Brandywine falls 1-0 to Philipsburg-Osceola in 2A softball state final

FROM KEITH GROLLER

Four trips to the state finals for Brandywine and no state titles.

The Bullets lost again in the PIAA 2A championship game, and this one may have stung the most.

Philipsburg-Osceola defeated Brandywine 1-0 after here at Nittany Lion Softball Park. The school, located just 25 miles from State College, also beat the Bullets 11-6 in the 2007 state finals, that one by a much different 11-6 score.

Missed opportunities will forever haunt the District 3 champs from the Topton area. Brandywine was outhit 5-4 but had plenty of baserunners. In fact, the Bullets had the lead-off runner on base five times.

P-O (24-1 and District 6 champs) got on the board in the top of the second thanks to a walk, a sacrifice, a balk and a suicide squeeze that was misplayed by the Bullets defense.

The Lady Mounties also threatened with the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, but Brandywine pitcher Sara Fronheiser escaped with a strikeout of P-O cleanup hitter and opposing pitcher Chelsea Rex.

Taylor Brintzenhoff singled to lead off the bottom of the second. She was sacrificed to second, but stayed there as the next two hitters struck out.

Then in the fourth, Jenn Seabourne led off with a single. After Jenn Dalickas and Brintzenhoff popped out, Seabourne swiped second. But she stayed there as a strikeout ended the inning.

In the fifth, Shelby Snyder led off with a walk, but never advanced as a botched sac bunt, liner to center and strikeout followed.

But the best chance for the Bullets (26-2) came in the sixth when No. 1 hitter in the order Amanda Hess led off with a double to left.

With one out, Jenn Dalickas was intentionally walked, but Hess and Seabourne stayed put as the No. 4 and No. 5 hitters in the order, Brintzenhoff and Megan Olsen struck out.

Finally, in the bottom of the seventh, Shelby Snyder led off with a single, but again would not advance as a strikeout and two popouts followed.

P-O shortstop Mackenzie Wilson, who had two of her team's five hits, made a running catch for the final out.