Hometown Softball Recap – Elizabeth Forward Warriors – 05/05/2016

By: Bruce Markey
Thursday, May 5, 2016 | 10:38 PM

On senior day for Elizabeth Forward at William Penn Field, it was a junior who helped the Warriors overcome a deficit, ultimately prevailing 8-4 against the McKeesport Tigers.

Junior Lauren Mathews pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Sarah Turek, and Mathews was also instrumental offensively, as she crushed a two-run homer. Despite her struggles pitching, Turek turned in a stellar performance at the plate, going 4-4.

When the contest began after a lengthy rain and lightening delay, McKeesport immediately applied pressure to Turek, as the Tigers loaded the bases with just one out. Turek induced a pop up and a ground out to escape the jam, though.

The first runs of the contest came for the Warriors in the bottom of the second inning, as Turek singled, and her courtesy runner, Taylor Jeffers, later scored in a Cassidy Kern single. After Kern’s hit, Kaylee Ludwick followed with a hit of her own, and Taylor Ludwick was hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, Maddie Porter drew a walk to score another run.

McKeesport scored its first run in the third frame, as Keirston Spiewak contributed a leadoff single and later scored on a fielding error by the Warriors. In the following stanza, McKeesport took the lead, as pitcher Lauren Lewis led off with a solo home run, Spiewak doubled and scored on an error, and Dominique Clark also crossed the plate on a single by Kathryn Barry.

Trailing 4-2 and unable to find an offensive rhythm, Elizabeth Forward turned to Mathews to pitch in the fifth. Over the next three frames, she limited McKeesport to just one hit.

Meanwhile, in the bottom of the fifth, EF exploded with four runs. Ashley Hoak garnered a leadoff walk, and with one out, Turek singled. After a Tigers’ error allowed Lauren Cain to reach, Kern delivered a two-run single to center field, and Kaylee Ludwick followed with a double that scored the eventual winning run. Taylor Ludwick grounded out, scoring Kern in the process.

In the sixth, Hoak reached on an error, and Mathews followed with a towering blast that soared over the left-center field fence to cap the scoring.

With the triumph, playoff-bound EF improves to 8-3 in Class AAA Section 3, and 11-4 overall. The Warriors conclude their section slate with a key matchup against Belle Vernon next week. Meanwhile, in the defeat, McKeesport drops to 2-10 in section action, and 3-12 overall.

Tags: Elizabeth Forward