Mustangs upset undefeated top seed

May 24—WILLIAMSPORT — Even with a three-run lead, Miley Beachel was battling nerves in the circle.

And who can blame her? The junior righty had the top seed on the ropes, an undefeated top seed in fact.

"One or two hard hits and everything could change," Beachel said. "I still was really nervous."

Beachel allowed only three base runners over the final six innings, while Jayda Dunn and Cali Sauer combined for three RBIs as No. 4-seed Midd-West knocked off unbeaten North Penn-Liberty, 5-2, on Friday in the District 4 Class 3A semifinals at Elm Park.

"We wanted to be hot going into the playoffs — we beat Shamokin and Montoursville — and lost in the bottom of the seventh of Mifflinburg in the last week of the season. We won the first playoff game in five innings," Midd-West coach Pete Voss said. "Now we beat a really good Liberty team, but we were trending the right way. The girls brought the energy. We said during the game 'This is fun. The 12-2, 15-1 wins aren't fun, this game was fun."

North Penn-Liberty finishes the season at 19-1, and had won 39 straight games against District 4 foes since dropping the district semifinal in 2022 to Central Columbia. The Mounties only loss last season came in the state quarterfinals to Palisades.

That led to a little bit of nerves for the Mustangs, which had won their first district playoff game since 2009 earlier this week.

"The nerves were bad before this game," Dunn said. "But, it's OK, because we had each other."

Dunn took care of some of those nerves in the top of the first. Beachel walked and was sacrificed to second. After Storm Wilt was hit by a pitch, Dunn doubled home Beachel for a 1-0 lead before North Penn-Liberty pitcher Mackenzie Tice got back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.

Liberty would touch Beachel for two runs to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Tice walked and Sage Lehman tied the game with a double. Two walks sandwiched around a strikeout loaded the bases, before Addie Smith's sacrifice fly gave the Mounties a 2-1 lead before Beachel ended the threat with strikeout.

"I was really nervous all game. I had so much anxiety. My coaches and teammates kept telling me to relax because we were going against the first seed (in the district)," Beachel said. "There was just a lot of nerves going into this game."

Voss added, "I think it was part of the routine of this game. We took infield, Miley threw, and then we sat for a bit. We're going to have to take a look at that, so Miley is sharp at the beginning of the game."

Beachel allowed just three singles the rest of the way and really got into trouble in the bottom of the fifth inning. Beachel finished with 14 strikeouts, including the side in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

Midd-West tied the game in the third inning. Rachel Keister singled, and Wilt sacrificed her to second. Dunn followed with a triple to the right-center field fence to tie the game at 2-2.

The game-winner came in the top of the sixth. Wilt walked, and Dunn sacrificed her to second for Sauer. Sauer had knocked in four runs in Tuesday's win, but had two strikeouts against Tice, entering her at-bat in the sixth.

"I was just thinking, I can hit this girl, I know I can. I have to do it for my team," Sauer said. "Seeing her twice at that point, it was a big help."

Sauer fell behind 0-2 in the count, before taking a ball. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, she lined a single to right field to plate Wilt with the go-ahead run.

The bottom of the sixth started innocuously enough with two quick outs, but Smith's infield single and a throwing error put her on second. She took third on a wild pitch, and Payton Chappell hit a grounder just on the first base side of second base. Briahna Keister made the play, but the throw was high, pulling Sauer's foot. Despite the Mounties' coaching staff protests after play, the umpires ruled Sauer got her foot down in time for the final out of the inning, and preserved the one-run lead.

Briahna Keister then led off the seventh with a single and Beachel walked forcing Tice from the game. Beachel scored on a wild pitch by reliever Hailey Litzelman for a 4-2 lead before a fielding error brought another run home for the Mustangs.

Midd-West (14-6) now gets a third matchup with Loyalsock (19-2) for the District 4 Class 3A championship at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday back at Elm Park. The Lancers needed a three-run bottom of the ninth inning to beat Athens, 9-8, in the other semifinal.

Both teams qualify for the state playoffs. The winner will host the District 3 second-place team, while the loser will travel to the District 2 champion. The PIAA first round begins on June 3.

The Lancers own two victories over the Mustangs in Heartland Athletic Conference-Division III play — a 12-2 five-inning win on April 16, and a 4-2 victory on May 2.

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DISTRICT 4 CLASS 3A PLAYOFFS

SEMIFINAL

at Elm Park, Williamsport

NO. 4 MIDD-WEST 5, NO. 1 NORTH PENN-LIBERTY 2

Midd-West;101;001;2 — 5-7-1

North Penn-Liberty;200;000;0 — 2-4-1

Miley Beachel and Storm Wilt. Mackenzie Tice, Hailey Litzelman (7) and Sage Lehman.

WP: Beachel; LP: Tice.

Midd-West: Beachel, 2 runs; Rachel Keister, 1-for-3, run; Wilt, 2 runs; Jayla Dunn, 2-for-3, double, triple, 2 RBIs; Cali Sauer, 1-for-3, RBI.

North-Penn Liberty: Tice, 1-for-3, run; Lehman, 1-for-3, double, run, RBI; Addie Smith, 2-for-2, RBI.