Greensburg-Salem Claims It’s First WPIAL Class AAA Softball Gold

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, May 30, 2013 | 7:01 PM

Eleven hits and two big innings, that what it took for Greensburg Salem to pick up it’s first WPIAL softball gold as the Golden Lions defeated the Ambridge Bridgers 8 -0 in the Class AAA championship game at Lilley Field. Jayne Oberdorf allowed just four hits and struck out ten for the win, she has fanned 218 batters this season and picked up her 14th shutout. Kellie Hutchinson went 3 for 4 and drove in four runs. 

The Golden Lions posted a three spot in the top of the first, Claire Oberdorf led off with a single and was bunted to second. Kellie Hutchinson doubled home Oberdorf, Taylor Mehan followed with a single to plate Hutchinson. With two outs, Maggie Kallock singled up the middle to bring home Mehan.

Jayne Oberdorf allowed just a single to Hannah Krokonko in the first innng, she set down eight straight thru the first three innings. Krokonko singled to lead off the fourth, but the Bridgers could not get a runner past second base. Oberdorf said the big lead helped her in the circle, when asked how many shutouts she had on the season, the Marist recruit said she had no idea.

Greensburg Salem plated a run in the fifth, Claire Oberdorf reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch, Karly Mellinger singled her to third and Kellie Hutchinson singled to left to score the run. Ambridge had an opportunity to get on the board in the bottom of the fifth, Lauren Sivewright led off with a single and stole her way to third base, but Jayne Oberdorf got three consecutive strikeouts to strand the runner at third.

The Golden Lions opened the lead with four runs in the sixth, an rbi single for pitch hitter Madison Hantz and a two run single by Hutchinson, Mehan grounded out to short to score another run. 

Kallock had two hits and drove in a run, Claire Oberdorf scored three times, Mehan drove in two runs. The road to the championship wasn’t easy for the Golden Lions, rallying to defeat 16 seed Highlands in the first round 6-5, knocking off Blackhawk 2-0 in the quarters and taking ten innings spread out over two days to rally to beat West Allegheny 3-2. Jayne Oberdorf said it feels like the playoffs have lasted forever with all the close games and there is still more to come for the Golden Lions. Greensburg Salem is now 21-3 and will meet District 9 champion St. Mary’s in Monday’s first round of the PIAA playoffs.

Kelly Haslett took the loss for the Bridgers allowing six runs on ten hits, she struck out one. Hannah Smith came on in relief and allowed two runs in 1.2 innings of work. Krokonko and Sivewright accounted for all of the Bridgers hits, Krokonko was 2 for 2 and Sivewright was 2 for 3. Ambridge is 16-4 on the season, it’s the fifth title game loss for Ambridge, falling in 1982, 1993 and three of the last four years in 2010-11. The Bridgers will meet Holidaysburg in the state playoffs Monday.

GREENSBURG SALEM GOLDEN LIONS 3 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 4  – 0  8 -11 – 0
AMBRIDGE BRIDGERS   0 –  0 –  0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0       0 – 4 – 2

Tags: Ambridge, Greensburg Salem