald Eagles in the sixth for her team’s sixth hit.

Taylor Habovick blasted a shot off the fence for a double, scoring Stere.

Habovick stole third and then stole home, upping the Eagle lead to 3-0.

That would be all that the Eagles defense would need as Albright struck out 2-of-3, taking the contest.

Albright passed the 200th strike out mark while Eckert picked up her 100th hit in the win.

Up next for Bald Eagle will be a showdown with old Mountain League foe Penns Valley on Friday at Bald Eagle’s home field.

Bald Eagle Area 3, N. Cambria 0

NC 000 000 0 – 0 1 0

BEA 100 00 2 x – 3 7 0

WP: Sierra Albright

LP: Alyssa Yahner

Multiple hitters: NC – None. BEA – Ava Stere 2-for-3, RBI, run, Taylor Habovick 2-for-3 RBI, run.