DUBOIS — The DuBois Junior League All-Star softball team made it two titles in two tournaments this summer — running its record to a perfect 6-0 in the process — with a hard fought 8-7 victory against Corry in the Section 1 championship game Wednesday evening at Heindl Field.

DuBois jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning but was stuck on that number through four innings as Corry clawed its way back within three at 5-3. DuBois then scored two big insurance runs in the fifth without the aid of a hit.

The hosts pushed an eighth and final run across in the bottom of the sixth when Presleigh Evock tripled home Campbell Johnson, who had just reached on a two-out error. Johnson’s run proved to be the game winner after Corry made things even more interesting in the late innings.

Corry, the District 3 champs, scored three times in the top of the sixth and got within one in the seventh when Harper Glass tripled home Emma Baker, who had led off with a double, to make it 8-7.

With the tying run on third with one out, DuBois starter Eberlee Smochek beared down and recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the game — getting Ellie Harvey looking for the final out to finish off a complete-game effort as DuBois won the section crown.

Smochek allowed seven runs, all earned, on 12 hits while striking out eight and walking just one. Corry actually outhit DuBois 12-8 on the evening, but DuBois and her defense made plays when it mattered the most.

DuBois catcher Campbell Johnson threw out two would-be base stealers during a pivotal top of the second where Corry scored just one run despite having four hits in the frame. Third baseman Emma Ritzie also cut down a runner at home on a fielder’s choice in the fourth when Corry scored twice to make it a 5-3 ga,e at the time.

With the win, DuBois earned a trip to the Pennsylvania State Tournament, which will be held by the Warrior Run Little League on July 8-13. 

“I would have liked to have hit better, but she (Corry’s Maci Kemp) pitched well,” said DuBois manager Doug Snell. “They stayed in the game the whole way, and Eberlee battled it out just like Abegail (Snell) yesterday (Tuesday’s opener). She kept us in the game the whole way, and we eked it out.

“Evock’s triple (in 6th) was big. She’s such a good hitter, and that was perfect for her to be up at that time. That’s who we’d want. She’s one of the ones you’d want up there, and she delivered like she always does.

“The girls are excited to go to states. I had a lot of these same girls when the were 11 and 12, and we lost two heartbreakers to Punxsy by a run (in districts). And, they all said we’re coming back in two years. There are a few who aren’t here, but a lot of this is the same core, and they accomplished what they wanted to do.”

Smochek came out of the gate strong in the circle and enjoyed a quick 1-2-3 top of the first. Her offense then staked her to the lead with the big five-run bottom of the first.

Leadoff hitter Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the inning and promptly stole second and third around an Evock flyout. Theresa McBride then drew a walk and quickly stole second. Johnson scored on a throwing error to third on that play, while McBride wound up at third herself.

Corry starter Maci Kemp, who tossed both games for Corry Wednesday after finished the team’s opener Tuesday, struck out Allie LaBue. However, Bryanna Wilmoth beat out an infield single that plated McBride and sparked a two-out rally.

Ritzie followed with a walk before Knepp plated a third run on an infield single of her own. Abegail Snell then reached on an error that allowed both Ritzie and Knepp to score to make it 5-0.

Corry countered with a run in the second, but the inning could have been much bigger for the District 3 champs.

Ayvah Taylor led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch but was then thrown out by Johnson trying to steal third. Baker followed with a single before taking second on a wild pitch and stealing third. 

Lucy Hasbrouck followed with an infield single that plated Baker before Glass singled to left. Baker was 3-for-3 on the day, while Glass went 2-for-3.

Corry looked to be in business, but DuBois second baseman Wilmoth made a nice running catch in foul territory for the second out before Johnson threw out special pinch runner Baylee Northrop trying to steal second to end the inning with DuBois leading 5-1.

Corry scored two more runs in the third.

Baker singled home the first of those runs, while Taylor, who reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Ritzie cut down a runner at home, later stole home to make it 5-3.

DuBois finally got to Kemp again in the fifth.

Knepp reached on an error to open the inning, then stole second and third before scoring on a Snell sac fly to center. Josie Suhan then reached on another, stole second and scored when Ally Kalgren reached on Corry’s third error of the inning to put DuBois up 7-3. Corry had six errors in the game.

Corry answered right back with a three-run sixth, striking together three hits around a hit batter. Mikayla Comitz doubled home the first of those runs, then Koda Kuzma plated two more on a single to make it a one-run game at 7-6.

Evock then came up with another huge defensive play for DuBois, as she raced all the way in from left field to run down a ball in foul territory near her dugout hit by Taylor to end the inning with the tying run at second.

“Presleigh’s catch was huge because it got us out of the that inning when it looked like the tide might have turned a little bit,” said Snell. “That definitely saved us there.”

Evock then plated Johnson with a huge insurance run with her two-out triple in the bottom half of the sixth to put DuBois up 8-6. 

That run proved vital when Glass tripled home Baker in the seventh before Smochek ended things with the back-to-back strikeouts.

Evock and Wilmoth both had two hits for DuBois in the win.

DUBOIS 8,

CORRY 7

Score by Innings

Corry;010;203;1—;7

DuBois;500;021;x;—;8

Corry—7

Madi Leofsky rf 3010, Mikayla Comitz cf 211, Koda Kuzma ss 3012, Ayvah Taylor 3b 3110, Emma Baker 2b 3231, Lucy Hasbrouck lf 3011, Harper Glass c 3021, Baylee Northrop eh 3000, Ellie Harvey eh 3000, Maci Kemp p 2010, Grace Cummings 1b 2110, Makenna Williams eh 1100. Totals: 31-7-12-6.

DuBois—8

Campbell Johnson c 2200, Presleigh Evock lf 3021, Theresa McBride ss 2100, Allie LaBue 1b 2000, Bryanna Wilmoth 2b 2121, Emma Ritzie 3b 1100, Josie Knepp cf 2211, Abegail Snell rf 1001, Josie Suhan eh 2100, Ally Kalgren eh-rf 2000, Eberlee Smochek p 2010, Lizzie Lepionka eh 2000, Makenzie Popson eh 2000. Totals: 25-8-6-3.

Errors: Corry 6, DuBois 0. LOB: Corry 5, DuBois 3. DP: Corry 1. 2B: Comitz, Baker. 3B: Evock. SF: Snell. HBP: Williams (by Smochek); Johnson (by Kemp). SB: Taylor, Baker; Johnson 2, Evock, McBride, Wilmoth 2, Knepp 2, Suhan.

Pitching

Corry: Maci Kemp-6 IP, 6 H,8 R, 3 ER, 2 BB,4 SO, 1 HB.

DuBois: Eberlee Smochek-7 IP, 12 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1 HB.

Winning pitcher: Smochek. Losing pitcher: Kemp.