Trojans emerge as state contenders
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CRESSON -- The Mount Union softball team wasted no time putting other teams on notice as a key contender for the PIAA Championship on Monday, beginning the PIAA Class 2A softball tournament with a dominant 12-3 victory over the District 4 runner-up Wyalusing at Mount Aloysius College.
Mount Union will face Williams Valley, who defeated Connell Egan 15-0 in the first round, on Monday. The game will be played at at District 6 site with the time and location yet to be determined.
The Trojans (19-3) put up five runs in the opening frame behind a two-run double by Morgan Brumbaugh, followed by RBIs by Kayshawna Spriggs, Gracey Cramer and Sophie Smith to stun the Rams (12-10).
A three-RBI day by Morgan Brumbaugh that included a home run in the second inning that gave the Trojans a 6-1 lead, as well as multiple-hit days from Kadyn Crisswell, Karrigan Woodward, Kaitlin Arnold, Patyn Crisswell and Smith led the Trojans to the easy victory. Mount Union recorded 16 hits in the win.
Woodward was extremely effective in the circle for Mount Union and pitched out of danger in multiple situations, stranding eight Wyalusing baserunners in the victory. Woodward gave up 10 hits, but only allowed three runs while striking out four and walking two.
With the victory Mount Union advances to the second round of the PIAA tournament on Thursday, June 10, where it will face the winner of Williams Valley and Conwell Egan, with location and time to be determined.
"I think that we are playing with a lot of confidence right now," Mount Union coach Matt Fiscus said. "I see batters coming up and really taking some good swings. I think that is what is leading to our run total. We are swinging the bat well and swinging with confidence. We really played well behind Karrigan today and that part of our game is really falling into place."
The Trojans began the first with a single to center by Kadyn Crisswell followed by a double to center by Karrigan Woodward to put runners on second and third with no outs. Brumbaugh's two-run double to left gave Mount Union a lead it would never surrender. Arnold followed with a single before a single to left by Spriggs scored the third run of the inning.
Gracey Cramer hit into a fielder's choice to score the fourth run while a sacrifice fly by Sophie Smith gave Mount Union a 5-0 advantage.
"In the first inning we hit really well and scored five runs and that obviously puts you in the driver's seat," Fiscus said. "We were able to get that momentum and we were able to keep it. We hit up and down the lineup with some nice hits toward the bottom. It really came down to hitting and I told the team that I thought we would be able to out-hit them and we were really able to do that today."
That early lead gave Mount Union all it needed and then some as Brumbaugh's solo shot in the second followed by three runs on a two-RBI single by Kadyn Crisswell, and a Woodward double put the Trojans ahead for good with a commanding 9-1 advantage.
"We came to play and when you score five this time of year you feel pretty good that a team will really have to hit well to get five runs on you," Fiscus said. "When you can get up like that, it definitely makes you feel like you have things in hand. If you make a mistake, it helps prevent players from getting tight and you can kind of blow it off to prevent the big inning."
Wyalusing scored a run in the second, fifth and sixth innings but Mount Union was able to escape any major damage with Woodward stranding multiple Rams' baserunners throughout the evening.
"We were able to get outs when we needed them. They had people in scoring position a couple different times, but we were able to get out of the innings," Fiscus said. "Karrigan Woodward really pitched a good ballgame. You're not going to get second rate teams at this part of the year, so to hold a state playoff team to three runs is an achievement in itself."
Fiscus was pleased with the way that his defense backed up Woodward in the circle as the Trojans kept the Rams at bay throughout the contest. Mount Union did not commit an error on the afternoon.
"The defense really played well behind her today," Fiscus said. "We were able to get outs whenever we really needed them. We were getting the first out of the inning before they were getting runners on so it's hard to score multiple runs whenever you are able to do that. We were able to take outs at first and the runners would move into scoring position, but Karrigan was able to get that third out without any damage."
Overall, coming in with a ton of momentum from its District 6 championship victory over Penns Valley, Mount Union is firing on all cylinders as it will continue in the postseason.
"This time of year, you really have to play good softball and that's what we're doing right now," Fiscus said.
Mount Union 12, Wyalusing 3
MU 513 003 X -- 12 16 0
WY 010 011 0 -- 3 10 1
WP: Karrigan Woodward. LP: Hailey Jayne. SO: Woodward 4 (MU); Jayne 6 (WY). BB: Woodward 2 (MU); Jayne 1 (WY). HR: Morgan Brumbaugh (MU). 2B: Woodward 2, Brumbaugh (MU); Haley McGroaty, Callie Bennett (WY). MH: Kadyn Crisswell 2-4, Woodward 2-4, Brumbaugh 2-4, Kaitlin Arnold 2-4, Patyn Crisswell 2-4, Sophie Smith 2-2 (MU); Jayne 2-4, Haley McGroarty 2-2 (WY). RBI: Brumbaugh 3, K. Crisswell 2, Woodward, Kayshawna Spriggs, Chelsea Williams, P. Crisswell, Gracey Cramer, Smith (MU); London Edwards, Sydney Friedlander, McGroarty (WY).