Conemaugh Valley weathers early Portage attack, moves on in District 6-1A softball
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Portage was in control of Monday afternoon's District 6 Class 1A softball quarterfinal playoff game for the first five and one-half innings. However, top-seeded Conemaugh Valley's offense came to life and brought the Blue Jays back from an early seven-run deficit, with one huge inning deciding the outcome in an 18-9 victory over the visiting Mustangs.
Conemaugh Valley (17-4) earned the opportunity to host fourth-seeded Juniata Valley in a district semifinal contest Thursday. The Blue Jays swept a pair of mercy-rule regular-season games against Portage, but were down 9-2 after the ninth-seeded Mustangs (11-12) plated four runs in the top of the fifth. Conemaugh Valley subsequently chipped away with three tallies in the bottom of the frame to get within striking distance.
That set the stage for the Blue Jays to send 18 batters to the plate in the sixth inning and erupt for 13 runs thanks to a cascade of timely hits combined with Portage miscues. "It's tough to beat a team three straight," Conemaugh Valley coach Paula McCleester said. "They came out loose and were ready for us.
" "We have had big innings like that before; the girls just had to believe in themselves. All it takes is just one player, one hit, or one bobble or error on their part to give us a chance. " Senior center fielder Kylee Ferguson had three of Conemaugh Valley's 12 hits, while also driving in three runs.
Laine Poborski picked up the win in relief with 1 2/3 scoreless innings in the circle and blasted a two-run homer to deep center field that put her team up 12-9 in the decisive sixth inning. "My team is always there for me when I'm pitching," Poborski said. "We work really hard and put our whole hearts into it, and our coaches give us motivation.