Through heartbreaking, historic defeat, CM softball seniors left a legacy
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Many Central Mountain fans packed Mount Aloysius College for its first-ever state semifinal appearance in the school's history on Monday afternoon. And after the Wildcats dropped a stinging, 9-8 loss that ultimately ended its season--after the tears welled up and the realization of summer set in--parents met players with posters that were made ahead of the game to support them.
Through the pain of missing the program's first state championship game appearance, players shared smiles and laughs, and it was all part of a special moment the Wildcats won't get back. The picture-taking defined a special moment. It was not only history for this year's team that they will hang on to forever, but the Wildcats left a legacy on the field that won't be forgotten for years to come.
Maybe not until another team of up-and-coming young softball players break these historical records. Either way, it was the end of an era for Wildcat seniors, a group of girls that stuck together throughout their high school days. They left their mark on the returning players, the current JV players making the jump to varsity next year and the youth that are in junior high, striving to one day walk in these seniors' shoes.
Central Mountain seniors, Madison Hardy, Harley Kunes, Madisyn Wian, Sophie Mitchell, Adalynn McKeague, Haleigh Peters, Mallori Etters and Taylor Renninger all played a part in not only learning during their four years, but developing this program.
Between helping out at youth camps and portraying a year-round work ethic of improving on an annual basis, the seniors set a foundation for the results that showed and for what is to possibly come.
"Part of their legacy is teaching the younger players that are coming up through the system," coach Caldwell said. "And they've set great examples. Some of them still work with younger teams and help out and stuff. That's the legacy, continuing the tradition, just passing it on to the next generation."
In a 15-win season their freshman year, the current group of seniors had to grind their way to meaningful batting and field time as the group didn't have a significant impact on the team yet. That wasn't until sophomore year two years ago when the Wildcats won a program-record 22 games that season, including grappling with a loss to Armstrong in the PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal round, and that season of growth between freshman and sophomore seasons was a sign of upward positive trend.
Hardy was second on the team in home runs that year (5), Mitchell and Wian had five and four stolen bases, respectively, Kunes was third on the team in on-base percentage (.458). Mitchell also led the team in home runs ahead of Hardy. Mitchell also led the team in RBIs (25), Hardy was second (22) and Kunes third (20).
McKeague made tremendous growth in the circle from her freshman season as well. She worked in tandem with then-sophomore Allison Lininger, who started 10 games and pitched 40 innings. Interestingly enough, McKeague was essentially thrown in the mix, having to learn and grow on the fly quickly.
She worked tirelessly throughout her career, more often than people think, and it paid off. She threw 96 strikeouts in 74 innings pitched her first year as the majority starter as a sophomore and quickly jumped to 155 strikeouts in 107 innings pitched.
By their junior year, after Central Mountain rolled to its second consecutive District 6 Class 5A title with the defeat of Hollidaysburg, 7-1, Central Mountain won five consecutive games. When it appeared everything was smooth sailing, the Wildcats were stumped in its opening round game of states with a 2-1 loss to Shaler Area in a nailbiter.
That year was highlighted by Peter's team-high three stolen bases, Hardy's eight home runs and Bowman, Hardy and Wian all leading the team in batting average, OBP in different orders, hits and runs in different orders of the top three, respectively.
All of those stats, incorporated with hard work and the daily grind of helping Central Mountain make a deep run, culminated in Monday's loss. The one-run loss was no doubt a heartbreaker and a stunner. Central Mountain had a six-run lead after two complete innings and looked like a runaway freight train headed to its first state championship game.
Thomas Jefferson and its powerful hitters continued chipping away at the lead in the third through sixth innings. And under combined circumstances of a difficult strike zone to find for McKeague and hitting at a minimum, the Wildcats simply ran into a wall with nowhere to go.
On the bright side is Central Mountain's six-run, six-hit inning where the Wildcats batted through the lineup. It showed poise and strength as Hardy doubled to deep right field and freshman Camdyn Weaver hit a two-out RBI-double and Taylor Doyle kept the flurry going with an RBI single before Cirstyn Watson's single.
Then came Wian and Hardy's back-to-back homers, the two consecutive something Central Mountain hadn't seen except in these state playoffs. Wian's three-run shot was the first of her career and Kunes's solo was her second straight. In three of Central Mountain's last four games, it had at least 10 or more hits, and 11 of its 22 games had double-digit hits.
Central Mountain consistently improved in various ways to get the program to where it is now. And it's now the job of the rising seniors, juniors and sophomores to play their roles.
"We talk about records being made to be broken. A couple of years ago (in 2022) we went over 20 games (and) we made it further than any Central Mountain team has. Someday that record will be broken but they set the bar really high the last few years. Those records will fall, but it's going to take some effort on somebody's part," coach Caldwell said.
That effort is now in the hands of the 'younger' players who helped make an impact on this season's historical run. If anything, the winning effect at Central Mountain should snowball. While McKeague and nine other seniors depart, the Wildcats have the core to return where it's leaving off and hopefully take the next leap forward.
Behind strong returning hitters, Weaver will be one to keep an eye on. She's a strong pitcher but unlocked her batting capabilities in the playoffs enough for coach Caldwell to put her in the lineup. In Monday afternoon's loss, the freshman made her 14th appearance and second in the playoffs.
Weaver posted a 3-2 record in the circle this season and pitched two complete games behind McKeague. She tossed 20 strikeouts in 40 innings of work and was put in during some of the toughest of games, like when the Wildcats were shutout on the road against crosstown rival Jersey Shore.
Against Thomas Jefferson, she finished the bottom of the sixth inning with just one out to go in five pitches. The Jaguars had three hits in the inning prior to her relief work, so for her to step in and make plays shows true poise for a young star.
That experience for Weaver will exert her confidence heading into next season. And with the team putting weight on her shoulders, she will have to decide if she, like McKeague did, will put the Wildcats on her back. Not to mention her back-to-back home runs in the first and quarterfinal rounds of states.
"We're trying to give her experience because Addy won't be here next year and Cam (Weaver) will be the pitcher," coach Caldwell said. "We've tried to give her experience in tough, important games and I think it will help for the future because she won't be shell-shocked when she steps in."
Watson, a rising junior who was incorporated as the lead-off hitter mid-season, is now a junior who coach Caldwell can put faith and trust in to get the bats going.
She was second on the team in runs and had five doubles. Cora Myers, now a senior, was the designated hitter that led the team in RBIs (28) and home runs (9). Taylor Doyle, the energized right fielder, will play a critical role in being a versatile utility-like player who can hit but also lay down bunts to get on base.
Her sister Ava, who had a season-ending injury, will pick up a lot of slack for the Wildcat core that leaves. Bowman, who had a stellar sophomore season, is poised for a strong senior season.
There's quite some time until a new season rolls around but the Wildcats will be working to get back to this stage, and then some. It will take valued work and effort but the talent and experience is there.
Although it was unfamiliar territory coming in, the seniors paved the way for this moment. It may have involved some tears and sorrow along the way but the seniors are paying it forward. They just have to hope the ones coming up will reap the benefits.