MC softball avenges early loss to State

By rscaife
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Updated: April 27, 2017

By Kenny Varner

STATE COLLEGE – Mifflin County had its bats ready and raring to go Wednesday afternoon when it faced Mid-Penn rival State College on the softball diamond.
The Huskies pounded out a total of 15 hits on the afternoon en route to the 14-1 road victory over the Lady Little Lions.
Selena Breneman led the way offensively as well as teammates Hanna Kanagy and Maxie Johnson with all finishing with a 3-hit afternoon. Breneman went a perfect 3-for-3, scoring twice and collecting an RBI along the way.
Johnson had the game’s only triple and two RBI in the win.
Kanagy went 3-for-5 poking two doubles and a single into the State College outfield. She brought home a game-high 4 RBI in the win.
On the mound, Kanagy was just as effective as she went the distance by striking out five and scattering only six hits and allowing just a first inning run. She did not allow any State College batters to finish their night with multiple hits.
Other Huskies finishing with multiple hits were Ralie Goss and Caitlyn Smith who both finished with 2-for-4 performances.
“Early on I thought we were doing a real nice job hitting line drives and so forth. We typically struggle sometimes against a team like that because the first pitcher was changing speeds in her pitches and I thought they did a really nice job adjusting to it,” Mifflin County manager Jack McCurdy said. “On the pitching side, Kanagy was really dialed in tonight. We need that to continue down the stretch. But I’m really feeling comfortable with the way she is pitching.”
State College plated the first run of the game in the bottom of the first.
With one out, Kayla Hawbaker walked to start the inning off in a positive direction for the Little Lions.
After a Kanagy strikeout, Avery Cymbor also walked, setting the stage for Andrea Kling.
Kling roped an RBI double into right, scoring Hawbaker, making it 1-0.
After trailing 1-0 going into the second, Mifflin County quickly struck back, scoring three runs of its own to take the lead.
Smith led off the inning with a single chopper down the middle. She was replaced by Cassidy Wilson on the base paths via a courtesy runner.
Hannah Fitzgerald continued things with a single to right, putting runners on first and second.
Kanagy loaded the bases as she singled into left. Emily Shilling replaced Kanagy as a courtesy runner as well.
With the bases loaded, Wolf threw a wild pitch allowing Wilson to score from third and allowing everyone to move up a base.
Johnson reloaded the bases with a walk and then it was Ralie Goss’ turn.
She roped a double that scored Fitzgerald easily but Shilling was tug out at home for the out, leaving runners on second and third.
Breneman layed down a picture- perfect sacrifice bunt that allowed Johnson to score and in the process, giving Mifflin County a 3-1 cushion.
Kanagy cruised through the bottom of the second and third.
In the top of the fourth, her offense gave the Huskie hurler some more breathing room.
Mifflin County sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning and came out the better for it as it scored four more runs on four hits, upping it to 7-1.
But the visitors would not be done yet as they were using their defense to contain State College, their offense continued to pound out the hits as it got two more runs in the sixth and five in the seventh to put the game away, 14-1.
With the win, the Huskies avenge a loss that they had a home to the Little Lions and even the season series at one.
This might not be the last time the two meet up as the post season starts to get closer.