Thomas Jefferson scores 3 in 7th inning to win PIAA quarterfinal contest

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, June 7, 2018 | 7:48 PM

CARLISLE — After starting the WPIAL playoffs as the 11th seed, there has not been a lot of pressure on the Thomas Jefferson softball team.

The Jaguars are playing loose and relaxed, something that showed when they faced Interboro in Thursday's PIAA Class 5A quarterfinal.

Down a run, heading to the sixth inning at Carlisle High School, there was no worry. Thomas Jefferson tied the game in the top of the sixth, then scored three times in the top of the seventh to capture a 4-1 victory.

“(Coach Heidi Karcher) says that before every game. ‘Stay lose, you have nothing to lose,' ” Jaguars pitcher Bella Bucy said. “Coming into the WPIAL everyone thought we were going to lose the first round, and we ended up coming through.”

“We are just riding the wave,” said sophomore Mackenzie Zang, who made a pair of defensive gems, and scored the eventual winning run.

Up next is a WPIAL title game rematch as the Jaguars will face West Allegheny on Monday at a time and site to be determined. West Allegheny topped Albert Gallatin, 10-3, on Thursday.

Zang cut down a Lady Bucs threat from left field in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on first, she turned a base hit into a fielder's choice by gunning the runner out at second for a force.

She then led off the top of the seventh with a bunt single, stole second and came around to score when Claire Whalen's bunt single was thrown away.

Hayleigh Karcher was intentionally walked and Bucy came up and once again helped herself, this time with a two-run double between Interboro's left and center fielders.

“I knew the runner was on first and that the play was going to be at second whether I caught it or not,” Zang said of her fielding prowess. “I had to get myself into scoring position so we at least had a chance to get the run in,” she added of her running.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Zang's diving catch brought Thomas Jefferson within an out of advancing, which it did after a ground out.

“It really helps me because I know if I accidentally miss a pitch and they hit it hard, that my defense will get it,” Bucy said. “I was so proud of her for that play. We needed an out, and she went and knew to get the out at second.”

After Interboro scored in the fifth, Bucy led off the TJ sixth with a crisp opposite-field single to left. After swiping second, she came around to tie the game on a dropped fly ball.

“I knew we'd have the ability to come back. That's what we do normally,” coach Karcher said. “We employed our short game, which helped us.

“We didn't do well hitting; definitely defense wins.”

Steve Navaroli is a freelance writer.

Tags: Thomas Jefferson