By Pete Chiodo
Meadville Tribune
July 27, 2010 7:00 a.m. COCHRANTON —
The Mid-East/Cochranton/Saegertown Junior Leaguers were all too aware of Harborcreek’s ability to make a comeback.
This past Saturday, MECS was on top of Harborcreek 3-1 before the Huskies rallied with two outs in the seventh inning to win 5-3, knocking the locals into the loser’s bracket.
Yet by Monday, MECS was found facing Harborcreek for the title of Section 1 champ and a spot in the Pennsylvania Championship Tournament.
MECS amassed a seemingly healthy 8-0 lead. But then came the seventh inning, and things got a little less comfortable as the Huskies started racking up some late runs.
The memories of Friday’s loss flared in the backs of the mind of each MECS player and coach.
“It did a little,” admitted MECS pitcher Natalie Brock. “I just had to go up there, do my best, and I knew I could count on my team to do what they do.”
And indeed they did it. The Pink Ladies of MECS dug deep and put the clamps on another Harborcreek comeback, holding on for an 8-4 win in yesterday’s if-necessary final at Cochranton High School.
“I didn’t dream this,” said MECS coach Brian Hanley. “I got back into coaching because my daughter and her friends wanted to win that district banner. And once they got that, hey, they were happy.
“Now, I’m not so sure they’re just going to be happy with just having another banner.”
MECS now adds a Section 1 banner. And the team starts its run in the state tournament on Saturday in Corry, facing the winner of Friday’s game between the champions of Section 3 and Section 4.
“They might want to go a little further. So we’re going to go and do our best,” said Hanley.
The best was pretty much what Hanley got out of Brock yesterday. The pitcher had a perfect game going through six innings — 18 up and 18 down.
“She had a perfect game through six, nobody on,” said Hanley. “Then one of our girls made the mistake of telling her.
“I’m like, ‘No, you don’t have to tell her!’”
Harborcreek finally broke out of its slump in the seventh. Catcher Kaitlyn Pasierb led off the inning with a single. Third baseman Sadie Zieninski reached on a fielder’s choice. And both runners scored on a double by Katie Rzodkiewicz.
Rzodkiewicz later scored on an error, and Harborcreek had made it an 8-3 game even before an out was scored.
“They’re a hitting team,” said Brock. “And I guess they got pumped up. And I wasn’t hitting my spots well. But it was comforting to know that I had a great team behind me. I knew we could do it.”
Brock coaxed an infield pop-up to get the first out. Yet Harborcreek wasn’t done. Outfielder Abby Sallot singled. And shortstop Holly Miller hit into another MECS error, sending a fourth run home.
“Our nerves, we know what it’s all about,” said Hanley.
Another pop-out, and Harborcreek had just one out to work with. And it didn’t last very long as the next batter lined it to MECS shortstop Madalyn Nicols, who made a nice tumbling catch, ending the threat by Harborcreek.
“Thank God it was an 8-0 lead and not a 3-0 lead,” said Hanley. “And they built that themselves. They were hitting the ball like crazy in that first inning. It looked like a battle zone, that ball was just flying. It was nice.”
MECS racked up six of its runs in the first inning. Catcher Rachel DiBartolomeo led off the frame with a double. Singles followed by center fielder Arianna Hanley, first baseman Kendra Turner, third baseman Courtney Lilly and, later on, a two-run single by outfielder Becca Snyder.
The Pinkies also scored runs on three straight fielder’s choices that resulted in no outs.
Second baseman Jaricka Simmerman hit one to the pitcher, who looked back a runner at third, allowing Simmerman to reach safely and load the bases.
Brock then hit one to the second baseman, who tried to get the runner at home. The throw was late, barely. The run scored and the bases stayed loaded.
Then outfielder Caitlyn Hartman hit a slow roller up the first base line. The pitcher caught up to it and tried again to get the runner at home. Again, too late. Run scored, bases loaded.
Snyder followed that with her two-run hit to shallow right field.
MECS added two more runs in the fourth. Harborcreek helped the team out with three errors. Plus Arianna Hanley had her second single of the game. She would lead the team at the plate, going 3-for-4.
