BY CHRIS MANNINGNorthern Tier Sports Report
WILLIAMSPORT — After spending most of the evening battling a tough Claysburg-Kimmel team from the pitcher’s circle, it was fitting that NEB’s Kelsea Moore got the final out to make history for the Panthers. Moore running catch behind second base secured NEB’s 1-0 eight inning win over the Bulldogs in the PIAA, Class A softball semifinal Tuesday, punching their ticket to the state final on Friday.
“I had so much heart into this game, and when I felt that ball go into my glove, it was an amazing feeling that I can’t really explain,” an emotional Moore said after the game. “I have so many emotions. I’m so proud of everyone - all of us wanted it, and we want to keep going forward.”
It was a battle of defensive wills to see who would blink first. Both teams threatened all throughout the game, with Claysburg-Kimmel leaving nine runners left on base as NEB’s defense bent but never broke.
In the top of the eighth NEB rallied with two outs as Kiarra DeLancey and Moore hit back to back infield singles. That set up Hannah Berger’s go ahead - and ultimately game winning - hit that drove in DeLancey.
“I knew I had to put the ball in play,” Berger said. “I just needed to put it in play no matter where it went.”
Moore started and went six innings to get the no decision, striking out five with three hits and three walks.
Makenna Callear came on in the seventh and was credited with two innings of work. She got the win, striking out two with one walk, and no hits.
“I was ready,” Callear said about taking the circle in relief, much like she did last game against Dock Mennonite. “I was more than prepared for it, and I just had the mindset that this is a close game, I’ve got to hit my spots. I’ve got to hit my strikes, I know that they’re calling the right pitches in there, I’ve just go to hit them, and we’re going to get them out.”
Berger (2-for-3) led the team at the plate with the one RBI, while Toni Herb (1-for-3) had a double. DeLancey (1-for-3), Moore (1-for-3), and Orissa Gardner (1-for-4) also had hits.
It was the glove, though, that won them this game. Ava Lambert made a running catch in centerfield to save at least one run, if not two, while Kiarra DeLancey got a big out during a run down on the third baseline.
Izzy Kapr in left field, and Toni Herb at short stop also made big plays during the game.
“If we didn’t have the defense that showed up today, we wouldn’t have won this game,” said NEB coach MaKaylah Leljedal. “They had heads up plays, they went all out, they wanted it - that’s all I can say. They wanted it tonight.”
Leljedal was on the two NEB teams that came up short in the state semifinals back in 2010 and 2013. Both of those teams lost by one run, so breaking the glass ceiling on Tuesday by one run was a poetic moment.
“We came up short (in 2013), and then that team ended up winning states,” she said. “So, as a coach, having them now hold the record for as far as softball’s gone, I’m ecstatic about it. I’m so happy for them.”
Isabella Paris (1-for-3), Launa Musselman (1-for-3), and Harlee Harclerobe (1-for-2) had the three Bulldog hits.
“We watched a lot of their games, and looked at all their stats, so we kind of knew what we were walking into,” Moore said about scouting the Claysburg-Kimmel line-up.
Paris struck out 11 in the loss, getting out a couple jams with key strikeouts. She allowed two walks, five hits, and a run scored.
“This entire time we’ve been trying not to worry about the records,” Leljedal said about taking on undefeated Claysburg-Kimmel. “They’re just numbers. We’re in a competitive league, we don’t really know what leagues are out there, so we try not to let the numbers bother us, but it sure did feel good making it 27-1.”
Both teams went down in order in the first, while in the top of the second Berger drew a lead-off walk, then, two batters later, Herb hit one off the top of the centerfielder’s glove to put runners on second and third with one out.
Paris, though, got a strikeout and a ground out the end the threat for the Bulldogs.
Claysburg-Kimmel would make their first big threat in the bottom of the third as Zakera Bush reached on a dropped third strike, followed by Harcolerode getting a hit to put two runners on with no outs.
A ground out moved them over a base, but Moore got a strikeout, then a ground out to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth Paris and Musselman drew back to back walks, then moved up a base off a bunt.
Then came the defensive play of the night when a ground ball was hit to DeLancey. She looked Paris back to third, then moved to throw to first.
Paris took off before the throw, which DeLancey faked. They got her in a rundown, and DeLancey ran her down for a big second out.
“We practice it all the time,” DeLancey explained. “Every single practice we’re practicing fake throws, but I’ve never done it in a game. It was super nerve-racking, but we have a sign for it, and my coached flashed me the sign. I knew if it got hit to me I had to fake the throw - it was definitely nerve-racking but it was a super exciting outcome. I’m so happy about it.”
DeLancey was a little shocked that it worked as well as it did.
“When I checked her back I saw her going all the way back to the base, so I was really nervous that when I went to fake the throw, she was just going to stay at third,” she said. “But my coaches always say high risk, high reward. So, even if I held the ball there was still a runner at third, and it was fine, but I was just super excited when I did see her running down the down the line. I knew we were going to get her.”
During the next at bat Bush rocked a hit to deep right-center but Lambert was able to make a running catch to end the inning.
“It was terrifying,” Moore said about Claysburg-Kimmel threatening right then. “But I had so much confidence in my entire team behind me, and I just knew that I had to get my job done, and they would get theirs done.”
In the bottom of the sixth a Paris hit followed by Musselman reaching on an error put runners on first and second for the Bulldogs with one out.
Moore, though, induced back to back first pitch pop outs to get out of the jam.
In the top of the seventh Berger and Gardner had back to back hits to put runners on first and second with no outs.
After a meeting in the circle, though, Paris struck back, striking out the next three batters on nine straight pitches to end the threat.
In the bottom half of the inning Bush drew a 4-pitch walk off Moore, which pushed Leljedal to make the switch.
“I honestly could have done it probably an inning sooner when she started throwing a couple balls here and there, but thinking of who was coming up next in our line-up, I thought we were going to be alright for one more inning,” said Leljedal. “(Moore’s) competitive, she wants that, she wants the innings, and I’m glad that she has that. I’m glad she has that drive, but we’ve got to trust our teammates, and McKenna got up there, and picked it up right where she left off.”
Callear retired the next three batters to send the game to extra innings.
Then came the top of the eighth. After two outs DeLancey, the hero from last game, was able to leg out a ground ball to the shortstop for an infield hit to get things going this time.
“I just knew I had to do something to get on base,” she said. “I really struggled with the change-up, so when I saw that one coming I just really had to wait on it. I just did what I could.”
Moore then legged out a dribbler in front of the plate, with DeLancey taking third in the chaos.
“I knew that after I got on base with Kelsea, and Hannah coming’s up, I knew something was going to happen, especially after Kelsea got on base,” said DeLancey. “Hannah, she’s just so dominant in the batter’s box, and her last at bat was just phenomenal. I knew she was going to come up big for us.”
For a moment it looked like it was going to be a 3-0 lead as Berger powered one deep into right field, only for it to swerve foul.
Still, that her confidence that something good was going to happen.
“I think I had the timing down pretty well,” Berger said. “I knew after I fouled off that home run I was going to either go down swinging or put it in play.”
She put a hard hit into right field that allowed DeLancey to jog home, breaking the scoreless tie.
“I kept telling them, every time, that if you just keep your defense strong, and put the ball in play, the runs will come,” Leljedal said. “The runs will come, and one came.”
Everybody’s had their moment in the sun this postseason, and Leljedal was glad to see Berger get her’s.
“She deserved this, she needed this, and she crushed it,” the coach said. “I’m so proud of her.”
That run helped calm Callear down as she took to the circle.
“It brought comfort knowing that we had to just get the three outs, and we’ll win this game,” she said. “This is a crazy, long game, and we’ve played our hearts out the whole entire time.”
After a lead-off walk NEB got a fielder’s choice, Callear got a strikeout, and then Moore nabbed the pop up to secure the win.
“It’s crazy,” Callear said about them making the state final. “Especially for us seniors, we’ve played softball for our whole entire lives, whether it be year-round or school ball, we’ve always played all our lives, and it’s crazy the state final is literally on Friday.”
The players also wanted to do this for Leljedal, who came up just short of the finals during her playing days.
“She pushes us hard, and we love her so much,” DeLancey said. “Everything we do, it’s just all as a team. It’s for our teammates, it’s for our coaches, and we’re just doing what we can to win together.”
The team will face District VII champions Union (22-2) on Friday at 11 a.m. at Nittany Lion Softball Park. Union beat Cambridge Springs 8-0 in the other semifinal, and haven’t allowed a run during the state tournament.
Leljedal has focused on keeping the girls loose this postseason, and if it’s not broke don’t fix it.
“We’re going to have fun again,” she said. “We’re going to scrimmage, and just have in practice like we’ve been doing. We haven’t been doing anything crazy.”
For her seniors, though, this has been quite the crazy ride.
“I just want to keep playing with these girls,” DeLancey remarked. “I’m just leaving it all on the field every time.”
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PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING
