Hempfield gets revenge against Norwin
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Thursday, April 24, 2025 | 8:41 PM
Hempfield waited 11 months and two days for this opportunity. Nearly one year of stewing over a semifinal loss that, in the Spartans’ eyes, cost them another WPIAL softball championship.
Norwin upset mighty Hempfield to advance to the final for the first time, sending the No. 1 seed home shocked and humbled.
But the Knights were not as fortunate Thursday when Hempfield finally got its chance at redemption.
After a slow start and an initial trip through the order, top-ranked Hempfield put up four runs in the third inning on the way to a 5-1 Class 6A section victory at Robert D. Kalp Field, laying to waste the early playoff exit while keeping their record perfect.
“We wanted to clear the air,” Spartans catcher Ella Berkebile said. “We thought about that loss. We knew we had to come out with a lot of energy. Staying undefeated is another bonus.”
For the first time this season in a section game, Hempfield (14-0, 10-0) did not win via the 10-run rule and had to go seven innings against Norwin (5-9, 5-6), which has a much different makeup than last year’s WPIAL runner-up team.
The Knights could not rally against ace pitcher Riley Miller, who struck out nine, walked two and gave up three hits.
“We had two outs in a inning, then we’d make a boo-boo,” Norwin coach Brian Mesich said. “You have to play clean. They are an impressive hitting team.”
Berkebile went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBIs, and Lauren Howard continued her offensive onslaught with two hits, including a double and an RBI in the Spartans’ 22nd straight section win.
No. 9 hitter Morgan Walt also doubled as part of a 2-for-3 day.
Hempfield has been on some kind of tear of late but cooled off some, a product of a matchup against a quality section rival and too many pop-ups.
Consider: As a team, Hempfield came in with a .453 batting average, .499 on-base percentage and .743 slugging percentage. It was averaging 12 runs.
But Norwin was a different animal.
“Norwin is always cut-throat when they play us,” Hempfield coach Tina Madison said. “They play their best game against us. This was a big game for both teams. Our leaders stepped up when we needed them to. We were better one time through the lineup. We had too many flyouts. That’s what happened last year. We could have been like, oh no, not again.”
Five straight hits — with two outs — propelled the Spartans to a 4-0 lead in the third. Claire Mitchell, Allie Cervola, Howard and Miller singled — Cervola and Miller had infield hits — and Howard knocked in the first run and Miller the second.
That brought up Berkebile, who sent a towering shot off the fence in left for a two-run double.
Norwin scored its run in the fifth on a pair of two-out doubles. Graci Castelli sent a drive to right and eventually came around to score on leadoff hitter Maddie Kugler’s double to make it 4-1.
“They’re a machine,” Mesich said. “Plug and play.”
Howard doubled off the fence in left with one out in the fifth, then stole second. She scored on an RBI single by Berkebile for a 5-1 advantage.
“Riley was throwing really hard,” Madison said. “We just want to be ready for these games. We needed a game like this.”
Miller forced Norwin into 11 groundouts and one flyout. Nine of the groundouts went to Howard, the second baseman who was positioned closer to first all afternoon.
Miller threw outside pitches, and Norwin consistently sent the ball toward the right side.
“We hit too many balls on the ground instead of hitting drives,” Mesich said. “I teach anatomy; that’s complicated. Making routine plays should not be.”
Howard, who was hitting .714, said the win was a relief.
“We all knew we could beat them,” she said. “We have so many powerful players in our lineup. We knew we would come through.”
Hempfield has outscored opponents 162-18.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
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