WEST MIFFLIN – With the struggles offensively for the Union Scotties through five innings, most would think you would have to set up for a final post-game speech.
“It was pretty bleak there, I was setting up for my last speech of the season”, said Doug Fisher, Union Scotties head coach. “But I knew in my heart they would come back”
Union brought 11 batters to the plate and knocked eight hits and seven runs in the top of the sixth inning, to get their first lead of the game. The Scotties held on for an 8-6 win over Berlin Brothersvalley to return to the state championship game for third time in the last four seasons.
Through the first five innings all the scoring belonged to the Mountaineers. The Scotties we’re set down in order three of the first five innings. They had only 1 hit and reached base with one walk and one hit batter.
Most of the damage was done by Coral Prosser of Berlin, who made base in 4 plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with four runs scored, three of them in the first five innings and one in a wild seventh inning.
Audra Hankee scored on a run in the third inning and Sam Walker got the Mountaineers within 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th.
The top of the sixth, the first six Scottie batters in the order get a hit. Liv Williams would lead off with a single and later score thanks to a throwing error in left field.
Then the biggest blow was a crucial two-run home run by Irelyn Fisher to right field that was a no-doubter off the bat, putting the Scotties within one run.
There have been big innings this season by the Scotties, but with the stakes attached to it this may have been the biggest inning of the season.
“We we’re so confident after the first three batters came up and we kept going and going”, said Irelyn Fisher who went 1-for-3 with a walk.
After Fisher’s home run, still with no outs, the Scotties with a single by Liv Benedict and double by Neveah Hunt, paved way for a 2 RBI double by Maggie Joseph to give Union their first lead.
They would get an RBI single from Samantha Confer and Liv Williams as the lineup would turnover to complete a titanic inning for Union that ended with a 7-4 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Ireland Fisher had a lead-off walk and would score on a sacrifice fly for a 8-4 lead.
Berlin Brothersvalley would plate two runs, one aided by an error at short. The final run score including on a sacrifice fly,double play that would end the game as a 9-3-5 putout ended the game.
“I didn’t want these seniors ending their career anywhere but on Penn State’s field,” said Coach Fisher. “We’re there now, so that’s our goal and that’s the speech.”