Bailey’s gem boosts Interboro into semifinal round

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PROSPECT PARK >> Interboro catcher Haley Barrett knew during the first inning that Wednesday would be one of those dominant days for her pitcher, Bridget Bailey.

Bailey’s coaches knew it as soon as their phone pinged Wednesday morning with the first response to a pump-up group text ahead of their District 1 Class 5A quarterfinal game.

“I said, ‘I refuse to lose,’” Bailey recounted. “I do not want to lose today. I refuse to take a loss today.”

Bailey backed up the talk with a masterful performance. Not one Upper Moreland batter put the ball in play, Bailey recording a no-hitter with 21 strikeouts in a 3-1 win for the Bucs that seals a berth in the semis and a second straight states berth.

Bailey was unhittable. She got 18 of her strikeouts swinging and three looking, in what she reckons was a career performance for her at any level. The only blemish was a hit by pitch to leadoff hitter Chloe Tice in the fourth inning. Tice stole second and third, and then scampered home when catcher Haley Barrett’s overthrow bounced into the outfield.

But that was the lone breakthrough, Bailey pumping fastball after fastball into the zone and daring Upper Moreland to get a bat on them.

They didn’t.

“I know the way (assistant coach Dave) Wilson is calling my pitches, he’s going to wait and he’s going to wait and wait and wait and change it up if we have to,” Bailey said. “But there’s no need to change it if it’s working.”

“She’s been on fire recently, and we just go through our daily warmup, throw regular stuff,” Barrett said. “But every day, I think she throws harder. And I know she wants it on this team more than anyone. And that really impacts the way she throws. If she didn’t want it so bad, she wouldn’t throw that like.”

It turns out that the Bucs (16-5) needed all of that brilliance from Bailey to book a spot in the semis against West Chester Henderson, which upset crosstown rival and top seed East 6-5 in nine innings.

That was partly because her opposite number, Jenna Sadowski, was just as tenacious. She didn’t showcase the same proficiency in the circle as Bailey, allowing nine hits, two walks and 15 total baserunners. But she battled, striking out six and benefitting from some slick defense plays — led by shortstop Brianna Hughes — to escape trouble time and again.

“I’d like to say both pitchers were on today,” Tice said. “Jenna, she always has great games, and she really pulled through for us.”

Sure enough, Bailey supplied the hit that finally provided some cushion. The Bucs went up 2-0 after two innings despite running into three outs on the bases. Sam Bellano singled to lead off the game, advanced to third via an error and a wild pitch, then scored on Kate Patton’s single. Emily Gavin opened the second with a walk and scored on an overthrow from the outfield on Brielle Kerwood’s single.

But Tice’s beaning and dash around the bases offered the Bears momentum in the fourth. It lasted an inning and a half, until nine-hitter Hailey Wittorf led off with a single. A sacrifice and an error gave Bailey the chance to help her cause, and she obliged by stinging a single up the middle to plate Wittorf.

“As a pitcher, it’s really relaxing to know that you can have people behind you hitting well,” Bailey said. “Last year, I didn’t hit at all, so it was out of my hands. But this year, I feel like I can at least help out and everything. It’s nice to have a little bit of control with my team.”

Batting struggles are nothing new for the Bucs, Barrett said. But Bailey’s radiance gave the lineup both breathing room to come around and the extra motivation to give a stellar pitcher a hand.

“A lot of it has to do with, Bridget throws a hell of a game every game,” Barrett said. “And for her to work that hard, you don’t want to throw it back in her face by not supporting her at the plate. We do it for her and make everyone proud.”

The team achievement shines through in a second straight states trip. The Bucs last year fell in the district final to Henderson and won a first-round states contest, loading the weight of expectations onto this campaign.

Bailey and her teammates understood that, the seniors in particular. And for the Kutztown commit to rise to the occasion in such spectacular fashion with the season on the line, Barrett and company couldn’t seem to find enough superlatives to heap on their hurler.

“It’s crazy. It gives a feeling to the entire team,” Barrett said. “She’s incredible, and I don’t think we could do it without her. … It means a lot for Interboro to do this. You don’t see many teams making it to states, two years in a row, especially. You see so many people here, and I think that brings a lot to the team.”

“It means a lot,” Bailey said. “There was so much pressure on our team. I know our whole team felt a lot of pressure, especially from our school to see if we can go back again. … There was a lot of pressure from both teams, but it feels amazing to have that.”

Matthew De George

Matthew De George
Matthew De George is the Asst. Sports Editor and the lead Union writer for The Daily Times.

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