2024 WPIAL Class 6A softball championship preview: Norwin vs. Seneca Valley

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | 12:01 AM

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2024 WPIAL Class 6A softball championship

No. 5 Norwin (10-10) vs. No. 2 Seneca Valley (20-1)

1 p.m. Friday at Lilley Field, Cal (Pa.)

How they got here: Norwin defeated Pine-Richland, 3-1, in the quarterfinals; and No. 1 Hempfield, 5-2, in the semifinals. Seneca Valley beat No. 6 Canon-McMillan, 7-1, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Norwin 0; Seneca Valley 3 (1992, ‘99, 2022)

Coaches: Brian Mesich, Norwin; Marlesse Hames, Seneca Valley

Players to watch: Rachel Minteer, Norwin; Bella Gross, Seneca Valley

Extra bases: An unlikely finals matchup that features an underdog and a favorite. Finals first-timer Norwin toppled perennial power Hempfield in the semifinals, 5-2, as Brookelyn Kotch pitched to spots and her defense made plays. Josey Michalski hit a two-run home run to start the scoring, and Minteer had three hits. Norwin lost both section matchups against the Raiders, 3-0 and 2-0. Shortstop Bailey Snowberger is a Holy Cross commit who bats .400 with five triples, 21 runs and 18 stolen bases. Her next hit will be the 100th of her career. Michalski has seven doubles, five homers and 19 RBIs. Diem Wardzinski has driven in 12. Kotch (5-2) has 64 strikeouts and 22 walks in 86 innings. Abbie Telli also has pitched for the Knights. Norwin has lost four straight to the Raiders and has not scored against them since a 10-0 win in 2022. … Seneca Valley is seeking a second WPIAL title in three years. This is the team’s third straight trip to the finals. Junior ace Lexie Hames, a Clemson commit, has 222 strikeouts and 19 walks, and has given up five earned runs all season (0.33 ERA). She throws nearly 70 mph. The Raiders defeated Canon-McMillan after an opening bye. Kate Pasquale had three hits, including a double, and Abby Kalkowski also doubled and had two RBIs. Hames allowed one hit and struck out 18. Hames has eight homers and 25 RBIs, while Bella Gross has driven in 24. Pasquale leads with a .369 average and 23 runs. … The winner advances to the PIAA playoffs and will play a first-round game Monday. The loser is done for the season.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Norwin, Seneca Valley