Lady Raiders fall late in District six title tilt

By Kenny Varner
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Updated: May 27, 2015

By kenny Varner UNIVERSITY PARK – At this time of the year, District 6 Championship games and Bellefonte softball teams go hand-in-hand. This year was no exception as this group, sporting a new manager in Fred Caldwell battled their was back to play in the D6 Class AAA title tilt. Bellefonte opened the game as the visiting team as it faced Bellwood-antis for the crown. Despite a slight rain delay, the action was unaffected as in the end it would be the Blue Devils that would come out victorious 5-1 at Beard Field. It was a great run for the Red Raiders as it reached the title game with a whole different coaching staff. After five and a half innings there was a smell of extra innings in the air. However, the Blue Devils had different plans. Leading off the inning, Maddie Miller stroked a sailing shot into left. Then with the bases loaded Caroline Showalter blasted a 3-run triple, ending the tie in a big way. With only one out, pinch hitter Rachele Harris walked and then Miller scored on a fielders choice with two outs making it 5-1 going into the top of the seventh. Baney faced off on the pitching mound against Taylor Shildt. Shildt and company looked tough in the first, sending down the Lady Raiders down 1-2-3. The Blue Devils drew first blood in their part of the first inning, plating one. Anna Wolfe got the inning going with a lead off single into left. Teammate Shildt put down a picture perfect sacrifice bunt allowing Wolfe to move to second. Jacqueline Finn sent a gapper into the right-center, resulting in an RBI double. However, Baney and her defense regained control and shut down Bellewood the rest of the inning. Bellefonte battled back to tie the game in the top of the second. Leading off the inning was Liz Linn. Linn reached first when she took one for the team, getting hit by a Shildt offering. She later scored on a blast by Alexis Wetzler, landing up in the deep depths of the outfield, allowing Linn to score. In the bottom of the third, the Blue Devils started to rally getting runners on first and second with one out. With two runners on, Maddie Millers fielders choice grounder, allowed both runners to move to second and third with two outs showing on the scoreboard. A diving catch by Linn in right field saved a possible scoring opportunity, leaving it tied 1-1 going into the fourth. Linn opened the fourth inning with a slap single to right but was tug out trying to stretch things from a single by Wetzler. The single to right by Wetzler was her second of the game. In the fifth inning, both defenses took over and both went into their final six outs tied at one. Both had a total of three hits each going into it.