Softball - Latrobe vs Yough

Latrobe Softball Breaks Through in Bottom of Tenth to Beat Yough 1-0

The scoreboard showed zeroes for 9- 1/2 innings before the Latrobe Wildcats broke the stalemate in the bottom of the tenth to beat the Yough Cougars 1-0 in a non-section afternoon game at Latrobe's Graham-Sobota Field on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Pitching and defense dominated the game, with neither team able to get a sustained offensive threat going until late in the game. Yough managed to put runners on second base in the second and third innings but strong pitching by Latrobe's Jordan Tallman ended the threat both times with strikeouts.

Latrobe's first opportunity came in the fifth when Emily Schmucker singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. She advanced to third on an infield groundout, but was stranded there as Yough's Kierra Waywood ended the threat with a strikeout. A two-out single by Jordan Novak, followed by a wild pitch, put a runner on second for the Wildcats in the bottom of the sixth, but a groundout to pitcher Waywood closed out the inning.

Yough had a scoring chance in the top of the seventh as Emma Augustine walked with one out and stole second base, but Tallman struck out the side for the Wildcats. Hannah Brewer walked with one out in the Latrobe half of the eighth and pinch runner Grace Revitsky moved to second on a passed ball with two outs before a groundout to second base ended the inning.

Both teams put runners in scoring position in the ninth but failed to cross home plate. The Cougars' Emma Augustine doubled with two outs but Tallman got out of trouble with her third strikeout of the inning. Jordan Novak singled and stole second base to open Latrobe's half of the ninth, but she was taken out on a fielders choice. 

Moving to the tenth inning still in a scoreless tie, by rule, each team opened with a runner placed on second base. Corrin Parquette was on second for the Cougars when Nevaeh Chopp moved her to third with a one-out single. Parquette was then tagged out halfway to home by Wildcats' catcher Makayla Muchinski on a stolen base attempt, and Waywood flied to center field for the third out. 

Latrobe opened their half of the tenth with Emily Schmucker on second base. It didn't take long for leadoff batter Jenna Tallman to line a 1-0 count to center field, scoring Schmucker easily, and the Wildcats picked up the 1-0 victory. 

Jordan Tallman notched the complete game win on the mound for Latrobe, with an impressive 21 strikeouts in a two-hitter. She recorded strikeouts in every inning, and had at least two in every inning but the sixth and tenth. Kierra Waywood fanned 8 in a complete game 5-hit performance for Yough.       

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