University Park, Centre County -- Not every day, you hear one school from Central PA have finalist in both the softball and baseball finals. Lampeter-Strasburg did just so. Pioneer softball looks to win back-to-back titles.
Facing Penn Trafford in the second inning, Lampeter-Strasburg in a jam. Warriors with two runners on. Pioneers get out of it, spin the double play. Great turn by Daisy Frank and Chloe Blantz, to end the threat.
In the third, Brynne Baker in a jam again. The Warriors make her pay with a little wall ball. Two score. Two zip.
Bottom of the inning, Pioneers respond. Julz Garber puts it into play. Good for an RBI.
Jocelyn Branco doubles and scores, to cut the deficit by one.
Later in the inning, Pioneers catch a break. Baker appears to ground out but we get an error. Bases loaded for Lampeter-Strasburg.
The Warriors pitch out and catch a sleeper. Pioneers miss a golden opportunity.
Penn Trafford would add two more to take a 4-1 lead.
Bottom of the fourth, Taryn Hosstetter up the middle. That plates two, and just like that we're back to a one run game, 4 to 3.
Hostetter pumped, bottom of the fifth. Pioneer's Gabby Drum, steps in with two runners on. Puts a charge into this one. What a play by Emma Little in right field. Keeps the Warriors in front.
Bottom of the seventh, Lampeter-Strasburg down to their final out. Warriors shut the door. Pioneers go down 5 to 3.
A great run and a lot to be proud of.
"This far, you want to walk away with the gold. We didn't. We have to get back in the saddle. Next year, we have to get back and work hard. These girls, most of these girls know what it feels like to be here. Two years in a row they've been here. They're hungry to come back again. It's a long ride. It's a long ride to get here," said Gene Charlas, Pioneers head coach.
We just want to remember us, always battling, playing in the moment and focusing on one game at a time. Never give up and even though people are after us. We battle throughout and even though we didn't come out on top, we really tried hard," said Brynne Baker, Pioneers senior pitcher.