Brooklyn Miller
FAYETTEVILLE — From the first batter of the game, it was not a good day to be a pitcher.
With the wind blowing out and a small strike zone to work with, and facing two good-hitting teams, it was rough to be in the circle Wednesday. Exhibit A was a 40-minute first inning that featured 11 runs, 10 hits and four walks in which both teams batted around.
But Chambersburg got a 4.1-inning scoreless relief effort from Brooklyn Miller and just enough offense to hold off State College 10-9 in a Mid Penn Commonwealth softball game at Norlo Park.
“It was a hitting kind of day,” Trojan coach Chris Skultety said. “(The umpire) was not calling the low pitches, and when they scored five in the first inning, I told the girls they were going have to score a bunch.
“You have to be able to win games like this. Last week we beat Central York 1-0, and then this one is 10-9. Either way, it’s a win.”
The Little Lions (5-5, 3-5 MPC) knocked out starter Mackenzie Stake in the top of the first inning, using five hits and two walks to score five runs.
Miller entered in relief and got the final out on one pitch. She then got through four more scoreless innings, although she had to get out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third. Shortstop Alyssa Brechbill got an out with a force at home, then second baseman Erin Pattillo turned a double play by fielding a grounder, tagging the runner and throwing to first.
“Brooklyn really bailed us out,” Skultety said.
Miller also had the key hit in the bottom of the first inning when the Trojans not only responded to State College’s big lead, but took a 6-5 lead themselves.
With the bases loaded, two outs and two strikes on her, Miller cracked a long fly ball to right-center that hit the fence for a bases-clearing double.
Skultety said, “Brooklyn’s hit was really big — we finally scored with two outs. We’d left so many runners on base lately that when she got that hit you could feel the relief in the dugout.”
Sara Washabaugh then produced an RBI single, and she came home when Brechbill unloaded on a pitch and sent it well over the fence in left field.
“I didn’t know it was out,” said Brechbill, “but I never think any hit is over (the fence).”
The Trojans (10-1, 8-1 MPC) picked up single runs in the second and third innings after errors by the Little Lions’ leftfielder to make it 8-5.
Pattillo took over the pitching in the sixth inning and got two quick outs. But with two runners on, McKenzie Shannon belted a curveball over the fence in right-center and suddenly the game was tied.
But Chambersburg quickly went back in front in the bottom of the sixth. Kirsten Johnson was hit by a pitch and stole second. Taylor Myers got an infield single, and after a fielder’s choice and steal by Pattillo, Alyssa Wenger faced a one-out situation with runners at second and third.
The Little Lions pulled the infield in and Wenger hit a soft liner up the middle for a base hit and a pair of runs batted in to make it 10-8.
“I liked how when they tied it up, we came right back to score,” Skultety said. “That was a big hit by Wenger.”
But State College wasn’t done yet.
After two outs, Wolf doubled and Morgan Arnold singled. Wolf scored on a wild pitch and Arnold moved to second. Addie Wasikunis then hit the ball squarely, but the line drive settled into Myers’ glove in center to end the game.
“I thought our defense played pretty solid,” Brechbill said.
The Little Lions out-hit Chambersburg, 14-9, and had eight runners left on base. But the Trojans made no errors and several big plays on defense.
Chambersburg 10, State College 9
STATE COLLEGE
Morgan Arnold, ss, 5-1-2-0; Addie Wasikunis, 2b, 5-1-2-0; Brandi Triebold, 3b, 3-2-1-0; Caitlyn Branson, 1b, 4-1-3-1; McKenzie Shannon, c, 4-2-2-4; Ashley Blumenthal, cf, 3-0-0-0; AshleyThomas, lf, 3-1-1-0; Carson Spencer, rf, 3-0-1-2; Sophia Keene, p, 2-0-1-1; Molly Lamont, cr, 0-0-0-0; Emma Wolf, p, 2-1-1-0. Totals 34-9-14-8.
CHAMBERSBURG
Taylor Myers, cf, 3-0-2-0; Erin Pattillo, 2b, 4-2-1-0; Alyssa Wenger, rf, 4-1-3-2; Haley Privett, c, 4-0-0-0; Brynn Schoenberger, cr, 0-1-0-0; Haiden Brookens, 3b, 1-1-0-0; Brooklyn Miller, dp, 4-0-1-3; Mackenzie Stake, p, 0-0-0-0; Rebecca Fischer, cr, 0-1-0-0; Sara Washabaugh, 1b, 3-1-1-1; Alyssa Brechbill, ss, 2-2-1-2; Kirsten Johnson, 2b, 1-1-0-0. Totals 26-10-9-8.
State College 500 003 1 — 9-14-2
Chambersburg 611 002 x — 10-9-0
DP — Chbg 1. LOB — SC 8; Chbg 4. 2B — Wolf; Miller. HR — Shannon; Brechbill (2). SB — Shannon; Myers, Pattillo, Wenger, Schoenberger, Brookens, Brechbill, Johnson. CS — Johnson, Schoenberger. SF — Branson.
State College pitching — Keene 2.2 ip, 7 h, 8 r, 6 er, 4 bb, 0 k, 2 wp; Wolf (L) 3.1 ip, 2 h, 2 r, 2 er, 2 bb, 2 k, 1 HBP, 1 wp.
Chambersburg pitching — Stake .2 ip, 5 h, 5 r, 5 er, 2 bb, 1 k; Miller 4.1 ip, 4 h, 0 r, 0 er, 2 bb, 0 k; Pattillo (W,3-0) 2 ip, 4 h, 3 r, 3 er, 0 bb, 0 k, 1 wp.