Windber suffers extra-inning loss to Tussey Mountain in District 5-2A softball semifinals

WINDBER — Timely hitting will take teams a long way in the postseason. Unfortunately, for Windber, it did not come up with a clutch hit in Wednesday's District 5 Class 2A softball semifinal against Tussey Mountain.

The third-seeded Titans rallied to tie the game in the sixth and force extra-innings. In the top of the ninth, No. 9 hitter Elania Woomer placed a slicing RBI double to shallow right field and came all the way around to score on the play to lift Tussey Mountain to a 4-2 upset victory.

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"I'm super proud of the girls. They grinded, but sometimes the ball bounces the other way," first-year Windber coach Ron Walker said. "We only have nine (players), and they are a very good nine. When you get runners in scoring position, you have to execute."

Windber left 13 runners on base, including nine in scoring position. The second-seeded Ramblers (11-10) had the bases loaded in both the second and eighth innings and failed to produce a run.

The Ramblers trailed 1-0 after 3½, but Angel James knotted the game in the fourth with an RBI triple to plate Maggie Manippo.

Summer Campbell gave Windber a 2-1 lead in the fifth with an RBI single, scoring Kaylie Gaye, who hit a one-out triple. Campbell and Gaye each tallied three hits in the contest.

Tussey Mountain evened the score at two in the sixth. With runners on first and third, Lydia Zdrosky, who hit a one-out single and stole second. The throw went to a charging Gaye at short. However, the play was slow developing, allowing a heady Joslyn Raley to race home.

Despite the loss, Windber junior hurler Skylee Miller struck out seven over nine innings.

The Ramblers lose only Aaliyah James to graduation. They will get freshman Rylee Baer back, who missed the latter stages of the season due to surgery.

"We'll bounce back next year for sure," Walker said. "We have a good group of kids coming up. We have a lot of expectations for next year."

Tussey Mountain will take on top seed and defending PIAA champion Everett, a 15-0 victor over North Star in the title game at 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Bedford High School.

Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Windber upset by Tussey Mountain in District 5-2A softball semifinals