Hubbard, Lakeview bounce top seeds

May 19, 2016 at 12:10a.m.

By STEVE WILAJ

ALLIANCE

Keyed by a couple fine pitching performances by underclassmen, Hubbard and Lakeview won Division II district semifinal games at Alliance High School on Wednesday.

In the early game, fifth-seeded Hubbard downed top-seeded West Branch, 1-0, in nine innings, led by sophomore Addy Jarvis’ complete-game shutout.

Third-seeded Lakeview defeated second-seeded Poland, 7-1, as freshman Cait Kelm tossed all seven innings.

HUBBARD-WEST BRANCH

Jarvis tossed nine innings for the Eagles (16-8), striking out 12 while allowing just two hits.

“I was just pitching for groundballs,” Jarvis said. “I got my strikeouts, but my defense really helped me and had my back today.”

Hubbard scored its go-ahead run in the top of the ninth on Morgan Kist’s RBI groundout. The inning started with a Mikayla Smith bunt single and an Emma Wukelich sacrifice bunt. Jarvis then reached on an error to set up Kist.

“It was a good, hard, clean game,” Miller said. “It’s a shame somebody’s got to lose one like that.”

The Eagles did their damage off Kelsey Byers, who replaced West Branch starter Kylie Coffelt after eight innings.

Coffelt allowed just two hits while striking out 11.

“Both pitchers pitched very, very well,” Warriors coach Sis Woods said. “They took advantage of our mistakes and we didn’t take advantage of theirs. That’s what it came down too.”

West Branch (23-5) had its opportunity in the bottom of the eighth.

Bailey Byers singled with one out and then stole second and third base. She tried to score on Maddie Pidgeon’s grounder to third, but was thrown out at home by Sydney Newell.

“She was supposed to go on contact since we weren’t hitting,” Woods said. “But they made a perfect play — a perfect catch and perfect throw.”

LAKEVIEW-POLAND

For as good as Kelm was on the mound for Lakeview (15-5) — she allowed one run on four hits — Tori Wells was just as strong at the plate. The sophomore first baseman notched a first-inning homer, a double and a two-run single as she finished with three RBIs.

“I was really locked in all day,” Wells said. “I was ready to hit and just wanted to help my team score as many runs as possible.”

After Poland tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the fourth on Kathryn Wilson’s RBI double, Lakeview answered with two runs in the fifth on Kylee Mann’s two-run double. Lakeview scored another run in the sixth (Alex Romano RBI-double) before Wells’ two-run single put Lakeview ahead by six in the final inning.

“That’s probably the best softball game that we’ve played all year and the best softball game Cait pitched all year,” Lakeview coach Vicki Lawrence said. “We were behind her and played as a team and that’s the best thing that can happen.

“She came out and struck out the side in the first inning and her confidence just got stronger and stronger.”

Kelm struck out seven and walked just one.

For Poland, Kristyn Svetlak allowed seven runs on 10 hits in six innings. Claire Testa tripled for the Bulldogs.

“We’re confident but not too cocky,” Wells said. “We know Hubbard’s a good team and we’re ready to face them.”