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Char-Houston gets revenge, edges Frazier

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From left, Chartiers-Houston’s Kaitlyn Dittrich, Karlyn Bayer, Kaci Alderson, Macie Kesnec and Brittany Blumen celebrate Thursday after the Buccaneers defeated Frazier in a PIAA Class AA quarterfinal game at California University.

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From left, Chartiers-Houston’s Kaitlyn Dittrich (25), Karlyn Bayer (24), and Kayla Alderson (7) celebrate a PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal victory over Frazier in 2017.

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Mackenzie Randall/Observer-Reporter Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Jaylese Lombardi (27) swings at a pitch during the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal on Thursday, June 8th at California University.

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Mackenzie Randall/Observer-Reporter Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Jessica Ford (18) looks on hopefully in the 7th inning during the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal on Thursday, June 8th at California University.

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Mackenzie Randall/Observer-Reporter Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Brittany Blumen (11) slides into second base as FrazierþÄôs Lauren Mastowski (24) tries to tag her out and FrazierþÄôs Kara Mastowski (17) looks on during the PIAA Class 2A quarterfinal on Thursday, June 8th at California University.

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Observer-Reporter

Chartiers-Houston’s Kaitlyn Dittrich compiled a 12-5 record last season. The senior doubles as a first baseman.

CALIFORNIA – When Chartiers-Houston was leading Frazier 4-3 in the seventh inning of Thursday’s PIAA Class AA softball quarterfinal, it wasn’t the first time they’d been in this situation.

Back in April, Frazier, which won the WPIAL title, came back from down 3-2 in the seventh inning against C-H to beat the Bucs for the second time in a week.

“Obviously, I think it was in the back of all of our minds,” Tricia Alderson, C-H’s head coach, said.

“But that was six weeks ago, and we’re both different teams.”

Thursday’s game was, in fact, different, as the Bucs (18-4) kept their composure to secure a 4-3 victory at California University’s Lilley Field and advance to the PIAA semifinals.

“We’ve been in a lot of close games lately, so they were relaxed and loose and that’s what we wanted to (be),” Alderson said.

Leading the way for the C-H, which was the fourth-place finisher in the WPIAL, was pitcher Kaitlyn Dittrich, who threw a complete-game victory after losing both games to Frazier (19-3) earlier this season. The junior scattered 11 hits and two walks while striking out three.

“She did a great job,” Alderson said. “She had some pitches that hung up a little bit that they drove. When she hung it, they drove it. But, for the most part, she was mixing her pitches and mixing her speeds. She did a really nice job, and our defense backed to her up really well.”

Through three innings, Frazier was in complete control, mostly because of freshman pitcher Logan Hartman, who was stymying the Bucs as she did both games in April. The righty retired the first eight batters and had a 1-0 advantage going into the fourth.

But after a double to start the fourth by C-H sophomore catcher Kasey Scears and a single from freshman shortstop Kaci Alderson, the Bucs had their first scoring chance of the game.

After a strikeout, junior designated player Jessica Ford hit a ground ball to second base for an RBI and reached base on a fielding error. Sophomore second baseman Lauren Lober then hit a run-scoring single to give C-H the lead, and freshman first baseman Karlyn Bayer increased the C-H advantage to 3-1 with a line drive up the middle.

“We knew we weren’t going to have too many chances, so we were hoping to get some clutch hits when we could,” Tricia Alderson said. “(Hartman) is a really tough pitcher, and she tends to pitch better when there are runners on base. We were just happy to get some runs when we could.”

For Frazier, the opportunities to score were there but the clutch hits weren’t, as the Commodores left 10 runners on base and were 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Junior shortstop Kayla Matway hit a two-out double in the first, and sophomore designated player Emi Curcio hit what looked to be an RBI single to right field before Kayla Anderson made a sliding catch to end the inning.

After back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch to start the second, Frazier scored only one run in the inning, on a single by freshman third baseman Kathryn Barch to Juliann Johnson.

In the third inning, the Commodores left two runners on base without scoring a run.

“The flow of the game just never seemed to go our way,” Frazier head coach Don Hartman said. “We kept popping out in big situations. I give Dittrich credit. She doesn’t throw hard, but she spins it. We know what she does and we just couldn’t seem to get into the flow of her pitching today and hit enough line drives.”

In the fifth inning, the Commodores responded to C-H’s three-run fourth inning with a run of their own on a double from junior second baseman Lauren Mastowski.

The Bucs came right back in the fifth when Kaci Alderson knocked in Kayla Anderson, who led off the inning with a single.

Frazier left two runners on base in the sixth, but not before scoring a run on a single from Hartman to score junior first baseman Kara Mastowski, who led off the inning with a double. Despite getting a runner aboard in the seventh, the Commodores couldn’t push the game-tying run across the plate.

“This team is used to playing in the state playoffs,” Hartman said of Chartiers-Houston. “That’s what they do. I wouldn’t be surprised if they win it all.”

Chartiers-Houston will take on another team they’re 0-2 against this season in the semifinals Monday. The Bucs will play South Side Beaver, which defeated Seton-La Salle in the quarterfinals.

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