NTL SOFTBALL: WESNESKI SHARP IN THE CIRCLE AS CANTON ROUTS ST. JOHN NEUMANN IN DISTRICT SEMIFINALS (2023-05-25)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
WILLIAMSPORT – What a difference a little rest can make. Canton’s Keri Wesneski took off the final two games of the season, and looked as sharp as ever in her team’s 10-0 District IV, Class A semifinal win over St. John Neumann in five innings on Thursday.

Wesneski struck out 12 of the 17 batters she faced, allowing two hits and no walks for the shutout win.

“It was really nice to just have time to rest and be able to get back to where I was at the beginning of the season when it matters most,” remarked Wesneski. “I felt spot on today, it was really exciting.”

Her coach, and father, Lyle Wesneski had to do some convincing to get her to agree to take the eight days off, but it looks to have worked.

“I said, let’s look at the bigger picture,’” he explained. “We need you rested and not signed up going into the playoffs.’ She had good pop tonight, and she was spinning the ball well.”

And, after a slow start, Canton’s bats came around, too, scorning nine of their 10 runs between the third and fifth innings.

“I think, a little early, you could see at the plate the nerves, but, I think, once they settled in, they started getting good swings on the ball,” Coach Wesneski said. 

Keri Wesneski went 2-for-3 with 3-RBI, and two runs scored from the plate, helping her self early by scoring Canton’s first run.

“I had nine days rest, and just having those nine days off not really pitching, I had to focus on other parts of the game,” Wesneski said. “I just had the time to work on seeing the ball better, and it was really beneficial.”

Madison Hulbert (2-for-2) had 3-RBI with a run scored, while Rylin Graham (1-for-2) had a double with an RBI.

Molly Ward (1-for-3) scored twice, and drove in a run, as Chelsea Lehman (1-for-2) also crossed home twice.

“It’s really her first year playing in three years,” coach Wesneski said of his number nine hitter Lehman. “She’s just learning how to play the game. You know, her softball IQ is climbing - it was really low, but it’s getting better. But, if she can figure out what she’s doing, she puts pressure on them. If we can get her on, we can roll it over to the top of the order, and that makes it pretty tough to deal with.”

Mae Kinner (1-for-2) scored a run, with Taryn Acla crossing home twice.

Wesneski would strike out the side in the top of the first, then got her team going in the bottom half as she reached on a 2-out error. 

After stealing second and taking third on a passed ball Hulbert would drive her in with a hit to make it 1-0 Canton.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the third when Ward had a 1-out single, followed by Acla reaching on an error off a bunt.

Wesneski would drive in Ward with a hit, putting runners on second and third.

That set the table for Hulbert’s 2-RBI hit that brought in Acla and Wesneski to make it 4-0 Warriors.

Hulbert would be caught stealing but Kinner kept the rally going with a hit. After taking second on a passed ball Graham would bright her in, doubling off the left-center fence to make it 5-0 Canton.

They kept things going in the bottom of the fourth as Lehman drew a 1-out walk. After taking second on a wild pitch she would score on an error off the bat of Ward.

Acla once again reached on a bunt, setting up Wesneski’s sacrifice fly that brought in Ward to make it 7-0.

Acla would later score on an error off the bat of Hulbert. Kinner would reach herself on an error to put runners on first and third.

Hulbert would score on an error off the bat of Graham to make it 9-0 Canton.

Lehman led off the fifth with a single, then advanced to third two batters later of another Acla bunt.

That set up Wesneski driving her home with a hit to end the game.

In a losing effort Neumann’s Elizabeth Weller did strike out seven, and only had three earned runs on the day.

“She came out and she was throwing hard, and it’s really not what we were prepared for,” explained Keri Wesneski. “We just had to adjust ourselves, and we’ve faced good pitching all season long in the NTL, so we’ve had to work all season with adjusting, so we’ve gotten pretty good at it.”

This has been a long time coming for Canton - who haven’t made a district final since 2007. Two years ago they lost in the semifinals, and last year they were upset in the first round.

“We’ve been so close the last few years,” said coach Wesneski. “We battled all year long. I was just telling the Bucktail coach, we had to fight and claw our way just to get in. At one point we were 7-7 and had six tough games to finish out the year, but I think being battle tested helps.”

They will take on Bucktail, 12-2 winners over Montgomery, on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. on May 30 back at Elm Park.

“This is what matters most for us,” said Keri Wesneski. “We’ve had our struggles in the regular season. We lost our three seniors last year, we had to work around, we had some injuries, and difficulties, and this is what mattered most to us.”

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PHOTO CAPTION: Canton’s Keri Wesneski delivers to home…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING