Close game was more than favorable for Montoursville majors | News, Sports, Jobs

Montoursville’s premier softball team defeated Williamsport Area 6-5 in the District 12 championship at Lycoming College on Thursday, winning in thrilling fashion with a walk-off single to right field to claim the crown. And while the win was exciting for players and fans alike, it was valuable for Montoursville.

For the first time in districts, Montoursville was tested in a close game, and the team responded as champions do by fighting back and not letting the game slip away. There were times when the game could have gone Williamsport Area’s way.

In the fourth inning, Williamsport Area scored three runs to tie the game at 4-all after Montoursville led 4-0 in the first inning. In the top of the sixth inning, Williamsport Area would tie the score again, 5-5.

Both times, Montoursville’s players could have gotten frustrated and lost the game. And both times, Montoursville’s players could have hung their heads and gotten angry.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Montoursville pitcher Harlee Hagemeyer celebrates after picking up a strikeout against Williamsport Area at Lycoming College in the District 12 major softball championship game. Montoursville won 6-5 and advanced to next week’s Section 3 tournament.

But instead, the team continued to fight and play the game as they know it. And it resulted in a hard-fought, battle-tested victory and experience that will be extremely valuable for next week’s sectional matches against talented teams.

“Stay calm, play your defense, let your pitcher work, let your defense work, get going, hit the bat and score some runs,” Hesse-Hagemeyer shared what she told her team when Williamsport made comebacks not once, but twice. “It really is that simple, and we executed it.”

Montoursville never let Williamsport Area get a lead on Thursday and came out big when it needed to get out of trouble. After Williamsport Area scored three runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game, Harlee Hagemeyer reentered the game and forced three straight outs to end the inning and the threat.

And after Williamsport Area scored a run in the top of the sixth to tie the score at 5-5, Hagemeyer recorded a strikeout, leaving two runners behind, one of whom was in scoring position at second.

“I think this is the first opponent that has really given us the chance to show our determination,” said Hessen-Hagemeyer. “That’s exactly what we showed today, and I couldn’t be more proud of our performance.”

Montoursville knew after its 9-0 opening round win over Williamsport Area that it would be a battle against a very solid Williamsport Area team, and that’s exactly what happened on Thursday.

“We knew WALL could pitch and we came in ready to hit and execute,” according to Hessen-Hagemeyer.

A combination of hitting, throwing and defense has been the key to Montoursville’s district-title winning run. Offensively, the team showed it can hit from top to bottom in Thursday’s win over Williamsport Area.

Kenzi Lundy went 3 for 3 with two stolen bases, an RBI and run scored, while Trinity Belle and Kaelyn Woodling each had two hits. Karsyn Stone (1 for 3), Danni DeTato (double), Maura Thompson (1 for 2) and Myles DiMassimo (triple) also scored for Montoursville.

The team has no weakness in the lineup, and it showed when Woodling, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, had two huge hits. Her first shot – a double – was to shallow right, driving in a run in the fourth inning, tying the game at 5-5. Her second was a big single to right, bringing in Danni DeTato for the winning run.

“We have a pretty loaded lineup. We focus a lot, probably 50%, of our practice on hitting. We’re out there ready to hit the ball,” said Hesse-Hagemeyer. “Obviously we faced a great pitcher today (in Aubree Shaylor). We struggled a little bit, but ultimately it was getting runners on base and executing bunts, getting those runs across the plate, that’s what we were able to do.”