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Lenhart’s defense helps bring Muncy to D4 final

Penciling in a Muncy center fielder the last eight seasons was about as easy picking Skip Bayless’s brain.

Hannah Cole roamed center field from 2009-12 and earned multiple all-state selections. Haley Gyurina took over in 2013 and built on that success while adding her picture to Muncy’s all-state wall.

Imagine then what Kassidi Len­hart must have thought when Muncy tabbed her as its new starting center fielder. The sophomore was really still learning the position but Muncy trusted her. She has rewarded them for that trust throughout the season and delivered a fantastic play that helped Muncy defeat Cowan­esque Valley, 8-2 in Saturday’s District 4 Class A semifinals.

CV had cut an eight-run deficit to six in the fourth inning and had runners on second and third with one out when Karmen Short lofted a blooper into no man’s land behind second base and into shallow center field. Lenhart sprinted in, made a hustling lunging catch and then made a snap throw home, preventing the lead runner from tagging up. If Lenhart does not make the catch two runs might have scored and the game might have started changing.

“We didn’t even know at the beginning of the season if Kassidi was going to play outfield,” Muncy coach Kevin Miller said. “She really struggled in years past and really didn’t have any experience but she’s filled in for Haley Gyurina tremendously this year. She goes all out, 150 percent every time a ball is in the air.”

Lenhart also has given the offense a boost, hitting .370 and doing a nice job turning the lineup over from the No. 9 position. She has 13 RBIs and also has scored 12 runs.

Saturday, though, it was her defensive prowess that was contagious and that helped Muncy reach its first district final and state tournament since 2009. The Indians (18-3) play NE Bradford in today’s final.

Muncy made several big defensive plays against CV and right fielder Kaitlyn Copeland provided another, covering a lot of ground and making a hustling catch in foul territory that left runners on second and third. Shortstop Lyndsi Stugart threw out a runner at home and third baseman Dominique Schell turned a double play that stymied a CV third-inning rally that seemed like it was gaining momentum.

“They know that those could have been hits and that runs could have scored,” Miller said. “It’s little plays like that which ignite a team.”

ONES TO GROW ON: Williamsport would have loved starting 12-0. Instead, it went 5-7. Still, there was no panic.

Williamsport could not do a thing about those seven previous losses. It could focus on the future, use those games as learning experiences and become a better team.

And that is exactly what the Millionaires have done. That is why they are playing for a district title for a seventh straight season. Williamsport (10-7) has won five straight since that 5-7 start and pounded Delaware Valley, 10-0 in six innings in last Wednesday’s District 2-4 Class AAAAAA semifinals. Now the Millionaires have a shot at winning their first title since 2012 as they play Hazleton for a seventh straight season in Wednesday’s final.

“I told girls, looking back and not showing any disrespect to some of the teams that beat us, but I thought we could have won some of those games,” Williamsport Quint Bower said after a regular-season finale win at Loyalsock. “We can’t go back and change those losses or play them over, but we can learn from them. What we’ve learned first and foremost is we have to have intensity for seven innings and we have to look for our quality at-bats and take advantage of the situation that is given us.”

Williamsport has repeatedly done so during the winning streak, scoring 48 runs and delivering 72 hits. The Millionaires made quick work of Delaware Valley as they collected 12 more hits. Mikayla Aldenderfer threw a brilliant 2-hit shutout and Williamsport put together an ideal performance entering the championship.

The Millionaires are receiving strong contributions up and down the lineup and off the bench as well. Cali Shields, Kaylee Hornberger and Katie Meale all produced multi-hit games and all nine starters have had at least one multi-hit game during this five-game run.

Learning from those previous defeats has Williamsport right where it wants to be. Hazleton has ended the Millionaires’ season in each of the past four seasons. Williamsport hopes now it has learned from those losses as well. It certainly could not ask for a much better way to enter the championship.

“We didn’t play poorly,” said Bower. “We played good softball and after that (5-7 start) we knocked off Shikellamy, St. Mary’s Loyalsock and Jersey Shore. We’re just doing what we have to do to peak at the right time.”

NO STRANGER: When North Penn-Liberty second baseman Emily Strange dug in a 2-2 sixth-inning District 4 Class AAA semifinals, her insides were a mess. Strange admittedly was nervous as Liberty had the tying runner on second base with a shot to earn its first ever championship and state tournament berths.

Her teammates were not.

They know what Strange can do and the senior second basemen promptly delivered the hit of her life. Strange slammed a go-ahead RBI double into the left-center gap and scored a batter later on Lauren Smith’s RBI single. Liberty (17-4) took a two-run lead and held on, beating rival Wellsboro 4-2, breaking the program record for wins and earning a spot in Thursday’s championship against Mifflinburg.

“She’s hit great all season,” shortstop Brooke Harvey said. “She just came through extra big (Saturday).”

Strange is one of only three Liberty seniors, joining Smith and catcher Jillian Berguson. All have been crucial to the program’s resurgence. The Mounties went 14 years between playoff berths before breaking through in 2015. All three played strong games against Wellsboro and Strange, who scored three runs in a 14-9 quarterfinal win over Loyalsock, delivered the way her teammates thought she would.

“It was great to see Emily get that hit,” pitcher Savanah Doney said. “She works hard and I’m so happy for her.”

BACK AGAIN: Milton blanked Athens, 2-0 in Friday’s District 4 Class AAAA semifinals and reached its third straight championship. The Black Panthers have had a remarkable run since 2006 and will play in the final for the 11th time in 12 years when they play Shikellamy Wednesday. Milton (18-1) won last year’s Class AA championship and takes a 15-game winning streak into the final.

Milton defeated Shikellamy, 5-2 a few weeks ago but the Braves (13-8) have peaked at the perfect time and blanked Shamokin, 10-0 in the other semifinal.

“Any time you play someone a second time and they’ve seen you and they can adjust,” Milton coach Bill Keefer said. “You just come out and play the best you can and the team that plays the best wins.”

Kylie Brouse threw a 3-hit shutout against Athens and struck out 13. Leighton Chappell and Chloe Perrin both hit two-out RBI singles and Taylor Wolfe and Taylor Gessner both doubled. Those players will be competing in their third straight final and the feeling never gets old.

Milton is a senior-laden team and it is experiences like these that they cherish and remember so much.

“This is my senior year and my last time that I will be on this field playing with these girls,” Brouse said. “I can’t wait.”

AROUND THE AREA: Wellsboro pitcher Alyssa Yungwirth broke the program-record for single-season hits and hit a crucial 2-run home run in a 4-0 Class AAA quarterfinal win against Bloomsburg. Yungwirth also struck out 14 and threw a 3-hit shutout, finishing the season with 16 wins and 178 strikeouts. Wellsboro (18-4) nearly reached a third straight district final and returns its entire team next spring … Bucktail won its first-ever playoff game in its postseason debut, downing St. John Neumann, 7-1. The Bucks lost to Northeast Bradford in the semifinals but started five freshmen this season and it looks like 2017 might just be the start. Freshman Myka Poorman threw a 3-hitter against Neumann and fellow freshman Emily Cross went 2 for 4 with three RBIs … Like so many area teams, Warrior Run was young this season but performed mighty well. The Defenders had only two seniors, but went 16-6 and reached the Class AAA semifinals. Warrior Run won a thrilling 8-7 quarterfinal over Central Columbia, overcoming three three-run deficits and winning on Megan Zimmerman’s walk-off single.

Dr. Masse’s Top Five: 1. Milton (18-1); 2. NP-Liberty (17-4); 3. South Williamsport (15-2); 4. Williamsport (10-7); 5. Muncy (18-3)

Players of the Week–Savanah Doney and Brooke Harvey, Liberty: Both sophomores are having big seasons and Doney won both playoff games in the circle, throwing a six-hitter against Wellsboro. She also went 6 for 7, hitting three doubles, driving in three runs and scoring twice. Harvey played excellent defense at shortstop and had four hits. Harvey went 3 for 5 against Loyalsock, dropped a perfect RBI bunt single against Wellsboro and made a sensational catch, fielding the ball from the ground in shallow left field.

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