Karns City’s Sarah Patton (right) high-fives pitcher Marra Patton after she struck out a Harbor Creek batter during a PIAA Class 3A softball first-round playoff game Monday in DuBois. Karns City won, 7-2. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
Justin Guido
Gremlins score early in taking down Harbor Creek
DUBOIS — Karns City’s bats wasted no time getting to Harbor Creek pitcher Alayna Mosbacher.
The first three batters she faced — Ashley Fox, Zoe King and Rossi McMillen — each doubled in the bottom of the first inning of Monday’s PIAA Class 3A first-round softball playoff game.
The effort sparked a three-run frame and the Gremlins’ lead was never threatened in a 7-2 win at Heindl Memorial Field.
“We came out hittin’ and it was great to see,” said KC coach Mike Stitt. “That put the pressure on them (Huskies) right away.
“We’ve got a group that is really good at laying off pitches that are up in the zone. But once they drop, we hammer the ball.”
Karns City won a subregional game against Everett to reach the state playoffs in 2018, but Monday’s victory is the program’s first-ever PIAA triumph. The Gremlins will take on District 7 champion Avonworth, a 6-3 winner over Westmont Hilltop, in a quarterfinal Thursday at a site and time to be determined.
A half-inning before KC’s flurry of hits, the Gremlins breathed a collective sigh of relief when pitcher Marra Patton avoided a serious injury.
She moved in front of the circle to field a groundball off the bat of Maggie Konieczki, the first batter of the game. After picking up the ball, she fell to the turf.
Konieczki was credited with an infield single, but the focus was on Patton.
“I felt my (right) foot slip and my leg just locked up,” she said. “I was afraid I tore something and thought, ‘This is the worst possible time’.
“It hurt pretty bad, but it let up as the game went on.”
Patton threw a few warm-up pitches to make sure she could continue. She then allowed another infield single to Maura Benim, then retired the next three Huskies.
Getting out of jams became a theme for Patton. She allowed 12 hits, but only the two runs while striking out six and walking none.
“I’m always nervous from the start of the game,” she said. “But I just trust in my defense and let it work for me.”
And on this day, that defense was perfect. Most of the plays were routine, but Stitt knows to not take those for granted.
“This is one of the better defenses I’ve had and there’s been some good ones,” he said. “We’ve been stellar on defense all year.”
McMillen made a diving catch in center field to keep a run from scoring in the top of the sixth. By that point, the Gremlins were leading 5-1.
The Huskies (17-6), who placed second in District 10, had scored their first run in the second when Brooke Przybylski led off with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Georgia Weber.
Patton stranded base runners at second and third in the fourth and fifth innings.
“A three-run inning was not going to define our season,” Harbor Creek coach Tim Caputo said of his team’s early deficit. “We told the girls that we’d have the opportunities to get back in the game, and we did, but we just didn’t capitalize.”
Meanwhile, the Gremlins (15-3) were able to add to their lead. Mosbacher walked Fox and King in the bottom of the fourth and the former scored on a fielding error.
In the fifth, Sarah Patton’s base hit drove in Addison Christie for a four-run lead.
The Gremlins added two more tallies in the sixth thanks to Jess Dunn’s two-run single.
The Huskies tried to rally in their last at-bat. Benim, Reagan Rand and Baileigh Bleil each singled, with Bleil’s hit driving in a run, but Marra Patton then slammed the door on the Huskies and their season.
“Marra knew her defense was behind her and the bench was there to support her,” said Stitt.
Harbor Creek0100001 — 2122
Karns City 300112x — 7100
W: Marra Patton 7 IP (6K, 0BB). L: Alayna Mosbacher 6IP (3K, 4BB)
Harbor Creek: Maura Benim 3-1B, Reagan Rand 2-1B R, Rylee Vogt 2B, Baileigh Bleil 2-1B RBI, Brooke Przybylski 2-2B R, Georgia Weber 1B RBI
Karns City: Ashley Fox 2-1B 2B 3R, Zoe King 2B R RBI, Rossi McMillen 1B 2B 2R RBI, Jess Dunn 1B 2RBI, Sarah Patton 1B RBI
Thursday: Karns City vs. Avonworth, PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal playoff, time and site TBD
Karns City #23 Sarah Patton gets out Harbor Creek #15 Mara Benim at thirdbase during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #7 Haley Sherman hustles to first base to beat the ball to be safe against Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #6 Ashley Fox beats the tag at first base against Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #6 Ashley Fox celebrates after a out against Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #23 Sarah Patton hits a pitch against Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City pitcher #29 Marra Patton tries to grab ball hit to her by a Harbor Creek batter during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City pitcher #2 Rossi McMillen makes a grab off of a fly ball against Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #6 Ashley Fox celebrates after crossing home plate for a run Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City pitcher #29 Marra Patton delivers a pitch to Harbor Creek batter during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City pitcher #29 Marra Patton delivers a pitch against Harbor Creek during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #23 Sarah Patton and #6 Ashley Fox celebrate after defeating Harbor Creek during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #12 Megan Whitmire gives a thumbs up to the bench after she hit a double against Harbor Creek during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
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Karns City #6 Ashley Fox celebrates after crossing home plate for a run Harbor Creek in the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
Justin Guido
Karns City #23 Sarah Patton high fives Pitcher #29 Marra Patton after she struck out a Harbor Creek batter during the PIAA 3A softball championship first round game at Heindl Field in DuBois on Monday June 6, 2022.Karns City won the game 7-2. (Justin Guido/ Special to the Eagle)
Justin Guido
