Pennsbury saw its dream of returning to the state title game come to an end in Tuesday’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinal round.
By RICK FORTENBAUGH
CARLISLE - For the Pennsbury High School softball team, expectations annually run so high anything short of a state championship is invariably viewed as a disappointment.
Such was most definitely again the case Tuesday when the Falcons (21-5) lost to Canon-McMillan, 3-1, in the semifinals of the PIAA Class AAAA state tournament.
Sure, Pennsbury finished with a record of 21-5 and advanced to a second straight state semifinal after coming up just short in the championship game against Hatboro-Horsham two years ago. But with six senior Division 1 scholarship players on this year's team and one of the richest softball traditions in the entire state, somehow this was mission unaccomplished.
In fact, you could say it reminds of the recent television commercial in which the little girl says: "More, we want more.''
"These girls have a lot to be proud of,'' said veteran Pennsbury coach Frank McSherry following Tuesday’s loss at the Carlisle High School field. "These seniors won 66 games in the last three years. There are 160 Quad A teams in the state. Of those teams, 158 would like to be in our position.''
From the get go it became apparent this might not be Pennsbury's day when Canon-Mac (24-1) opened the scoring in the top of the first with an RBI double off the bat of clean-up hitter Abby McCartney. The double was a bloop over second that probably should have been caught.
The bottom of the first was even more frustrating for Pennsbury as it loaded the bases with no outs on a single by Christina Bascara, an error and bunt single by Mackenzie Obert, only to come up empty on two pop-ups and a grounder to shortstop.
Through three innings Pennsbury left five runners on base against senior right Alyana Astuto. The Falcons also had a base runner picked off first with another runner on second in the third inning. For its part, Canon-McMillan nearly got a second run in the fourth when a ball was misplayed in the outfield, but rightfielder Farryl Groder was then able to gun down a runner at the plate with a perfect throw on a fly ball off the bat of McCartney for a huge doubleplay.
Pennsbury finally got on the board in a fourth inning that started with a single by Suzanne Swanicke, a sac by Taylor Boltesdorf and an infield single by Farryl Groder. After an out on a hard grounder to first by Michelle George, standout Christina Bascara got the run home with a hard shot to shortstop. Cannon McMillan’s Linda Rush was able to knock down the ball, but her throw to first was low and Bascara was safe.
Although the game was now tied, even this inning ended with frustration after Jess Greenewald slapped a ball to third and appeared to beat the throw to first to drive in what have been the go-ahead run. The umpire, however, saw things differently and called the speedy Greenewald out. Pennsbury never threatened again as Astuto retired the last nine batters of the game to limit Pennsbury to six hits.
“The umpire missed that call, but we also missed our scoring opportunities,'' said McSherry, whose teams once won an amazing 38 straight games and eight titles in a row in district play. "You can't do that in a game like this.''
Pennsbury's Val Buehler threw well but was unable to hold off Canon-McMillan in the decisive sixth inning. After a single by Rush, McCartney lofted a foul ball that was nearly caught by a diving Boltersdorf in left field. On the very next pitch McCartney – a first team all-state selection last year as a freshman - crushed a towering two-run home run to center field to give Canon-Mac a commanding two-run lead.
"When I felt it go off my bat, I knew it was gone,'' said McCartney, a talented sophomore who has five home runs on the year. "It's very exciting. This is the first time our school has made it to the state final.''
Pennsbury has been to six state finals and won five, but none of that matters to a group of players who were clearly devastated they will not be in State College Friday playing for the title.
Cannon McMillan (24-1) 100 002 0 - 3 9 2
Pennsbury (21-5) 000 100 0 - 1 6 1
WP-Astuto. LP-Buehler. 2B-McCartney (CM). HR-McCartney. RBIs: CM-McCartney 3.
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