Apr 27, 2015 4 min read

CARMICHAELS – McGuffey High School softball junior pitcher Moriah McGuier and Highlanders first-year head coach Jason Kern have developed a unique relationship.

After McGuier heads to the dugout from the circle, she quickly spouts information to Kern on batters’ tendencies. It can be overwhelming.

“She’s extremely fiery and competitive,” Kern said with a laugh. “She is very outspoken. You almost have to calm her down sometimes.”

Kern did not want to interrupt McGuier Monday afternoon. The right-hander squared off against, arguably, the best pitcher in WPIAL Class AA, Carmichaels senior Erica Burns.

For the first four innings of the Section 2-AA matchup, Burns, a Point Park recruit, did not allow a hit and was as dominant as ever. Facing a highly touted opponent was not overwhelming for McGuffey’s first-year starting pitcher.

McGuier struck out seven batters and the Highlanders’ offense scored two runs in three consecutive innings to complete a 6-1 come-from-behind victory.

McGuffey (8-1, 9-1) moved within a half-game of first-place Carmichaels (9-1, 9-3) and the teams are set to play again Friday afternoon in Claysville. McGuier earned her ninth win of the season and has 96 strikeouts to just 12 walks.

“We keep stressing to the girls that if we play error-free defense and we score one or two runs, then we’ll win the game because Moriah is that good of a pitcher,” Kern said. “She was behind Cassie Weiss the past two years, but now is her time to shine.”

With the Mikes’ hard-hitting offense thriving over the past week – scoring at least six runs in three consecutive games – McGuier focused on getting ahead in the count. Using an unorthodox delivery in which she bends her torso so her head is parallel it her knees during the follow-through, McGuier peppered the strike zone with screwballs early and often.

Of the 26 batters she faced, McGuier threw a first-pitch strike to 17.

“Any time I can get ahead of the count, it’s easier to work with what you want instead of catering toward what the umpires want you to throw,” McGuier said. “You don’t have to be as careful.”

Carmichaels’ offense looked strong in the first three innings, gathering four hits, including a double by senior catcher Katie Mays and an RBI triple by sophomore shortstop Natalie McNett to grab a 1-0 lead.

The Mikes stranded two runners in scoring position during that span and after Mays led off the fourth inning with a single, freshman third baseman Megan Walker hit a fastball into the gap in left-centerfield but McGuffey’s Gabby Pettit made a highlight-reel catch to save a run.

“I felt like if we would have gotten some clutch hits, especially early, the game would have been different,” Carmichaels head coach Dave Briggs said. “We didn’t get the clutch hits, let them hang around and they did a good job. I was very disappointed with our offense.”

Burns retired 14 of the first 16 batters, but McGuffey’s patience paid off in the fifth inning. Junior Chelsea Travis and Pettit started with back-to-back singles before freshman Emily Irey hit an RBI single to tie the score, 1-1. Sammie Weiss then hit a sacrifice fly to score Pettit and give McGuffey its first lead.

“That was amazing. I jumped on the girls who came into the dugout,” McGuier said of the first runs. “It’s crazy how momentum can build. One run or two runs won’t win you a game, but once it starts rolling, you have the momentum and that does a lot for a team.”

McGuier did not allow a hit the rest of the game and struck out three in the final three innings. The Highlanders took a 4-1 lead in the sixth with an RBI double by Rachel Kleinhans, who scored on a single by Travis, who was 2-for-2.

McGuffey got two insurance runs in the seventh before McGuier retired the Mikes in order to end the game.

The Highlanders cannot look ahead to Friday’s rematch against Carmichaels. They also face Bentworth, Charleroi and Brownsville in consecutive days. Brownsville handed the Highlanders their only section loss.

“Now we control our own destiny,” Kern said. “We haven’t had a section championship in softball since 2009. That’s one of the goals we set at the beginning of the year. We have all the confidence in the world of winning this section and we have bigger goals in mind.”