Nine-run sixth lifts Mount Union: Trojans shut out Bellwood-Antis as playoff prep

By JOEY GULINO, Sentinel assistant sports editor, jgulino@lewistownsentinel.com
MOUNT UNION — Wednesday’s softball game between Mount Union and Bellwood-Antis may have started slow, but it sure finished with a flurry.

The Trojans scored nine runs in the bottom of the sixth, capped by a three-run homer by Emilee Gearhart, and Brittany Cox tossed a two-hit shutout in a 12-0 victory at Mount Union Area High School.

Leading 3-0 after five and a half innings, the Trojans (13-5) loaded the bases twice and got a pair of big hits in those spots from Monica Rosensteel and Chelsea Price to blow the game open.

“Our hitting’s been our strength all season,” Mount Union coach Matt Fiscus said. “I have to give credit to our seniors, Rosensteel and Price, with two big hits with the bases loaded to kind of pile on some runs. It’s not the same player every night. Kassandra (Atherton) had six RBIs the other night, and then it’s Rosensteel and Price tonight.”

Shanee Hockenberry began the sixth with a single, and after Laiken Rosensteel was hit by a pitch and Kendel Aurand walked, Monica Rosensteel doubled to score a pair of runs.

Aurand came home on a wild pitch as Bellwood starter Emily Derr began to unravel, and a wild pitch and passed ball allowed Monica Rosensteel to score.

The Trojans then got production from the bottom of the order when Alicia Morgan and Michaela Knable drew back-to-back walks, and after Cox singled to load the bases again, Price came through with a hit to plate Courtney Sunderland, who was running for Morgan.

An error brought Knable home, and Gearhart stepped up and blasted her three-run shot to end the game.

“It’s nice to have that luxury of hitting up and down the lineup,” Fiscus said. “(Bellwood) is a good ball team. We just keep motoring along until we seem like we’re going to get our break, and whenever you’re successful, you expect to get that, and then that helps you end up getting that break sometimes.”

Cox gave up a double to the first batter of the game, but Bellwood didn’t reach base again until Courtney Hamer singled in the top of the sixth.

In all, Cox struck out nine to earn the win, while Derr went the whole way and took the loss. The Trojan defense turned several nice plays behind Cox as well.

Monica Rosensteel scored Mount Union’s first run in the third inning, when she singled, stole second and came home on a wild pitch.

In the fourth, Atherton walked and later scored on an RBI single by Aurand, and Sunderland scored in the fifth after Morgan walked and Macy Guiliante had an RBI groundout.

“We’re peaking at the right time,” Fiscus said. “I think we look pretty good in the field. We look good batting, and the pitching was obviously really good. We’re where we want to be as far as going into the playoffs.”

Mount Union will hit the road to face Ligonier Valley in the first round of the District 6 Class AA playoffs at 4 p.m. Monday.