Cougars edged by Titans in extra innings

By ASHLEY CHASE
MVI Sports

A questionable play at the plate led to extra innings and an eventual West Mifflin walk-off win as the Titans captured a 2-1 victory over Yough in eight innings of a Section 2-4A matchup Wednesday.
In a pitcher’s duel that wrapped with a combined seven hits between the teams, both squads were held scoreless through five innings.
Yough (7-4, 4-4) broke through on Titans pitcher Emily Buchleitner in the top of the sixth. Sammi McGee blasted a solo home run to lead off the inning for the Cougars’ second hit of the game, putting Yough ahead 1-0.
“She had a problem with dancing in the box a little bit,” Yough head coach Dutch Harvey said. “We worked on it yesterday, and today she kept her feet still and drove the ball over the fence. That’s a senior listening, taking instruction and hitting the ball.”
Junior Emma Augustine pitched a gem into the bottom of the sixth.
Titans senior Lauren Yuhas launched a shot to center field and stood in with a double for just the second hit of the game for West Mifflin (12-1, 7-1). Yuhas advanced to third on a ground out and Allyssa Schmidt walked aboard.
Aurora Rosso came up to bat with runners at the corners. Schmidt broke for a steal of second and the Cougars defense scrambled to decide where to go with the ball, allowing Yuhas to race toward home. Yough got the ball in to catcher Kaylyn Odelli, who braced to tag in the way of the plate. Yuhas slid across the batter’s box, reaching but not tagging the base, but was ruled safe at home to tie the game at 1-1.
“I know coming down here what it’s going to be like, let’s just put it that way,” Harvey said. “It played out exactly how I thought it would play out. It happens. Every team that comes here knows that.”
The tie score held through the seventh and forced extra innings.

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