Latrobe held to 3 hits in PIAA quarterfinal loss to Nazareth

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, June 7, 2018 | 7:42 PM

CARLISLE — After the traditional postgame huddle, Latrobe coach Rick Kozusko greeted each one of senior softball players.

A hug, a smile, a thank you for their time and dedication.

It was all the coach could do following the Wildcats' PIAA Class 6A quarterfinal against Nazareth.

Unfortunately, they were season-ending remarks as Latrobe fell to the Eagles, 6-0, at Carlisle High School.

“They provided great leadership for us. It was a good senior group we had,” Kozusko said. “All six of them had a big part in getting us to this point. We will miss them. They set the bar for the rest of them to live up to.”

The Wildcats (13-5) managed only three hits off Nazareth pitcher Samantha Gorkos, and the Eagles took advantage of their opportunities, scoring two runs in each of the fourth, fifth and seventh innings.

“It's been this way all year. She is a steady yeoman. She has been that way since the first day of practice,” Nazareth coach Tony Cocca said of Gorkos, who struck out nine batters on the day.

The District 11 runner-up Eagles (21-4) will face WPIAL champion Hempfield in Monday's semifinals at a time and site to be determined. Hempfield topped Baldwin, 2-1, on Thursday.

“A one-two punch. (Gorkos) was tough. We had a hard time adjusting to her,” Kozusko said. “She had a rise ball that caused us some problems, and she hit her spots pretty well. She was on fire, and their bats were on fire.”

Maddy McClary walked, Serena Smith followed with a single and each moved into scoring position on an error to open the fourth inning. Wildcats pitcher Kiley Myers got a strikeout, but things unraveled a little after that.

Paige Hahn laced an RBI single up the middle off the glove of diving Latrobe second baseman Sarah Blair. Krista Colussi drove in the second run, reaching on an error.

Blair made a nice play to gun a runner out at home on a fielder's choice, and Myers got out of the inning with another strikeout, one of her 10 for the game.

Sky Eastery led off the fifth with a single and scored on Daphney Adams' double to left, putting Nazareth up 3-0. Gorkos then helped herself by driving in Easterly.

A single by Smith, the 100th hit of her career, followed by a walk, set up Hahn, who made it 6-0 with a two-run double in the seventh.

“The last two runs were the key. I think that was very big to put the heat on that team,” Cocca said.

“Kiley is not the easiest pitcher to hit, but they managed. Credit to that team,” added Kozusko.

Steve Navaroli is a freelance writer.