MONROEVILLE — In the postseason, the margin for error is thin, especially in a tie game.
For No. 8 Beaver Area, errors became costly in its opening round game of the WPIAL 4A high school softball playoffs against No. 9 Derry, falling 8-3 on Monday, May 11 at Gateway High School.
After Derry (11-4) erased a two-run Bobcat lead in the top of the fifth inning, its next time up at the plate, after Beaver Area (9-8) recorded two quick outs, Derry put together a rally.
Following a Kameryn Dunlap single, a Paris Clayton walk and Marie Razpotnik single to flip the lineup over, Francesca DePalma lined a ball into left field that was dropped to score a pair.
One batter later, Lylah O’Donnell also reached on an error, with the third baseman bobbling the ball while trying to make a play.
“Anytime that you can get on and score runs off of errors is good for a team,” Beaver Area head coach Amy Haggart said. “I don’t think our kids hung their heads at all though. They fought to get out of that inning and tried to get back into the game.”
While errors cost Beaver in the field in the sixth inning, despite a strong showing with the bats, spreading out 10 hits, the team struggled with runners in scoring position.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: WPIAL 4A high school softball playoffs, Beaver Area falls to Derry