Published: May 21, 2009 11:57 pm      

Johnstown softball drops title game

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Sometimes it’s just not meant to be.

The Johnstown girls softball team committed four errors against Bellefonte in Thursday’s District 6 Class AAA title game.

The mistakes ended up costing the defending district champions as the Red Raiders, who had lost to Johnstown in last year’s playoffs, prevailed 6-2.

“We didn’t play our game (Thursday),” Johnstown coach Randy Romesberg said. “Defensively, usually that’s our strong point, and we kicked the ball all over the place. You can’t give good teams five or six outs in an inning. It just wasn’t our day.”

The loss was Johnstown’s first – and last – of the season.

“You can’t win every game,” said Johnstown senior Steph Szczur, who was 3-for-4 and scored one of the Trojans’ runs.

“The funny thing is that we came out in practice and didn’t make one mistake, but you come on the field and get a couple bad bounces and that’s all it takes. You play against a good team and stuff happens. We hit the ball well, it just went right to people. That’s the way it goes.”

The Red Raiders (14-7) struck early as Danielle Gomola and Erica Pooler hit back-to-back doubles to give Bellefonte a 1-0 lead after the first.

Bellefonte added three more runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.

Johnstown’s offense finally got rolling in the bottom of the fifth.

Katelin Lindrose reached base on an error and advanced to second on a ground out by Mikey Tyrrell. Szczur singled home Lindrose then went to second when winning pitcher Emily Dauberman walked Megan McMillen.

Courtney Blank blasted a single to right field to score Szczur, pulling the Trojans to 6-2, but that was as close as they could get.

“It’s amazing to get this win,” Bellefonte coach Greg Kohlhepp said. “We know they are such an outstanding team, and we saw what they could do last year. They played outstanding last year. We had the toughest time with that. Our girls came back, and it was humbling for them. We knew we would have our hands full.”

McMillen had 10 strikeouts while Dauberman finished with seven. Johnstown had seven hits and stranded seven runners while Bellefonte finished with seven hits and left three on base.

“I’m disappointed with the loss, but I’m more disappointed that I don’t get to coach these seven seniors anymore and I’m going to miss them,” Romesberg said.