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First Posted: 6/3/2013 EDWARDSVILLE &#8212; Numbers can be deceiving. Take District 3 runner-up Daniel Boone for example. The Blazers had eight new starters to begin the season. They were the 11th seed in their district tournament, yet navigated their way to the PIAA Class 4A softball playoffs.
And once there, Daniel Boone blasted its way past District 2 champion Hazleton Area, using a pair of two-run homers to post a 4-1 victory at Wilkes University on Monday.
The biggest number, though, that ended Hazleton Area&#8217;s season at 21-2 was posted by Daniel Boone starter Bekah Slattery. The sophomore lefty struck out nine. By comparison, the nine girls in Hazleton Area&#8217;s lineup struck out just 21 times in 389 at-bats during the Wyoming Valley Conference season.
The scouting report on Hazleton Area was limited &#8230; quite limited.
&#8220;I knew their colors. That&#8217;s all I knew, their colors,&#8221; Slattery said. &#8220;Well, we knew a little bit about their batters. But that&#8217;s coach&#8217;s job to worry about not mine.&#8221;
Hazleton Area caused no worries through the first three innings as Slattery retired the Cougars in order. That changed in the fourth inning as MacKenzie Yori led off with a single and moved to third when Abby Sachse followed with a single. Maria Trivelpiece then followed with a single to score Yori.
&#8220;We went for it right there,&#8221; said Hazleton Area coach Vince Trivelpiece, whose team trailed 4-0 entering the inning. &#8220;We had first and third with no one out. Two fast runners and (batters) four, five, six. They played their infielders deep, so even a groundball (would score a run).
&#8220;I thought about bunting for a second run to get it closer. But I&#8217;m not giving up an at-bat (because) they&#8217;re giving us a run up the middle. Four, five and six right there. We had to give it a shot.&#8221;
Instead, the inning fizzled on a pop-out, lineout and strikeout. Aside from Justine Rossi&#8217;s double in the fifth, no other player got into scoring position.
Daniel Boone (20-7) took a 2-0 lead in the third when Mikaela Ballmer launched a two-run homer to dead center field. Slattery did the same in the fourth. Trivelpiece called for pitcher Becky Demko to throw risers on the homers after seeing the two Blazers struggle with them in earlier at-bats.
&#8220;The bottom line is I made bad calls on those home runs. They&#8217;re my fault,&#8221; Trivelpiece said. &#8220;They&#8217;re not on Demko, those are my home runs.&#8221;
Daniel Boone moves to the quarterfinals Thursday, playing the winner of today&#8217;s game between D12 champion St. Hubert&#8217;s and D1 runner-up Neshaminy. Those teams had their game rained out Monday.
&#8220;We just feel like as long as we make it in, that&#8217;s all that matters,&#8221; Daniel Boone coach Traci Huddleson said. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t matter what number we came in, it&#8217;s getting to the that second part of the season.&#8221;
Daniel BooneABRHBI2B3BHR
Bekah Slattery p4122001
Heather Toth 1b4010000
Nicole Kovach ss3110000
Mikaela Ballmer 3b4122001
Savannah Toth c3010000
Margaret Koch 2b4000000
Megan Piccarreta cf2000000
Kelsey Winger lf3100000
Rachel Levens dp3010000
Madi Blumenstock rf0000000
Totals30484002
Hazleton AreaABRHBI2B3BHR
MacKenzie Yori 3b3110000
Abby Sachse lf3010000
Maria Trivelpiece 2b3011000
Becky Demko p3000000
Lexi Wolk cf3000000
Samantha Varela 1b3000000
Celine Podlesney dp3000000
Justine Rossi c2010100
Mikaela Browdy ss3000000
Hailey Kendall lf0000000
Totals26141100
Daniel Boone0022000 &#8212; 4
Hazleton Area001000 &#8212; 1
E &#8212; Daniel Boone 2, Hazleton Area 1. LOB &#8212; Daniel Boone 9, Hazleton Area 4.
Daniel BooneIPHRERBBSO
Slattery (W)741119
Hazleton AreaIPHRERBBSO
Demko (L)784441

Hazleton Area ousted by Daniel Boone