MILESBURG - The Central Mountain and Bald Eagle Area softball teams have played fairly similar ball this year.
Each team has had bright spots and each team has been its own worst enemy from time to time.
The Mountain League teams have their fair share of players and athletes and when they met on the diamond yesterday in Centre County, there would be one difference in the outcome.
Article Photos
Bald Eagle Area’s Megan Peters is thrown out at second base as Central Mountain’s Brittany Koch makes the tag Tuesday in Milesburg.
It would be BEA's Megan Dudish.
Plain and simple, she was a gamer.
The junior Eagle tossed a great game from the circle - throwing a complete game, five-hitter in a 3-1 Lady Eagle victory.
"Megan is pitching well," BEA coach Kayleen Sidisky said. "When she is on the mound, we are more confident behind her. It is nice to be able to hold a team like Central Mountain to one run. Megan's pitching keeps us in games. Today, the bats came through for us."
She managed her way through the contest, used her defense effectively and worked her way out of trouble through the entire game.
"It felt good," Dudish said of her performance. "I haven't played for a bit and it was nice to come in and get the win. I am always grateful for my defense. They played a great game behind me."
From the plate, Dudish helped her own cause with a clutch, two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning.
In fact, it would be a two-out, three-run rally in the fifth inning by the Lady Eagles that sealed the game.
Down 1-0, Allie Simpson and Tiffany Kolp started the comeback with back-to-back singles. Emilie Peters drove home Simpson with her single and Dudish plated home Kolp and Peters with her single.
"That was nice to watch," Sidisky said. "We got three-straight hits and Megan put the icing on the cake with her single."
Central Mountain had its chances throughout the game.
In the top of the first, Moriah Lindsey smacked a single and stole a base. Jess Strouse earned a walk off Dudish and Kayla Glossner laced a single to load the bases for the Lady Wildcats - with one out.
A failed bunt attempt and a strikeout ended the threat.
"We didn't capitalize early," CM coach Dave Peters said. "We weren't able to execute that inning. We wanted to get runs on the board and put the pressure on them."
The Lady Wildcats put the first run of the game on the board in the fourth frame.
Ciarra Peters smacked an inning-opening double and reached home on a throwing error on a Johnna Garbrick bunt. Garbrick later stole third, but was stranded there after three straight groundouts.
"We got the first run on the board," coach Peters said. "But again, we left the runner on in scoring position. BEA was able to get some clutch hits and we didn't get them today."
Lindsey managed two of the Lady Wildcats' five hits, going 2-for-4 in her newly-found spot in the Lady Wildcat batting order.
"Moriah is a sophomore and is working well," coach Peters said. "She is making good at bats. Even when she is making an out, she is getting the bat on the ball. She bunts well and has great speed. She is a good fit at the number two hole by the way she can spray the ball around the field."
Another bright spot for Central Mountain was its pitching.
Whitney Peters and Rachael Shady threw a great combined game for the Wildcats, surrendering seven hits - all singles - to the Lady Eagles.
"Whit looked strong early on," coach Peters said. "She was cruising early and had one rough inning. She lost a little velocity late in the fifth. Rachael came in, got the out and did a great job in the sixth. I am very pleased with our pitching. That isn't our issue right now. We just need to get the pitchers more run support."
Both teams will play today as Central Mountain will travel to Huntingdon, while BEA plays host to Mifflin County.
Mountain League
Softball
BALD EAGLE AREA 3,
CENTRAL MOUNTAIN 1
CM 000 100 0 - 1 5 2
BE 000 030 X - 3 7 2
CM: Whitney Peters, Rachael Shady (5) and Paige Dickey. BE: Megan Dudish and Emilie Peters. WP - Dudish. LP - W. Peters. 2B: CM, Ciarra Peters. MH: CM, Moriah Lindsey. Records: CM 5-7. BE 8-5.
