First-inning grand slam spells doom for Warriors

By LAUREN PACKER, The Express
    MILESBURG — Although his team has already clinched the top seed in District 6 Class AA, Bald Eagle Area head coach Dave Breon told his Lady Eagles that they have got to step up the intensity.


    “We’ve been really stressing that we can’t quit,” Breon said. “We got to keep practicing, keep the intensity up. It’s kind of tough to do sometimes, but they’re doing a nice job for me.”


    The Lady Eagles heard Breon’s message loud and clear on Tuesday against Indian Valley, delivering a 12-2 win in five innings in a contest that was shortened by the mercy rule.


    And for Lady Eagle center fielder Jasa Mitchell, she showed Breon and the rest of her teammates that she was ready to crank up the intensity.


    With the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning, Mitchell drilled a 1-0 Caitlyn Crnjar offering to deep center field for the sophomore’s first career grand slam.


    “To get that grand slam just set the tone for the rest of the game, I think,” Breon said.  “She did a good job just staying right on the ball.”


    Afterward, Mitchell described the feeling.


    “Everybody was going crazy. You walk in there and everybody was just hitting me in the back of the head, giving me high fives. Three innings later, they were still talking about it,” Mitchell said.


    That offensive boost proved to be all the Lady Eagles would need as Bald Eagle Area plated one more run in the first, followed by three runs in the third and fourth innings and one run in the bottom of the fifth.


    Senior hurler Elizabeth Hackett earned the complete-game win and was honored along with seniors Brittany Simpson, Kristy Fisher and Kasey Corl in pre-game ceremonies.


    Hackett improved to 8-1 on the season and allowed just two runs on four hits while fanning three batters and walking two.


      The Lady Eagles tallied seven hits on the day, led by Mitchell’s 2-for-3 performance and four RBIs.  Designated player Janelle Poorman was also 2-for-3 with two doubles, including a two-run double in the third inning and two runs scored.


    Breon and his squad close out the regular season on Thursday at home against Williamsport.


    “We played them down at Jersey Shore and beat them,” Breon said.  “We’re probably going to same the girl again and that’s good. That’s what we want to see. We want to see good pitching and, hopefully, we stay on top of our game.”