Burrell comes up short in pitchers’ duel in 1st round of PIAA softball playoffs

By: Michael Love
Monday, June 5, 2023 | 7:56 PM

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MIFFLINTOWN — With Fordham-bound junior Liz Gaisior in the circle for Juniata and senior Katie Armstrong, a Gannon commit, throwing for Burrell, an old-fashioned pitchers’ duel was expected Monday in a PIAA Class 3A first-round game at Juniata High School in Mifflintown.

That is what came about over the seven innings between the Indians and Bucs.

Gaisior and Armstrong combined for 29 strikeouts and surrendered four hits.

But an unearned run in the fifth was the difference for homestanding Juniata in a 1-0 victory.

“There were two very good pitchers going today,” Burrell coach Rick Nealer said. “That’s what we expected. (Juniata) made a few more plays. You expect close, low-scoring games in the state playoffs.”

Gaisior came close to finishing off a no-hitter after she struck out Armstrong and sophomore Brae Jones to start the top of the seventh.

But sophomore shortstop Pyper Ferres came up and laced a double to the right-center gap to break up Gaisior’s no-hit bid.

The ball made it all the way to the fence, and as the Juniata outfielders relayed the ball to the infield, Ferres took off for third. She reached safely when Indians third baseman Savannah Marshall wasn’t able to field the throw cleanly.

The ball got away from Marshall, and Ferres took off for home. But Gaisior was right there to pick up the ball and throw to catcher Regan Lowrey, who made the tag on Ferres to end the game.

“We were looking good with two outs and a girl on third,” Nealer said. “Pyper just tried to do a little too much. She had a great hit. She was aggressive going to home, and you can’t fault her for trying. We needed a run, and she tried to get that run for us.”

Gaisior finished with 18 strikeouts.

“She pitched amazing, just like she’s done all year,” Juniata coach Erin Cressman said. “This is what she’s dreamed of. She’s dreamed of playing in the state tournament. She’s really excited to be here, and she pitched her heart out and left everything on the field. That’s all you can ask from her.”

Juniata, playing in its first state tournament game, improved to 23-3 and advances to the quarterfinals Thursday against WPIAL champion Avonworth at a site and time to be determined.

“They are a pretty calm group,” Cressman said of her team’s demeanor entering the PIAA playoffs for the first time. “They drive us crazy sometimes because we feel they are a little too calm. Games like this, it’s great. They were calm and confident. They knew they had a good shot. They played their game, and they brought it.”

Avonworth had no trouble with District 10 runner-up Fort LeBoeuf, winning 12-2 at North Allegheny.

Burrell, the No. 3 seed from the WPIAL, concludes its season at 14-7.

The Bucs, who made the 170-mile trip east, were one of just 18 WPIAL softball teams to have a game in the first-round of the PIAA playoffs.

“We had a very strong year with experienced players back and some new girls getting on the field,” Nealer said. “You feel very bad for the seniors because it’s their last hurrah. You want to see the team go a little deeper for them and for everyone because they worked so hard to get here. I don’t want to take anything away from Juniata. That is a very good pitcher and a very good team overall.”

Armstrong, along with fellow seniors Abbie Larko, Alanna Miller and Cassidy Novak, wrapped up their three-year varsity careers for the Bucs. The quartet lost its freshman season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Armstrong gave up four hits and three walks while striking out 11. She finished her senior season with 269 strikeouts and 689 for her three years.

Juniata broke through in the bottom of the fifth.

Indians first baseman Mackenzie Lyter lifted an Armstrong offering down the right-field line. Bucs freshman Jenna Morrison ranged over to make a catch, but the ball deflected off her glove, and Lyter ended up on third.

Armstrong came back to strike out left fielder Riley Lyter for the first out, but No. 9 hitter Chey Kirk came up and delivered the deciding moment of the game.

Kirk made sharp contact right back to Armstrong, who was not able to gather the ball in time to make a play. Kalynn Brown, pinch running for Mackenzie Lyter, scored from third.

“That ball hit to right field, the girl ended up on third base,” Nealer said. “When Katie is working her tail off, we have to make the plays behind her.”

Juniata had something brewing one inning earlier but was not able to score.

Gaisior led off the frame with an infield single.

With one out, Marshall doubled down the left-field line. There is no fencing beyond the left-field foul pole at Juniata’s field, and the ball bounced out of play.

Marshall had to stop at second with a book-rule double, and Gaisior had to stop at third.

Nealer opted to intentionally walk Juniata center fielder Shay Armstrong to load the bases and put the force on at any base.

Sophie Smith, the Indians’ designated hitter, then laced a ball to short that Ferres caught for the second out. Ferres’ momentum carried her toward third, and she stepped on the third-base bag to complete the double play and end Juniata’s scoring threat.

“We knew it was going to be a close game,” Cressman said. “They had a really good pitcher and a really good team. We thought it might come down to one run. We did a good job getting on base and making things happen. We put the pressure on them. It would’ve been nice if we could’ve tacked on a few more, but we left some runners on. But we got the one, and that’s all we needed.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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