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Counting Down Top 20 Stories from D9 in 2016-17: No. 7: DCC Softball D9 Champs; PIAA Semifinalist

Between June 27 and July 24 D9Sports.com will be counting down the Top 20 stories in District 9 from the 2016-17 school year starting with No. 20 June 27 and finishing with No. 1 July 24.

No. 7: DCC Softball Wins Third D9 Title in Four Years Moves onto PIAA Semifinals for 2nd Straight Year

Getting to the PIAA semifinals in any sport once is an accomplishment. Do it twice with basically the same group of players? Now that’s something to be proud of for a lifetime.

In 2016, the DuBois Central Catholic softball team won the District 9 Class 1A title and then won a pair of PIAA playoff games to reach the PIAA semifinals where the Lady Cardinals lost to West Greene.

For most of the 2017 season manager George Heigel wouldn’t mention the goal was another shot at West Greene. But that’s what it was.

And DCC, who beat Coudersport 9-0 in the D9 title game, reached it thanks to a tremendous offensive output that saw the Lady Cardinals score 56 runs in their first five playoffs games including wins of 19-3 over Carmichaels and 9-3 over Commodore Perry in the PIAA playoffs to reach the semifinals once again.

The offense was still there against West Greene, five runs were scored, but again the Pioneers ended DCC’s season with a 9-5 victory.

But it was a great season nonetheless for the Lady Cardinals, who went 23-2 and made the return journey to the PIAA semifinals just as fine as the first one.

Highlights of the postseason run included:

  • A 12-1, five-inning win over A-C Valley to start the D9 bracket that saw Jordy Frank and Macey Hanes go a combined 5-for-5 with five runs scored and three RBIs led by Frank going 2-for-2 with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs.
  • A 7-4 victory over Elk County Catholic in the D9 semifinals. In that contest, Riley Assalone struck out 13 Lady Crusaders to pick up the win while adding a double, a run scored and an RBI on offense. Alyssa Bittner was 2-for-3 with an RBI, a Shay Gulvas added a two-run double and also scored a run.
  • The 9-0 win over Coudersport to claim a second straight D9 title. Assalone was again fantastic in the circle throwing a four-hit shutout while striking out 12. Frank (2-for-3, 2 runs, 4 RBIs) and Gulvas (2-for-4, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) both homered in the game, while Assalone added a pair of hits and an RBI.
  • An 18-3 drubbing of Carmichaels in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs. The Lady Cardinals fell behind 3-0 after a half inning but tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the first then broke it open with a 7-run second followed by a three-run third and five-run fourth that ended the game. Macey Hanes had a pair of doubles while going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Frank added a double, a single, an RBI and three runs scored, while Ashley Wruble was 1-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored and Gulvas 1-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored.
  • In the PIAA quarterfinals against Commodore Perry, the Lady Cardinals again fell behind trailing 3-0 after three and 3-1 going to the fifth. But a five-run fifth propelled DCC to a 9-3 victory and the rematch with West Greene. Assalone and Wruble both had a pair of doubles with Frank adding a triple. Assalone was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, Wruble was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs and Frank was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Top 20 Sports Stories in District 9 for the 2016-17 School Year

No. 20 – Three District 9 girls’ place in the javelin at the PIAA Championships
No. 19 – Brockway Girls and Port Allegany Boys Claim First-Ever D9 Soccer Titles
No. 18 – Ridgway Boys’ Basketball Marches to PIAA Elite Eight
No. 17 – Ridgway Claims D9 1A Football Title
No. 16 – Kane Football Wins Third Straight D9 Title
No. 15 – Elk County Catholic Boys’ Cross Country Takes Second at PIAA Championships
No. 14 – Moniteau Softball Wins 4th Straight Title but Stunned in PIAA Playoffs
No. 13 – The Big Four Inside Junior Girls Dominate D9 Basketball
No. 12 – Punxsutawney’s Streak of 13 Straight D9 Baseball Titles Ended by Clearfield
No. 11 – Karns City Girls’ Soccer Dominance
No. 10 – Oswayo Valley Baseball Becomes District 9 Powerhouse
No. 9 – ECC Hoops Goes Back-to-Back Unbeaten Regular Seasons for First Time in School History
No. 8 – North Clarion Girls’ Basketball Team Wins First D9 Title Advances to PIAA Quarterfinals
No. 7 – DCC Softball Wins Third D9 Title in Four Years Moves onto PIAA Semifinals for 2nd Straight Year
No. 6 – Released July 17
No. 5 – Released July 18
No. 4 – Released July 19
No. 3 – Released July 20
No. 2 – Released July 21
No. 1 – Released July 24