WARMINSTER, PA- In a close 10th inning victory, it was Cardinal O'Hara that walked away with the win to secure the PCL's #1 seed, producing the best softball season in Lions’ history.
It was a game of pitching, defense, and missed opportunities Thursday that led to a historic victory for O'Hara (14-2, 11-1), and a stress-producer for host Archbishop Wood.
Game Recap:
Inning 1: Both pitchers were still finding their groove, as both pitchers gave up one run apiece to make it a tie ballgame going into the second.
Inning 2: No runs, both pitchers strand a runner, O'Hara pitcher Mary Pat Brough records two strikeouts.
Inning 3: No runs, Brough sets them down in order.
Inning 4: No runs, Brough gets another 1, 2, 3 inning.
ARCHBISHOP WOOD vs. CARDINAL O'HARA
Inning 5: No runs, Wood pitcher Marissa Browne gets her first 1, 2, 3 inning, errors and hits load bases for Wood but Brough gets out of the inning unscathed.
Inning 6: No runs, no hits, no errors, Brough records two strikeouts.
Inning 7 (Last inning of regulation): No runs, no hits, no errors.
Inning 8: No runs, no hits, no errors.
Inning 9: No runs, Brough gives up three hits including a drag bunt but gets out of it to keep the game alive.
Cardinal O' Hara pitcher Mary Pat Brough talks about this record-setting year and joined by a very proud coach.
Inning 10: A stipulation in the rules states that when a game reaches the 10th inning, a runner will begin each half inning at 2nd base. O'Hara's Izzy Mirarchi hits a clutch lead-off double, bringing home Grace Hussey, breaking the tie.
An error and an RBI groundout increase O'Hara's lead to 4-1.
Brough gets a pop out and a double play to record the win.
This game marked Brough’s 100th inning of pitching for the Lions.
"The goal this season was to bring a 'plate' to Cardinal O'Hara High School," said O'Hara assistant head coach Bob Adams.
"First, the Catholic League Title, then start with District 12, and then work our way to the states."
"This is a successful season right now, it's the best in the history of the school, right now. Our goal, from the first day of practice, was the plate, the district, and the 'big ball' out in Hershey,” said Adams.
But Archbishop Wood's story is not over yet:
"We can still clinch the number two seed on Monday with a win," said Archbishop Wood head coach Kevin Rosini
"In the playoffs, it’s the mindset that we've had probably for the last two-three weeks; get a couple runs, let our pitching and our defense do the rest... we've been counting on our pitching and defense all season,” said Rosini.
“Today, their pitching was just as good, we didn't execute. Defensively we didn't execute in the first inning and we didn't execute in the tenth inning. Offensively, we didn't get a big hit when we needed it."
Wood also maintains a hopeful outlook going into their final league game of the season before the playoffs.
"We've won nine league games in a row, we've been playing our tails off for the last four weeks, it happens. That's a good team we lost to today, but we'll bounce back and be ready for Monday," said Rosini.
Archbishop Wood will play Archbishop Ryan Monday at Ryan.