Against one of the best pitchers in the state in Bald Eagle’s Sierra Albright, the Williamsport softball team managed to get her off balance early and sound defensive play did the rest. Three hits – including a triple and double, three walks and a hit batter culminated in a seven-run second inning that gave the Millionaires an early 7-0 lead.

Bailey Livermore contributed two of those hits to complement a strong pitching performance, Ashlyn Robinson cleared the bases with a triple and their defense hindered the Eagles’ rally attempt from there, as it defeated the returning Class AA semifinalists, 7-4, at Millionaire Mountain on Saturday.

The win capped a tough week for Williamsport on a high note, as it shook off its previous 1-3 span with a win against a great team. The team’s still trying to reestablish its identity after a 3-0 start, and a victory like that is a large step towards that goal.

“I think we worked really well as a team today and that’s something that we struggled with a lot for a little bit there,” said Livermore on the win.

“What a test we’ve had today. One of the best teams in the states, no matter what class and they have an outstanding pitcher. We had six hits against a pitcher like that, and they were timely hits. It just kind of all came together,” said Williamsport head coach Scott Stugart on the win. “It was an excellent win. It really was.”

For Bald Eagle Area (5-2), falling to a strong Class 6A team wasn’t something that fazed it too much, especially considering how well it responded to a rough start. It flexed its experience and composure through the last five innings and while it didn’t result in a comeback, it was assuring at this point in the season.

“It’s a tough loss but a good loss. That’s a 6A school, so it’s a good challenge for where we are at this time of the year. We had one bad inning and that happens to the best of the best,” said Bald Eagle head coach Donald Lucas. “This is a veteran team, and we’ve got a long ways to go. We’ll be okay.”

After a scoreless first stanza, Williamsport’s second-inning rally got started from the jump, as Livermore fired a fly ball over BEA leftfielder Alexa Baney’s head for a leadoff double. A throwing error would allow the Millionaires to get two on and though Albright would strike out the ensuing batter, the onslaught carried forward, as a hit batter loaded the bases and three walks netted Williamsport the same number of runs.

Albright would punch out the next batter and get the ensuing count to 1-2. But on her fourth swing of the at-bat, Robinson found paydirt, hitting the rightfield wall to log a 3-RBI triple. From there, Livermore would bat Robinson in with a single to left before Albright halted the damage with her third strikeout of the inning.

“It felt good to start off and end the inning with a hit, really just get everybody up and cheering. Just really get the energy up in the dugout and went on from there,” said Livermore on the inning.

Despite the 41-pitch inning, Albright went on to pitch the rest of the game, showing poise amidst her toughest game by far.

The senior ace closed it out logging four of her five scoreless innings on the day, shaking off a third that saw Port get two on, never facing more than four batter through the next three and retiring the side in the sixth. Through an outing that saw her pitch 132 times and face 31 batters, Albright finished with 13 strikeouts to five issued walks, six hits and two earned runs.

“Just had to find that strike zone, that’s about it,” said Albright on finishing strong. “I got a rosin bag the next inning too, so that was also helpful.”

With Albright and the Eagle field hindering Williamsport’s scoring, the bats did a decent job covering ground.

In the third inning, designated hitter Casey Angelloti attributed a walk on a full count, Kailey Eckert (2-for-4, 2 runs) notched a single on a tear drop to left and both got home on the ensuing at-bats, the former on a fielder’s choice and the latter on a double from Sydney Thompson (3-for-4, 2 RBIs).

An RBI from Raelee Reposkey in the fifth got the Eagles within four and they’d make things interesting in the seventh, attributing three hits, narrowing the gap to three and putting the tying run on the plate with runners on first and second. But Williamsport third baseman Emma Vollman ran a routine groundout to first to perfection, and the game was over.

“I knew that my fielders had my back if I needed them, and I couldn’t have done it without everybody,” said Livermore, who completed a well-pitched win with five strikeouts to three walks. “We got the hits that we needed.”

“You never feel safe with that batting lineup,” said Stugart on staying focused late. “We were trying to avoid the big inning, and they played smart. They could’ve taken some risks but they were smart enough to let those go and get the outs, understand that finishing the game was what was important.”

With the win, the Millionaires head into next week with reestablished confidence, and will look to carry that into a tough three-game slate. That slate begins with a tough test against Tunkhannock (8-1) on Monday, the No. 5 ranked team in the state.

“We were having a little bit of a rough patch, but we came back,” said Livermore. “This definitely means a lot for us and everyone’s confidence.”

For Bald Eagle (5-2), the loss stung but they were proud of their closing effort. They’ll look to carry that momentum into a tough, three-game road slate next week, starting at Central Cambria (5-2) on Monday.

“I was really impressed with my team for coming back after I had a bad inning, doing the best they could to put runs on the board and back me up,” said Albright.

“I think we stayed positive the whole time. We were very upbeat, not happy but ready to win and have hope,” emphasized Thompson. “Just put it in the past. That’s all we’ve gotta do. We’re a good team.”

Williamsport 7, Bald Eagle Area 4

BEA 002 010 1 – 4 8 1

PORT 070 000 X – 4 6 1

Sierra Albright and Kailey Eckert. Bailey Livermore and Emily McAnelly. W – Livermore. L – Albright.

Top Bald Eagle hitters: Sydney Thompson 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Kailey Eckert 2-4, 2 runs; Addie Burners 1-4, RBI, run; Maelee Yoder 1-4, 2B; Raelee Repasky 1-4, RBI. Top Williamsport hitters: Ashlyn Robinson 2-4, 3B, 3 RBIs, run; Bailey Livermore 2-3, 2B, RBI; Zaelana Minor 2-3; Emma Vollman, Kinsley Cannode, Chelsey Harrison RBI, run.

Records: Bald Eagle Area 5-2 (4-1 Laurel Highlands-I); Williamsport 5-3 (3-1 Heartland-I).