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NTL SOFTBALL: MISCUES COST NEB IN LOSS TO HALIFAX DURING STATE PLAYOFFS (2021-06-08)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ANNVILLE — Northeast Bradford out hit Halifax, while Panther pitcher Thailey Franklin only gave up one earned run. Typically, that would result in a W, but, in a game of inches, errors can separate teams by feet, and NEB wasn’t able to overcome their early game miscues as they fell to the Wildcats 7-5 in the first round of the PIAA, Class A Playoffs Monday.

“It’s disappointing, because we work on it all season long,” said NEB coach Tilden Franklin. “But, you know what, I think the jitters kind of got to them, and I felt like they couldn’t compete. Once they realized it was just an above average team, they started believing in themselves, they ended up coming back.”


The Panthers found themselves down 7-1 after four innings, but would rally for four runs in the second half of the game. However, the deficit proved just too much for them in the end.


“I’m very proud of these girls,” Franklin said. “I think they did super. They fought back, or tried to at least.”


It may have just been the hot weather, but both teams’ bats were on fire. NEB edged them 11-7 in hits, as they combined for eight extra base hits. Outfielders for both teams seemed to have trouble judging the ball coming off the bat, which helped fuel the carnage.


The Panthers got runners on base every inning - except for the seventh - but weren’t able to take advantage of it in the early going.


“That’s where team comes into play,” Franklin explained. “A girl can get on, the next girl can try to move them over, and then that next girl has to keep going. It’s like a merry-go-round, and if you can’t come through with that you’re going to have a hard time winning.”


After falling down six runs they got the carousel going in the fifth, with three runs of their own, to cut it to 7-4. They added another run in the sixth to make it 7-5, but, in both cases, they left chips on the table, as the Wildcats were able to leave five stranded between the two innings.


Overall, NEB left nine on base, while Halifax had just four not reach home.


Thailey Franklin (3-for-3) had the big bat on the day, with two triple, two runs scored, and an RBI, as she also reached on a hit by pitch. Melanie Shumway (2-for-3) had a double, with a run scored, while Julia Brown (2-for-4) also had a double.


Emily Susanj (1-for-4) knocked in two runs, Kayleigh Thoman (1-for-4) scored a run, with Maisie Neuber (1-for-4), and Ciana Frisbie (1-for-3) also had getting hits. Malina Ramires scored running for Emily Susanj, as Julianna Susanj chipped in with an RBI.


Franklin took the loss in the circle, striking out six with no walks, seven hits, and just the one earned run. After battling Halifax through the first four innings, she retired six of the last seven batters she faced to keep it close at the end.


“It’s been like that all year,” said coach Franklin. “It is what it is - she’s a trooper. I told her, there’s nothing you can do. She maintains her composure - she will never be one to be mad at her teammates, and I’m very proud of her for that.”


Hannah Roland (3-for-3) did the most damage for Halifax, with a 2-run home run, a triple, two runs scored, and 4-RBI. 


Mackenzie Sawdey got the win, with five strikeouts, two walks, eight hits, and four earned runs. Paige Miller came on in relief for the final two innings, striking out four with two hits, and one run.


NEB would get two runners on in the top of the first as Franklin had a 1-out single, followed by Neuber getting a 2-out hit. However, Sawdey got a strikeout to end the threat.


In the bottom half of the first Amyah Lebo struck out, but the ball was in the dirt. As she ran to first the throw was low, and got past the first baseman, allowing Lebo to take second.


That set up a Roland RBI triple just inside the right field line, which scored Lebo. Roland then scored on an Ashley Cooper sacrifice fly to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.


Brown led off the second with a bloop double into no man’s land in left field, but was stranded at second as Sawdey got three straight outs. The Wildcats would strand a runner at second in the bottom half of the inning to keep it 2-0.


The Panthers got on board in the top of the third as Franklin hit a 1-out triple to left-center field. Susanj then drove her in with a ground out to first base, cutting the deficit to 2-1.


However, Halifax got that run back, plus two more, in the bottom of the third. Alyza Steinhauer reached second on a hit, then stole third. She would score on an error off the bunt of Lebo, making it 3-1.


Roland then homered to left-center field for a 5-1 lead. NEB got the next two outs, but Cooper then doubled to put a runner on second. However, Franklin induced a ground out to end the inning.


In the top of the fourth Frisbie led off with a single up the middle, but was stranded at first base as Sawdey struck out the next three batters.


Kearstin Manion kept things going for the Wildcats in the fourth, as she led off with a double. It looked like she was going to be stranded, though, as NEB got back to back outs.


That’s when Lebo came through again, getting on with an error while scoring Manion. Lebo would then score off a Roland hit for the 7-1 lead.


Down six runs, NEB desperately needed a spark, and Shumway provided one, as she slapped one down the left field line for a double. Then, two batters later, Franklin hit her second triple of the afternoon, scoring Shumway to make it 7-2.


Emily Susanj then came through with a single to left field, scoring Franklin, and the rally was on. 


Sawdey tgot a second out, but the Panthers kept chugging; Frisbie drew a walk, followed by Brown singling to load the bases.


That brought up Julianna Susanj, and the senior didn’t disappoint. She forced Sawdey into a marathon at bat - 10 pitches - with five foul balls. When the count was 3-2 Susanj fouled off three straight pitches before drawing the final ball to get the walk.


That brought in Ramires to cut it to 7-4.


Sawdey would get out of the inning with a fly out, but the momentum had turned.


After Halifax went down in order in the bottom half of the inning, NEB was back at it in the top of the sixth. Shumway bunted her way on to lead things off, followed by Thoman doing the same. It looked like there would be two runners on with no outs, but Shumway got caught too far off the bag at second, and was thrown out.


The Panthers kept rolling, though, as Franklin was beaned on a first pitch change-up. That set up Emily Susanj, who hit a hard ground ball that deflected off the second baseman’s glove, which allowed Thoman to score, cutting it to a 2-run deficit.


Miller, though, was able to get out of the jam with back to back strikeouts.


That’s as close as the Panthers got, as NEB went down in order in the top of the seventh.


“We all want to win, and every losing coach will always say, ‘we could have beat that team,’” said Franklin. “It is just the way it is, and, you know what, we could have beat that team. But they execute. We gave them 4-or-5 outs, and good teams will capitalize on that. That’s the difference in the game.”


Much of the team is made up of underclassmen, so don’t expect the Panthers to be going anywhere any time soon.


“It’s a great stepping stone for these girls,” said Franklin. “It’s a tough team - I’m losing one senior. And, honestly, I think I have about 15 coming up.”


CUTLINE: NEB’s Melanie Shumway reacts after legging out bunt single against Halifax…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING.



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