After the West Branch Lady Warriors were seeded number one in the District 6 1A bracket, they earned a bye in the first round of playoffs. During the second round of playoffs, the Lady Warriors played against the Bishop McCort Lady Crushers and run-rolled them in the top of the 4th inning, winning 10-0. In the bottom of the 1st inning, Senior Brooke Bainey started things for the Lady Warriors by drawing a walk. Senior Mallory Graham then singled, followed by Senior Greyson Gable, who singled to left field, scoring Brooke. Junior Layla Thompson grounded out but managed to score Mallory Graham. Senior Carsyn Wesesky followed with a single, bringing home Cheyanne Bush, who was pinch-running for Greyson. Sophomore Makenzie MacTavish added to the momentum with a single that scored Carsyn, and Sophomore Haley Woodling capitalized on a wild pitch to score another run. This offensive surge resulted in five runs for the Lady Warriors in the first inning.
The second inning saw a defensive stalemate, with neither the Lady Crushers nor the Lady Warriors managing to score. However, the bottom of the third inning reignited the Lady Warriors’ offense. Junior Makenna Moore singled to lead off, and Carsyn Wesesky continued her hot streak with another single. Haley Woodling then doubled, scoring Chelsey Wesesky, who was pinch-running for Moore. Senior Madi Butler capped off the inning with a double that brought home both Carsyn Wesesky and Haley Woodling.The lone freshman, Shasta Manahan, drew a walk, and then Mallory Graham hit a single, which scored Madi Butler. Shasta Manahan scored on a passed ball. In the top of the fourth inning, the Lady Crushers could not score, leading to the end of the game and ultimately concluding The Bishop McCort Lady Crushers’ season. Pitcher Makenna Moore commented, “Going into that game we had never seen them before, so we had no idea what we were going up against. All the girls wanted it just as much as they would every game, especially knowing it’s win or go home. Getting this far into districts you never know what you are going to get and I think we all pulled out a strong win overall.”
The Lady Warriors are now gearing up for the District 6 1A semi-final game against the Glendale Lady Vikings, a team they have defeated twice during the regular season. A victory in this match will secure their spot in the District 6 1A championship game for the second consecutive season, along with qualifying for the PIAA 1A state playoffs. The Lady Warriors are scheduled to play on 5.23.2024 at West Branch Varsity Field at 4 pm.
