Baney tosses no-hitter versus rival BEA

By rscaife
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Updated: April 19, 2017

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – One run, two teams and seven thrilling innings proved to add note just another page to the Bellefonte/Bald Eagle Area softball but a whole new chapter as the two combined for a game for the ages.
Zeros were the lucky numbers for the Bellefonte softball team Tuesday as the Lady Raiders got a strong effort by ace hurler Tara Baney and her defense resulting in a her first no-hitter of the year, en route to the 1-0 victory.
The game wasn’t decided until the Red Raiders’ last at bats.
Bald Eagle Area got a strong pitching performance from its young hurler Zoey Surovic, who went the distance allowing one run on five hits, tossing a 4-hit shut out until the final inning.
Picking up hits for Bellefonte were Rianna Trexler, Lessi Pryzbys, Mallorie Smith, Baney and Jaylen Smith.
Pryzbys provided the game-winning RBI when she hit a sacrifice fly into deep left field, scoring Pinch runner Emily Pugh from third.
“This the kind of game you love to play and love to be in. I always expect that in a Bald Eagle/ Bellefonte game,” Bellefonte coach Jim Caldwell said. “I was wondering when someone would score. I was standing in the box wondering who was going to blink first and I was glad it was them.”
In the top of the seventh, Baney allowed only one walk by Cathryn Close in the inning. She got to as far as second before she ended the Eagles inning by striking out Madison Ripka.
Baney finished with seven strike outs on the evening.
“I thought we played very well defensively. We got some nice plays from short and third, the pitcher caught a couple,” Caldwell said. “This is her first no-hitter this year. She was throwing real well today. The first four or five innings she was really hitting her spots. About the fifth and sixth inning she started missing a little, not significantly but you wondered if she was going to tire. But Tara is just a rock. We can always. Punt on her for a full game.”
In the bottom of the inning, the Lady Raiders, like they have in numerous games this year turned on the go-switch and came out clutch under pressure.
Smith led off the inning, taking one for the team as she was plunked by a Bald Eagle offering. She was replaced by Pugh at first. Pugh reached second via a past ball and reached safely to third on an infield single by Emma Dehaas, putting runners on the corners with no one out.
Pryzbys ended the game as she hit a long smash to the deep part of left field, scoring Pugh for the walk off win.
However, the Eagles were in it until the very end which was something their coach was happy about.
“This was a great game to watch. A game like this is going to come down to who makes the first miscue and we have some young gals here and we played one heck of a game,” Bald Eagle coach Don Lucas said. “When you throw a no-hitter you just have to get one run and that’s what they did and kudos to them.”