Tornado warning: A D1 title and then the heavens opened up

They play like tornados, and that resulted in a District 1 championship last week. Carrying the banner around the field meant they were headed into the four team sectional tournament.

When District 3 pulled out, it sent the league scrambling to reset the bracket. Titusville, who was to play District 3, the drew  Corry while St. Mary's drew the first round bye. The tournament was schedule July 12 to 15 in Brookville.

If the rain chills out, they should have a champion by the weekend.

In the opening round game, already delayed and hour due to weather and a bit of a grounds crew tactical error trying speed up getting the field ready, Corry was up to bat in the top of the third with the score tie at 2-2. They had a runner on first and no outs. Pitches to the second batter of the inning were cut short when the umpires stopped play and sent players and fans to seek shelter as the heavens just opened. Folks started looking around for the Ark it was raining so hard.

Photo of team champions provided by Stephanie Field who spends hours taking photos of Titusville youth sports. Thank you!
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With everyone either in their cars or huddled around under the concession stand pavilion, cell phones began to clamor away. "Tornado warning" one of the youngster in the crowd hollered out. Suddenly everyone's face was glowing from the red weather service radar maps on their phones. The rain was now coming in sideways and several of the players were visibly scared. But no tornado was seen or felt, though the cold rain flooding everything, including the ground under the pavilion.

Earlier a similar outburst from Mother Nature and a bit of a grounds crew tactical error, the game was delayed about an hour.

Prior to that there was the makingings of a classic punch - counterpunch ball game.

District 1 champ, Corry got things started when the tiny, but speedy DePaul twins owned the base pads. Gracie started drawing the walk. Sophie then put down a very fine bunt that she beat out and her sister never hesitated as she rounded second and getting to third. Despite Titusville's starting pitcher Harper Wolfkiel striking put the next three batters, the DePaul girls were smart and aggressive runners and scored on bobbled or passed balls.

The top of Titusville's line up Hannah Ringer turned a single into stand on third base. Two batters later Laila Greenhouse knocked her in. Corry's pitcher, Sophie DePaul did a nice job not getting rattled and got out of the inning with a one run lead.

Wolfkiel on the mound for Titusville also seemed to settle down and after giving up a walk proceeded to strike out the next three batters.

​In two innings she had six strikeouts.

When Titusville came up to bat the skies began looking pretty dark but it appeared as though it was going around the Brookville fields.

Kylie Yocum led off a scurried one out into the infield and then beat out the throw, which was also off its mark and made it to the foul territory fence when, for some reason, the Corry players didn't know who should get the ball back to the pitcher.

Yocum alertly made it to second and after hesitating a little dashed to third. When she got to third virtually every one on Titusville's side of the fence telling her to keep going which she did and scored an error riddle inside the park, inside the infield, home run to tie the balled at two-a-piece.

​And that would be all she wrote for scoring until they meet back up again today at 4 p.m. if the weather cooperates. The winner will then take on St. Mary's at 6 p.m.

Prior to Wednesday's monsoon, Titusville reached the District 25 championship game with wins over Mid-East (9-4), Meadville-Vernon (16-1), and Cambridge Springs/Saegertown (7-3).

​Mid-East then fought back to face them again, this time in the finals. Mid-East pulled off the season saving 11-9 win to force the if necessary game, but Titusville was ready and handled M-E 11-4 to claim the title. 

Titusville’s top of the order, Hannah Ringer, Capri Warner and Laila Greathouse, were lights out in the title game, each scoring in their first three at bats. Cleanup batter Harper Wolfkiel also scored once and drove in three. Mary Lesko also scored once and drove in four runs.

"I’m pretty confident with the top of our line up,” said head coach Shawn Beers Wednesday night standing under a shelter watching the rain. “It’s a shame we couldn’t get (the game) in, we were coming back to the top of the line up and I think they were ready to put the bat on the ball and make something happen.”
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But now they are going to have to wait. 

"“I can’t say when we started all this that I had expectations that we were going to go as far as we have,” Beers said.  “You never know. We’ve had some success in travel ball level and a lot of our team is our Lightning travel ball team.” 

As for how far he thinks they can go he says it’s about coming out to play. “We know we have a good team, so we’ll see. It’s exciting. Its the first time a Titusville team has won the district championship since 2013  and even then it was a combined team with Mid-East. So this time it is truly just Titusville - so that is something to be proud of, something for the girls to be proud of. These girls have worked really hard and they deserve everything.``

Including, hopefully, a dry field to play on.