Catamounts shutout Hagerstown 11-0 in route to Saturday title game
Ralph Wilson - Potomac State College
Arnold, Md. – The Potomac State softball team's story line has become redundant; dominant pitching, explosive hitting and winning.
The Catamounts repeated all three Friday, beating Hagerstown Community College 11-0 in five innings to earn a berth in the NJCAA Region 20 Division II softball tournament championship.
Starting pitcher Taylor Townsend turned in another great performance for PSC, going the distance for the shutout win, allowing only four hits and zero base on balls while striking out five. It was Townsend's 18th win of the season and ironically her 18th straight. She has not dropped a decision since a season-opening loss to Cleveland Community College on February 26.
Alexis Bailey led the offensive onslaught. The sophomore first baseman went 3 for 3 with a homer, a double, 4 RBI and 2 runs scored.
Townsend helped her own cause from the plate with 2 for 3 performance including 3 RBI and a home run.
Josie Deneen also drove in three runs on the day, the result of a fourth inning homerun with two aboard.
The win ups Potomac State's win streak to 34, they haven't lost since March 14 in Myrtle Beach. Their season record now stands at 40-2.
The first inning was as close to scoring as Hagerstown would get for the day. With a runner on and one out Amber Kent doubled down the leftfield line putting runners on second and third with one out. Townsend worked out of the jamb with a strikeout and an inning ending grounder.
Potomac State would strike quick. Following singles by Madi Anderson and Bri Stocks, Bailey smoked a double through the left side for her first two RBI of the day. Townsend would come along after a Deneen sacrifice and single in Bailey for a 3-0 lead after one inning.
Hagerstown could muster only a Kaylyn Cochran double in the top of the second. Townsend picked up two of her strikeouts.
The bottom of the second would be the only frame PSC would go quietly without a run scored as they were unable to take advantage of a one-out double from speedster Grace Walsh.
Leadoff hitter Maddie Bailey collected her second hit in as many at bats, but Townsend again answered the bell inducing a ground out, strike out and pop out to end the top half of the third.
The Catamounts struck quick in their half of the inning. Bailey led off with her home run over the center field fence, Deneen reached on an error and Townsend came through with her blow, a two RBI version also over the center field fence.
Adriana Beeler would come on in relief for HCC and recorded three straight outs to end Potomac State's half of the third inning, the Catamounts lead stood at 6-0.
Townsend got Hagerstown three up and three down to open the fourth.
The Catamounts piled on enough runs in the bottom of the fourth to ultimately close the game. Walsh reached second on a two-base error and Anderson followed with a single. Stocks singled up the middle to plate a run and Bailey followed with a single for her third hit and fourth RBI.
Josie Deneen provided the knockout punch with a three-run smash to center field. PSC led 11-0 after four complete.
In true form, Townsend induced three straight ground balls to the right side of the infield to secure Potomac State's spot in the Region 20 Championship game.
A win Saturday would earn Potomac State back-to-back Region crowns and its sixth overall. The Catamounts have on the Region 20 Championship in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
This year's Region 20 Division II Champion receives a direct bid to the NJCAA Softball National Championship Tournament.