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Williamsport softball rallies to defeat Central Mountain 8-6

By GARRETT CARR 5 min read

Even down late, Williamsport softball coach Scott Stugart knew that if the Millionaires kept hitting the ball as hard as they had the first four innings, hits were going to start finding green grass instead of Central Mountain gloves. That's exactly what happened.

Williamsport put up a multiple runs in both the fifth and sixth innings en route to an 8-6 come-from-behind win on Millionaire Mountain on Tuesday.

The victory was the third comeback victory in three games this season for Williamsport.

"It's been our trademark so far this year," Stuttgart said. "To see them continue to fight and to not give up and believe in themselves, that's all you can ask for as a coach."

Central Mountain's bats were equally as loud as those belonging to the Millionaires on Wednesday. The third inning was especially thunderous as four consecutive hits for extra bases by Aubrey Eiler, Kristyn Watson, Camdyn Weaver and Aubrey Miller put Central Mountain up, 3-0.

The Millionaires cut into the lead with a run in the fourth when Ashlyn Robinson singled home Brenna Beck. But, the Wildcats quickly answered with two of their own in the top of fifth as Eiler (4 for 4) had one of her three extra base hits to drive home a run.

Just like Central Mountain did in the third inning, it was Williamsport's turn to string some hits together. After the Wildcats retired the first batter of the inning, the Millionaires got the rally going. Emma Vollman singled, and Kingsley Cannode doubled to drive Vollman in.

"I've been working a lot with Todd to make sure I'm staying positive and attacking the pitches that are for me. That's helped a lot, just making sure I'm hunting for my pitch. And that's what I did,"

Then, after Beck singled, Robinson slammed a double to deep centerfield that scored two. The hit was her 100th career hit.

"I'm a very big team player, so I was looking more at what was going to get my teammates in to get some runs on the board," Robinson said. "It was a very good accomplishment for me."

Williamsport was unable to get her in to score from third base with one out, but got right back to scoring in the sixth inning after Robinson and her defense put up a zero in the top-half of the inning.

Emma Vollman tied the game with a fielder's choice, and Beck walked to bring in a run. Robinson added another on a fielder's choice groundout of her own, and a double by Zaelana Minor gave them an 8-5 lead.

Robinson had to battle in the circle against a potent Central Mountain lineup all day. She saved her best work for last, allowing just one baserunner in the final two innings, as Eiler's home run in the seventh was the only Wildcat batter she didn't retire in the final two innings as Williamsport hung on to win, 8-6.

"I give credit to their top four. All the way through their top four, they all had pretty good power hitters at the beginning of that lineup, so I had to slowly kind of move out to where they weren't going to be able to reach it. And I noticed they kept jumping on my fastball a little bit more than all my spin pitches, so I gave them more spin pitches as well," Robinson said.

After making an error on the first pitch of the game, the Millionaires played error-free defense the rest of the way, which was key against a lineup as potent as Central Mountain's.

Through three games, Williamsport remains undefeated despite playing three traditional powers in Loyalsock, Mifflin County, and Central Mountain. The schedule doesn't get any easier the rest of the way, but they know that they are battle-tested so far.

"If you look at our schedule, it's tough throughout, there are almost no easy games. We like to start off with quality opponents, because what's the use of feeling good about yourself if you're just getting blowout wins? I'd rather face strong competition right away to raise our level faster. They've done that well, right out of the gate. We're really pleased so far. We still have things to clean up and work on, like any team does early in the season, but we're happy with how they've competed, battled, and not given up," Stugart said.

Williamsport 8, Central Mountain 6

C. Mountain 003 020 1 - 6 10 0

Williamsport 000 134 X - 8 10 1

Camdyn Weaver and Mallory Wunder. Ashlyn Robinson and Payton Pennycoff. W - Robinson. L - Weaver.

Top Central Mountain hitters: Aubrey Eiler 4-4, HR, 2 RBIs, RBI, 3 runs; Cirstyn Watson 2-4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Camdyn Weaver 1-3, 3B, 2 RBIs, run; Aubrey miller 1-3, 2B, RBI. Top Williamsport hitters: Brenna Beck 2-3, 3B, RBI, 3 runs; Ashlyn Robinson 2-4, 2B, 3 RBIs; Emma Vollman 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 runs; Zaelana Minor 2-4, 2B, RBI; Kinsley Cannode 1-2, 2B, RBI, run.

Records: Central Mountain 0-1 (0-1 Heartland-I); Williamsport 3-0 (1-0 Heartland-I).

Starting at /week.