TMC to face Indiana again in the finals, hope to continue picture-perfect season
The Titusville/Mid-East/Cochranton Junior League all-stars are sure getting their money's worth out of the Pennsylvania State Championships. Regulation can't hold them. They have reached the championship finals in the double-elimination bracket after two consecutive extra inning victories.
On Tuesday they took a very talented Indiana team to eight innings before they won 8-6 and stopping a bottom of the inning comeback. (See that story here www.8and322.com/eight--27/holy-cow-what-a-start-for-tmc).
The following night they squeaked out a ninth inning walk-off victory over Corry 5-4.
This puts TMC in the driver's seat as they now prepare Indiana who defeated Springfield 15-0 and Corry 8-1 on Wednesday. They square off today at 5 p.m. TMC has a little cushion since Indiana must beat them twice for the championship.
On Tuesday they took a very talented Indiana team to eight innings before they won 8-6 and stopping a bottom of the inning comeback. (See that story here www.8and322.com/eight--27/holy-cow-what-a-start-for-tmc).
The following night they squeaked out a ninth inning walk-off victory over Corry 5-4.
This puts TMC in the driver's seat as they now prepare Indiana who defeated Springfield 15-0 and Corry 8-1 on Wednesday. They square off today at 5 p.m. TMC has a little cushion since Indiana must beat them twice for the championship.
TMC's run has been impressive. Mary Herman's pitching has been outstanding in relief. Her ability to double down under pressure. "Mary's a special kid. She has worked hard over the years and has really built her game up to where nothing really phases her on that mound," Head coach Matt Crocker said.
He called on her early in the Indiana game when it looked like TMC wasn't going to stop the Indiana freight train that earlier in the day beat Danville 20-0. But Herman took it the rest of the way through eight innings getting out of jams and only giving up one run. "She just keeps trusting her stuff and as a credit to her, she trusts the defense behind her."
This trust lets her know she can utilize her different pitches with confidence. "She has great speed, really good off-speed pitches," he said noting that the movement and changing rhythm of pitches makes her that much harder to hit. "She definitely has ice in her veins, she's doing a great job for us .
He called on her early in the Indiana game when it looked like TMC wasn't going to stop the Indiana freight train that earlier in the day beat Danville 20-0. But Herman took it the rest of the way through eight innings getting out of jams and only giving up one run. "She just keeps trusting her stuff and as a credit to her, she trusts the defense behind her."
This trust lets her know she can utilize her different pitches with confidence. "She has great speed, really good off-speed pitches," he said noting that the movement and changing rhythm of pitches makes her that much harder to hit. "She definitely has ice in her veins, she's doing a great job for us .
On Wednesday, she was called upon again after Corry scored a run in the seventh inning and still had two runners on base with no outs. She quickly recorded an out, but the next batter hit what normally would've been a routine play ended in an infield error scoring a run. After striking out the next batter and infield hit resulted in a tie game, but Herman's ice water veins again shut down the rally with the game tied.
TMC wasn't able to make anything happen in the bottom of the seventh sending the game to extra innings.
TMC wasn't able to make anything happen in the bottom of the seventh sending the game to extra innings.
Corry again got a runner in scoring position, but between Herman's pitching and some good behind the plate work by catcher Payton Phillips to stop some wild pitches, they left a runner stranded at third.
| Again TMC couldn't get anything happening in the bottom of the eighth. Little rules for extra innings starts the ninth off with a runner at second. A muffed bunt resulted in two runners on and they both ended in scoring position. Herman again buckled down and struck out the next two batters and the final out was recorded on a ground ball to second where Kylie Crocker, an absolute vacuum second baseman, rounded it up and tossed to Sam Bernoski at first to end the scoring threat. Crocker basically set up an unpentratable wall between first and second all game all game. One inning recording all three outs agains Corry. "I taught her a long time ago that the ball has strings on it and wherever that ball goes it pulls you in that direction," her dad/coach said. "I'm awful proud of her, obviously I have a little extra with that one as her dad. I'm proud of all these girls." In the bottom of the ninth TMC also started with a runner at second. They got another runner on when Kylie Crocker drew a walk. Kennedy Baker laid down a decent bunt but a heads up play by the Corry pitcher recorded a force out at third. With only one out they still had two runners on. |   |
Sam Bernoski steps up and drills a grounder up the middle. Coach Crocker on third base gave player Crocker the old windmill sign sending her home knowing it was going to be a close play. Kylie Crocker slid in just before the tag to win the nine inning game and send them into the finals.
"After those two games you know, I think they need a little break," Coach Crocker said about the practice schedule the next day. He said they had hoped to take a trip to watch the Titusville Majors play their first game of the Pennsylvania state championships in that bracket.
Titusville softball still has three teams still alive in post-season. The Majors team dropped the first round in a 1-0 pitchers dual but are playing in the losers bracket today. The 8-10 year old minors squad begins their section tournament Saturday in Union City. They are hoping to become the third area team to advance to the state championships.
Titusville softball still has three teams still alive in post-season. The Majors team dropped the first round in a 1-0 pitchers dual but are playing in the losers bracket today. The 8-10 year old minors squad begins their section tournament Saturday in Union City. They are hoping to become the third area team to advance to the state championships.
Nora Lesko pitched six solid innings only giving up one run Wednesday. TMC has five very good pitchers according to coach Crocker. We've got Mary (Herman) who comes in big. We've got Abby (Mawhinney) does a great job. Nora did a great job tonight keeping Corry off balance. And we still have Karmyn Reese and Kylie Crocker who we haven't really gotten a chance to pitch much because they are essential to us (at shortstop and second base). They are our rocks in the middle infield."
That infield defense is key. They make few mistakes mentally or physically. "We really have two shortstops up the middle and that's huge. Karmyn is just fantastic at short and has been making great plays for us. I just feel really good with those two in those positions.
"I'm a big believer that wins are a product of preparation and living each moment. If you start thinking about a win, it's the fursthest thing in front of you, so if you stay in the moment and trust your skill, trust the work you've put in all these years and trust those skills are going to come through when you need them. Good things happen if you just stay in the moment."
The championship game is set to begin at 5 p.m. today at the American Legion ball field in Union City. The if necessary game will follow at 7 p.m.
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