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Freeport nipped in 3A quarterfinal

Yellowjackets end softball season with 2-1 loss to Mohawk

JACKSON TWP — In a true pitching duel, Mohawk sophomore Reagan Magno won out.

Freeport and Mohawk combined for 10 hits in their WPIAL Class 3A softball quarterfinal game Thursday night at Seneca Valley High School. But Magno struck out 12 while issuing only two walks in leading the Warriors to a 2-1 victory.

Magno allowed four hits. Both walks came to Freeport slugger and pitching opponent Sydney Selker, once intentionally.

“I’m sure the other one was one of those unintentional intentional walks,” Freeport coach Ron DeJidas said, smiling. “Their pitcher controlled the game. She did what she wanted to do and held us down.

“We have to give her credit for that.”

Selker wasn’t bad in her own right. Fourth-seeded Mohawk (16-5) managed six hits off her, but she struck out five. Both Mohawk runs crossed the plate on wild pitches, one in the thrd inning and one in the fourth.

“Sydney wasn’t trying too hard ... She doesn’t just throw the ball, she puts a lot of spin on her pitches. Sometimes, they get away,” DeJidas said. “That’s just how she pitches.”

Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, the 12th-seeded Yellowjackets (11-7) got even when Addyson Caruso hit the first pitch of the inning over the center field fence. It was her fourth home run of the season.

Freeport’s defense kept it in the game all night. A relay from left field cut down Mohawk’s Maya McGreal trying to score from second on a single in the second. Aricka Young tried to stretch a single into a double in the fifth, but Freeport right fielder Addison Gourley threw her out.

McGreal tried scoring from third on a wild pitch, but catcher Reese Selker flipped the ball to Sydney Selker covering and they got the out at the plate.

“Our baserunning prevented us from widening the gap a bit,” Mohawk coach Hank Pezzuolo said. “But Freeport made some nice plays to throw us out. I expected this to be a low-scoring game.

“I know Sydney well. She’s a great pitcher and a dangerous hitter. We walked her twice tonight rather than pitch to her.”

The Warriors’ Aricka Young tripled to deep center with two outs in third, eventually scoring her team’s first run. Mohawk didn’t need much else.

“Reagan had an effective drop-pitching working out there,” Pezzuolo said. “She was on her game tonight and she needed to be.”

Lauren Clark doubled with two outs in the fourth for Freeport, but was stranded. Both teams stranded five runners in the game.

The Yellowjackets say goodbye to seniors Selker, Megan Grolemund and Abby DeJidas. The rest of the roster consists of freshmen and sophomores.

“It fell on them this year,” Coach DeJidas said of the seniors’ leadership responsibilities. “All three were great with the younger players. Sydney led us on the mound, (shortstop) Abby showed the infielders the way and (center fielder) Megan Grolemund guided the other outfielders.

“We accomplished what we wanted to this year. We got better each day. We got better in this game. Unfortunately, this is the time of year where only one team gets to win its last game. We’re not that one team and our last game was today.”

Freeport 000 100 0 — 1 4 1

Mohawk 001 001 x — 2 6 0

WP: Reagan Magno 7IP (12so, 2bb). LP: Sydney Selker 6IP (5so, 3bb).

Freeport (11-7): Abby DeJidas 1B, Addyson Caruso HR RBI, Lauren Clark 2B, Megan Grolemund 1B.

Mohawk (15-5): Addy Moskal 1B, Aricka Young 3B 1B, Alivia Hare 1B, Maya McGreal 1B, Gianna Pezzuolo 1B.

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