Seventh-inning run gives Bellefonte 8-7 win

By STEVE GREECHER — sports@lockhaven.com
BELLEFONTE — In a game with no shortage of early-season mistakes, the Bellefonte Lady Raiders were able to escape with an 8-7 victory over visiting Indian Valley Tuesday afternoon.

The Warriors committed seven total errors — the last of which was a dropped ball at the plate that allowed the go-ahead run to score in the bottom of the seventh.

It was a good way to begin the season for the Lady Raiders, seeking their ninth straight district championship. Bellefonte head coach Gregg Kohlhepp did not want to discuss the elephant in the room.

“We are not talking about nine in a row, we just want to take it one game at a time” Kohlhepp said.

Winning close games like this one will have to boost their confidence as they progress through their season.

On the other side, Indian Valley head coach Greg Evans was able to take a few positives out of the loss as he looks ahead this season.

“We are a very young team, but we were able to play with them” he said.

The Warriors were able to bring the game back to a tie heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the mistakes eventually caught up with them. Brittany Smith started the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. Bellefonte proceeded to score a run in the following two innings which included a ruled triple by Alie Smith that she scored on after an overthrow in the second inning.

Indian Valley kept it close after three innings with the score 3-2. Then Bellefonte had a three-run fourth inning that stretched their lead by four. When starting pitcher Emily Dauberman began to fatigue in the bottom of the fifth, Kohlhepp replaced her with senior Deandra Sidisky — who threw seven strikes on her first eight pitches.

However, the Warriors were able to run up three runs on a two-out rally sparked by a two-run single hit by Sami Herto. This cut the Bellefonte cushion to one heading to the sixth.

Bellefonte got a security run in the following inning on a Danielle Gomola RBI single.

It was not quite over, as Indian Valley managed to tie the game at 7 with some help from a Shannon Lamberson RBI triple in the top of the final inning.

With extra innings on the line, Lady Raider Alyssa Stahly drilled a hit to the outfield and as her teammate Erica Pooler slide into the plate, the ball came loose and she scored the winning run.

Bellefonte has Central Mountain coming to town on Thursday in which should be a battle of the top teams in the Allegheny Division of the Mountain League.



Mountain League Softball

BELLEFONTE 8, INDIAN VALLEY 7

I 011 030 2 — 7 8 7

B 111 301 1 — 8 8 1

IV, Treaster and Ruby. Bellefonte, Dauberman, Sidisky and Poorman. WP — Sidisky, LP — Treaster. 3B: IV Lamberson. Bel, Smith, 2B: IV Lamberson. Bel, Smith. MH: IV, Lamberson. Bel, Gomola, Pooler, Stathes, Smith. Records: Bellefonte 1-0, Indian Valley 1-1.

JV: IV 7-5, 9 innings. WP — Crajar. LP — A. Stathes. Leading B hitters: Bowes, 2 singles; Swartz, single, home run.