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SOFTBALL: Cumberland Valley downs James Buchanan in MPC semifinal, 11-5


HERSHEY >> For most of the softball season, James Buchanan has relied on two of the top pitchers in the area.

On Thursday afternoon, the duo just didn't have their best stuff.

Nina Shatzer and Taryn Miller combined for eight walks and four wild pitches, and Cumberland Valley took advantage. The Eagles scored six runs via girls who had reached on walks, added another two on wild pitches and used some timely hitting to secure an 11-5 victory in a semifinal game of the Mid Penn Conference Tournament.

"(Nina) has pitched a lot this season, but she hasn't pitched lately," JB coach Eric Reed said. "I don't want to call it rust, but she was having a little bit of trouble hitting her spots."

Miller said, "For me, I haven't pitched in awhile, and I'm just getting back into it. I'll work on it, though, and get my strike zone back down."

Although James Buchanan (17-4) wasn't favored to win, it didn't lie down, either. The Eagles (18-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning only to see the Rockets tie it up in the home half of the inning.

In the second inning, CV tacked on three more runs, and once again, James Buchanan answered, knotting the scoreboard at 4-4 in the third.

But the Eagles continued to hit well. They tacked on three runs in the fourth inning and scored a pair of insurance runs in each of the last two frames.

"You never know who's going to hit well with our team," Cumberland Valley coach Gregg Williams said. "It can be the top, the middle or the bottom. With everyone in our lineup, it's exciting when they come to the plate. It's not always like that. Sometimes you have a couple people where you're like, 'All right. I hope she at least swings the bat this time,' but we don't have anyone like that."

It was the bottom of the lineup that came through Thursday for the Eagles.

The No. 7 to 9 hitters combined for six hits, and CV totaled 11 on the day. Lizzie Scott was the top hitter for either team. She went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run, three runs scored and a pair of RBIs.

"Everyone on the team has a role, so if my role is to play in the eight-hole, that's what I'm going to do," Scott said. "It's just about following what we do in practice and keeping those mechanics. And after the first at-bat, it doesn't really matter because you're starting at a different place anyway."

Reed and the Rockets didn't feel as if they were out of reach until the final inning. Heading into the seventh, CV held a 9-5 lead. But the Eagles led off with a pair of walks, and after a strikeout, Summer Keefer followed with a fielder's choice that drove in Scott. Taylor Haupt then smacked a sacrifice fly to drive in the final run.

"The seventh inning hurt," Reed said. "We were only down 9-5, and I knew we had the top of the lineup coming up. I thought we were still within striking distance, but then we had a couple little miscues there and a couple of walks. The girls didn't hang their heads, though, so I was happy with that."

The Rockets had their biggest chance early. In the first inning, Shania Fogelsonger and Brooke Pittman drew walks to lead off, and Miller followed with a single to load the bases. But JB plated only one run with the golden opportunity.

The Rockets managed only seven hits, including three by Miller and a pair of singles from Jennae Piper.

"Honestly, I think it was the speed that threw us off," Miller said. "We haven't seen that much speed, and (Jen Hanshaw) was a great pitcher. She was working both inside and outside, so she was definitely hitting her spots very well."

NOTES >> Abbie Doyka and Piper each had a pair of RBIs ... Keefer plated three runs to lead the Eagles ... CV won the Mid Penn Tournament final, defeating Lower Dauphin, 9-0.

Cumberland Valley 11 James Buchanan 5

Cumb. ValleyJ.BuchananabrhbabrhbKrow lf4100Fglsngr 3b3210Keefer cf2201Pittman cf2100Haupt ss4023TMiller ss4231Erney 1b4012Doyka c3002Wingert c3000Piper 2b3022Brown cr0000CMiller lf3000Noga 2b3101Cumngs rf2000Holtzmn 3b4110Shatzer p3010Oestrlng cr0000Bender 1b3000Scott dp3332Mumma rf3321Hanshaw p0000Totals301199Totals26575
Cumb. Valley1303022—11J.Buchanan1030100—5

E: CV 1, JB 2; DP: CV 1; LOB: CV 9, JB 4; 2B: Scott, T.Miller; HR: Scott; SAC: Keefer; SF: Haupt; SB: Keefer 3, Mumma 2, Haupt.

Cumb. Valley pitching

J.Buchanan pitching

Shatzer (L,10-3) 5 87641T.Miller 2 14343

WP: Shatzer 2, T.Miller 2, Hanshaw; PB: JB 1.

T: 2:07.