Jun 3, 2013 3 min read

ERIE – Dave Briggs is going to appreciate his first coaching victory in the PIAA softball playoffs, not just because it happened, but also in the way in which it happened.

Carmichaels, the District 7 runner-up, rallied from a 5-1 deficit after two innings and handed a self-destructing Saegertown a 13-9 loss in the Class A first round at Penn State Behrend.

The Mikes (21-3) will play either Southern Huntingdon in Thursday’s quarterfinals.

“This was big,” said a smiling Briggs. “This was my first state win in 10 years.”

Rallying from a 5-1 deficit after two inning just made it sweeter for Briggs and the Mikes. Saegertown (17-3), the District 10 champion, saw that lead evaporate under the weight of seven errors and a Mikes’ offense that battered starter Ariana Hanley and reliever Becca Siple for 13 hits.

“I thought we would hit,” said Briggs. “Hey, if we don’t hit, we’re going to lose. But that one inning was huge.”

Briggs was talking about the third, when Carmichaels scored five times to take a 6-5 lead and turn the tide of the game.

The Mikes sent nine to the plate and scored two runs on an error by Siple before she came in to relieve Hanley in the sixth. Carolina Cree had an RBI-single and Regina Menhart drove in one when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

“We forgot our gloves,” said Saegertown head coach Mark McKissick. “It happens. Sometimes, you just have a bad day. And that’s not to take anything away from Carmichaels. They found some holes.”

Carmichaels followed the third with another five-run inning, this time coming in the fifth. The big hits came off the bats of Lindsey Osborne, who doubled in one run; Emma Lowry, who knocked in two; and Erica Burns, who also had a two-run single.

“This was really the first game that we looked nervous,” Briggs said. “I don’t know why that is. Maybe because it’s the state playoffs. But everyone settled down after the second inning.”

The bottom half of Carmichaels’ lineup was terrific, going a combined 6-for-16, scoring four runs and driving in five.

“This (victory) just brings us a lot of joy,” said Emma Lowry, who went 1-for-4 with a run scored, and two RBI from the No. 8 spot. “This was worth all the hard work and the practices we put in. (Our comeback) just showed me that we wanted it more, and we played as hard as we could to get it.”

Danielle McClennan went 2-for-4 from the No. 7 spot and Mia Virgili, 2-for-4 with two runs scored from the ninth spot.

“We were a little nervous at first,” said McClellan. “After the first innings, the nerves went away.”

Saegertown had one last run, scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Mikes’ lead to four runs. But Burns turned in a 1-2-3 seventh for the win.

“I had a feeling it was going to be one of those games,” said Briggs, referring to the two teams combining for 21 hits and 10 errors. “Nothing is going to be easy in these playoffs. I saw Saegertown last year against Chartiers-Houston, and they are a good team. This was a good win for us.”