PIAA ROUNDUP: Good Day for D9 as Johnsonburg, DCC and Clearfield Softball All Win; DCC and Punxy Baseball Also Triumph

DuBOIS, Pa. (EYT/D9) – It was a very good first round of the PIAA playoffs for District 9 baseball and softball teams.

Ten were in action; eight won.

(Above, Johnsonburg’s Julie Peterson with her father and Rammettes’ assistant coach, David Peterson)

The Redbank Valley baseball team shocked previously undefeated Serra Catholic. Clarion-Limestone’s baseball team also took down a district champion in the WPIAL’s Union-New Castle.

Karns City softball also cruised.

The Johnsonburg, DuBois Central Catholic and Clearfield softball teams each won their first-round games; The DuBois Central Catholic and Punxsutawney baseball teams also triumphed.

The only setbacks were suffered by Elk County Catholic softball and Johnsonburg baseball.

SOFTBALL

JOHNSONBURG 3, MUNCY 1 – Julie Peterson was lights out in the circle again and Natalie Duckworth homered to lift the Rammettes in this PIAA Class A matchup.

Dunworth’s homer came in the first at-bat of the contest, giving Johnsburg a 1-0 lead.

Muncy drew even at 1-1 in the fourth inning, but Julia Jones delivered a clutch, two-out, two-run double in the fifth to give the Rammettes a 3-1 advanatge.

That was enough for Peterson, who struck out six, and gave up one run on four hits to earn the win.

Dunworth had a pair of hits, including the first-inning home run, and was also intentionally walked in the two-run fifth.

Johnsonburg will take on Neshannock in the quarterfinals on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

DuBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 4, GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC 2 – Emma Suplizio smashed a three-run homer in the fifth inning to put the Cardinals in the Class A quarterfinals on Thursday.

DCC trailed GCC 2-1 before her blast that came with two outs.

The Centurians scored twice in the first inning against Melia Mistkavich, who gave up two runs in three innings of work.

Morgan Tyler relieved Mistkavich and picked up the win, going four scoreless innings.

The Cardinals will play West Greene in the quarterfinals on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

CLEARFIELD 4, FRANKLIN 3 – Pinch runner Paige Houser scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Bison moved on in the Class 4A playoffs.

House was running for Alaina Fedder, who smashed a one-out triple.

Emma Hipps got the win in the circle, striking out 13 in seven innings. She gave up three runs, two earned, on five hits in the victory.

Olivia Bender had three hits for Clearfield.

The Bison will take on District 3 champion Hamburg in the quarterfinals on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

SAEGERTOWN 6, ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC 0 – Mikaila Obenrader struck out 15 for Saegertown in blanking the Crusaders in Class A action.

Emily Mourer doubled for ECC. She got the loss, striking out four in six innings.

BASEBALL

DuBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 15, ROCHESTER 5 – The Cardinals wasted little time, building a 10-3 lead after three innings on the way to a six-inning, run-rule win in the Class A playoffs.

DCC had 17 hits in the game.

Aiden Snowberger and Carter Hickman each had three hits with two of Snowberger’s knocks doubles. Kaden Brezenski and Cole Sansom each drove in three runs for DCC in the onslaught.

Brezenski also had a pair of doubles as the Cardinals had eight extra-base hits.

The run support was more than enough for Hickman, who got the win. He went 4 2/3 innings, giving up five runs on six hits and striking out four.

PUNXSUTAWNEY 8, PENNS MANOR 2 – The Chucks will play Franklin in the Class 3A quarterfinals on Thursday at a site and time to be determined.