‘K’ mania
Strikeout aces Barnyak, Clark set to square off Friday
Bailey Barnyak was putting the finishing touches on a brisk three-inning 18-0 Carmichaels softball victory at Avella on Monday when she was surprised to see her coach Dave Briggs start to stroll out to the mound.
无毛视频淚t was the last inning, and I remember he called time out and was walking out with another ball, and he put his hand out and made me give him the ball I had,无毛视频� the senior right-hander said. 无毛视频淚 was kind of confused, like, 无毛视频業s he taking me out right now?'无毛视频�
Barnyak didn无毛视频檛 realize what a special softball she was holding.
无毛视频淭hen he shook my hand and said, 无毛视频楥ongratulations. That was your 800th strikeout.无毛视频� That was super great because I had all my girls around me at the mound and they were all giving me hugs,无毛视频� Barnyak said.
Barnyak notched one more strikeout before the game was over to give her 801 in her outstanding career, as she joined her mother, Nikki Gasti Onderko, in the Lady Mikes无毛视频� 800 club. Onderko ended her legendary career with 850 strikeouts.
On the same day over at Turkeyfoot Valley, Brownsville无毛视频檚 Ava Clark was enhancing her legacy with the Lady Falcons by recording her 700th career strikeout in a 7-0 victory.
Clark had reached the 600 strikeout milestone earlier in the season, and had set her sights on getting to 700 after that.
无毛视频淭hat was my last individual goal I wanted to get,无毛视频� said Clark, also a senior righthander. 无毛视频淚t was the sixth inning and I got her on a riseball. I knew I had a good shot at getting there. It just shows all my hard work has paid off. It无毛视频檚 so nice to get to 700.无毛视频�
Both Carmichaels and Brownsville are playoff-bound teams, who have finished up the section part of their schedule, and now look to tune up for the postseason.
They无毛视频檙e set to face each other, Barnyak vs. Clark, today at 4:15 p.m. in Carmichaels, as the Lady Mikes celebrate Senior Day.
Onderko is one of Briggs无毛视频� assistant coaches, which means there will be over 2,360 strikeouts represented on the diamond.
Clark threw a five-hitter with 15 strikeouts and singled twice in the 7-0 win over Turkeyfoot, as Brownsville improved to 9-5, and has clinched a share of second place in Section 4-2A.
Paityn Thomas had three hits, including a double, and two RBIs, and Emma Leigh Bailey and Tavan Ternitsky each doubled and singled for the Lady Falcons, who also got two hits apiece from Lena Rechichar and Zaydee Downer.
Barnyak allowed two hits with no walks and got eight of her nine outs on strikeouts, and she also had two hits, a triple and a double, with two RBIs. Carys McConnell had two hits and three RBIs for Carmichaels, which also got two RBIs apiece from Bentley Lukacs, Sydney Miller and Payton Plavi.
The Lady Mikes, who have already locked up the Section 2-A title, improved to 13-3 on Tuesday when Barnyak tossed a three-inning perfect game in a 21-0 win over Monessen in which she recorded all nine out on strikeouts, jacking her career total up to 810.
Barnyak and Clark are aware of each other, and both see the matchup as a chance for their teams to prepare for the postseason.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 pumped up to face her,无毛视频� Barnyak said. 无毛视频淎va is a really good pitcher. I think this is going to be great for us. I know it无毛视频檚 non-section, but with it being Senior Night, obviously we want to win. This is going to be a good game to get used to that higher-level pitching we无毛视频檙e going to face in the playoffs.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚t should be a good game, and it无毛视频檚 definitely a big pitching meeting,无毛视频� Clark said. 无毛视频淲e无毛视频檝e got some games now against some good pitchers to try to get us ready for the playoffs.无毛视频�
Clark and Brownsville were set to face yet another strong pitcher on Thursday with a game against Yough and Jaidyn Vay.
Both Clark (PennWest California) and Barnyak (Indiana University of Pa.) will continue their careers in college, and both will leave high school as one of the best players to ever come out of their respective programs.
Barnyak has helped the Lady Mikes earn a ton of hardware with four section championship plaques, two WPIAL runner-up trophies and a PIAA runner-up trophy.
The Lady Falcons have made the postseason two years in a row for the first time in program history with Clark in the circle.
无毛视频淚t means a lot to me and my team,无毛视频� Clark said. 无毛视频淚t shows everybody has been working hard and doing what they无毛视频檙e supposed to do and not just going through the motions. We practice hard and play hard. It feels nice to go to the playoffs for the second year in a row.无毛视频�
Clark would like a playoff win this time around.
无毛视频淭hat would be so big. I don无毛视频檛 think Brownsville无毛视频檚 ever won a playoff game,无毛视频� Clark said. 无毛视频淭he chance to do that will have everybody hyped up. That would be such a great accomplishment for this team. I think we can do it.无毛视频�
Clark said she has mixed emotions with her final season winding down.
无毛视频淚 feel both sad and excited. I feel sad that I won无毛视频檛 be able to play with my teammates here any more, but then I无毛视频檓 excited to go to college and play and see how good I can do,无毛视频� said Clark, who is proud of what she无毛视频檚 done at Brownsville, but believes someone can someday come along and match her impressive accomplishments.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e thought about it and yeah, it无毛视频檚 something when I look back on what I无毛视频檝e done,无毛视频� Clark said. 无毛视频淏ut, you know, anybody else can do this, too, you无毛视频檝e just got to put your mind to it and keep working.无毛视频�
Barnyak was asked about playing in the shadow of her mother, who guided the Lady Mikes to a PIAA championship and two WPIAL titles before going on to be a starting pitcher at Pitt.
无毛视频淚t can be tough but it无毛视频檚 pretty cool at the same time,无毛视频� Barnyak said. 无毛视频淚 mean, it无毛视频檚 amazing that I get to play at the same school as my mom did, and that I无毛视频檝e had such a good career like she did.
无毛视频淏ut it can get annoying sometimes,无毛视频� she added with a laugh.
Barnyak still has a chance to surpass her mom无毛视频檚 career strikeout total.
无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 the plan,无毛视频� Barnyak said with another laugh. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 always been something that pushes me, trying to top her records. It无毛视频檚 cool to have that kind of history to chase.
无毛视频淥ne thing I无毛视频檝e always loved, like my mom did, is to go out there and play for Carmichaels and play for our community, because they无毛视频檝e been supportive throughout all these four years, so it无毛视频檚 great to give back to them.无毛视频�