Waynesburg bats take advantage of McGuffey errors
Waynesburg’s Paige Rutan makes the tag on McGuffey’s Decia Jones as she slides into 2nd base during a game at McGuffey Community park on Friday, April 13, 2018.
Waynesburg’s Rachel Elsenheimer beats the tag of McGuffey’s Eleanna Serna as she slides into second base during a Section 3-AAA game at McGuffey Community Park.
Celeste Van Kirk/ Observer-Reporter
mcguffeysoftball
Celeste Van Kirk/Observer-Reporter
Waynesburg’s Jordan Sibert allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings against McGuffey.
McGuffey’s Emily Vinski makes the throughs to 1st base to get out Waynesburg’s Jordan Sibert during a game at McGuffey Community park on Friday, April 13, 2018.
CLAYSVILLE – When a team scores 11 runs, it’s usually because the hitters are crushing extra-base hits and overwhelming the opposing team’s pitcher.
While Waynesburg’s offense did hit well – totaling 14 hits – in its 11-3 win over Section 3-AAA rival McGuffey, the Raiders were heavily aided by five Highlander errors, leading to seven of their 11 runs being unearned.
“You have to make a team pay for their errors,” said Waynesburg head coach Jim Armstrong. “We’ve been pretty good at that, getting runners on and scoring them. You’ve got to take advantage of the extra outs you’re given.”
While McGuffey’s final error total was five, there were a handful of other plays that also could have been made that forced pitcher Shelby Dobrzynski to labor through innings that should have been over.
“I think we just came out flat,” said McGuffey head coach Brett Shriver. “We’ve got to work on defense, looking the ball in and picking the ball up off the bat.”
All the runs in the game at McGuffey Community Park came in the first four innings.
Waynesburg (4-0, 6-2) scored three runs in the first on four hits to start the game. Bailee Shimek hit a two-out, two-run double, scoring Paige Rutan and Rachel Elsenheimer, who reached base on a single and smacked a game-high four hits. Kayle Turcheck then singled in Shimek to give Waynesburg the 3-0 lead.
McGuffey (2-3, 2-3) answered back with two in the bottom half of the inning when Eleanna Serna led off with a single and scored on a two-out double by Breanne Hunter. Emily Vinski then singled in Hunter, who ended the game with two doubles and a walk.
The Raiders didn’t wait to extend its lead, as No. 8 hitter Brooke Meek, who went 2-for-3 with a hit by pitch and three RBI, led off the second inning with a home run to left-center field.
“Brooke has been hitting the ball a ton,” Armstrong said. “She got a hold of a good one today. … She’s been hitting the ball hard in the eight spot.”
The Raiders would score three more runs in the inning, all of which were unearned because of an error earlier in the inning. The second-inning rally was started by the bottom of the order, and Armstrong said the Raiders’ “balanced” lineup is the team’s main strength.
“We’re good one through nine,” Armstrong said. “It’s very comforting to have a lineup like that. They all hit the ball hard and get on base. That’s awesome we can have that one through nine.”
In the third inning, Emily Vinski singled home Emily Irey, who reached on a walk, to reduce the Highlanders’ deficit to 7-3.
Waynesburg put the game out of reach in the fourth inning, scoring four runs on three hits and assisted by three Highlander errors.
Three of the first five Raiders of the inning reached on errors, while two of the three hits were bloopers that landed between an infielder and an outfielder. Rutan scored on a single by Elsenheimer, who later came around to score on an error. Meek then roped a single to score Shimek and Turcheck.
“(Timely hitting) was super important today,” Meek said. “Each girl has a good approach going up to the plate and is looking for (their) pitch. We work on situational hitting a lot in practice, and knowing that aspect is important to scoring runs.”
The rest of the contest was dominated by Jordan Sibert and Dobrzynski, both of whom threw complete games and didn’t allow a run the rest of the way.
Sibert allowed three runs and seven hits in seven innings. The sophomore walked four and struck out seven, getting stronger as the game went on, Armstrong said.
“She kept the ball down and hit her spots and we can control the game,” Armstrong said. “She wasn’t afraid to come after them, and she was hitting her spots. That’s the name of the game. You’ve got to hit your spots.”
Dobrzynski threw a scoreless final three frames with only three hits allowed and no McGuffey errors. The righty allowed 14 hits and 11 runs (four earned) in her complete-game loss. She walked one and struck out three.
“That’s the defense we can play,” Shriver said, referring to the errorless last three innings. “We play that defense and hit even like we did today, we’re right in there with a lot of good teams.”
McGuffey travels to West Greene Monday, while Waynesburg is on the road at South Park.