COAL TOWNSHIP - Shamokin's last three bus rides this year will be a lot bumpier.
With the Indians' needing to win three of their remaining four games this season to qualify for the playoffs, Milton deflated the cushion Shamokin was holding onto with a 12-0 Heartland Conference Division I win Thursday at Shamokin.
The Indians now sit at 7-10 and are in jeopardy of missing the playoffs with a game Saturday at Jersey Shore, finishing the remainder of a game at Montoursville Monday and a game at Shikellamy Tuesday.
One more loss and the Indians are done.
On the other side of things was how dominant Milton pitcher Kristi Weaver looked.
She struck out 12 of the 15 batters she faced, walked none, and only three Shamokin hitters (Olivia Bonshock, Erin Duganitz and Bri Bonshock) got enough of the ball to ground out. The Indians couldn't catch up to her fastball and looked baffled by her array and placement of off-speed pitches.
It was not the performance the Indians expected after losing just 3-1 to Milton on April 17.
"(Weaver) came a long way from the first time we played her," Shamokin head coach Christi Cryder said. " I don't know if she picked up some speed or what. She grooved them in there and we couldn't touch her."
After the game was delayed 45 minutes while Shamokin's assistant coaches prepared the field after a burst of rain spread puddles over much the infield, Milton grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
Mary Adams singled to start the game and stole second before scoring on a double by MacKenna Miller, who got was later warned after she shoved a Shamokin fielder covering second base on a pickoff attempt.
Miller stayed in the game and picked up two more RBIs and scored two more runs.
Milton added four in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth and finished with two runs in the fifth. Of the Panthers' nine hits off Shamokin's Steph Pancher, who walked just two and struck out six, five were for extra bases.
"We got beat by the better team," Cryder said. "They hit better. They pitched better. They played better. This was not our best game."
The Indians will need their best game of the year on Saturday, then follow it up with more bests the rest of the year.
"We're not out of it yet, but once again, we dug a hole," Cryder said. "We'll be ready to play Saturday."
Game Summary
MILTON (AB-R-H-BI) - Adams 2-3-2-1, Philips 0-1-0-0, Miller 3-3-2-3, Marks 4-1-1-2, Weaver 3-1-1-2, Brouse 3-1-1-1, Brennan 3-0-1-0, Derr 3-1-1-0, Batman 2-0-0-0, Gensel 1-1-0-0, Rudloff 3-0-0-0, Brink 0-0-0-0. Totals 27-12-9-9.
SHAMOKIN (AB-R-H-BI) - Wolfe 2-0-0-0, Supsic 2-0-0-0, S. Pancher 2-0-0-0, O. Bonshock 2-0-0-0, McGrath 1-0-0-0, Duganitz 1-0-0-0, B. Bonshock 2-0-0-0, Hornberger 1-0-0-0, Templar 1-0-0-0, Augustitus 1-0-0-0, C. Pancher 0-0-0-0. Totals 15-0-0-0.
Milton 241 32 - 12 9 0
Shamokin 000 00 - 0 0 4
Extra-base hits: 2B - Adams, Miller, Brennan, Derr. HR - Marks.
IP H R ER BB K
Milton
Weaver 5 0 0 0 0 12
Shamokin
Pancher 5 9 12 9 2 7