Latrobe softball team eager to return to field

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, April 19, 2018 | 8:18 PM

It was back to the gym for the Latrobe softball team Thursday afternoon thanks to another snowy and cold spring day.

Since they defeated Fox Chapel on April 11, the Wildcats have had three games postponed because of weather.

Now, the No. 2-ranked Wildcats are preparing for a tough stretch in which they are scheduled to play four games in five days, beginning Friday with a Section 2-6A game at Norwin (3-2, 2-2).

Cross your fingers, but the weather forecast for the next week isn't calling for any rain or snow.

“We just want to play games,” Latrobe coach Rick Kozusko said. “You prepare your team to play, and then you get canceled. It gets frustrating.

“So we go into the gym and prepare for our next game. It's always a good time to work on things. You try to keep them sharp and get them in game mode.”

After the Norwin game Friday, Latrobe (5-0, 5-0) is scheduled to host Class 4A No. 2 Yough in a nonsection game Saturday and No. 1 Hempfield on Monday before heading to Penn Hills on Tuesday.

Kozusko said he will learn a lot about his team during this stretch of games. Latrobe has outscored its opponents 58-1.

Latrobe is slotted a spot behind Hempfield in the Tribune-Review rankings, though some coaches said they think the Wildcats might have the best team in the WPIAL and maybe the state.

Kozusko said time will tell.

“We have a very good team,” Kozusko said. “We'll worry about rankings at a later date.”

A trio of pitchers, led by junior Kiley Myers, has dominated opposing hitters. Myers has thrown 15 innings and has struck out 23. She's been clocked in the mid-60s on her fastball.

Senior Rebecca Tatone has thrown six innings and fanned 12, and freshman Jordan Tallman has nine strikeouts in four innings.

Leadoff batter Sarah Blair, a senior, and Carissa Scekeres each have scored nine runs, and Karley Kovatch has eight RBIs and Makayla Munchinski has seven.

“We're all hoping for some warm weather,” Blair said. “We just have to continue to work hard and stay focused. We can't let expectations get to us. We know we have the potential of being good.”

Hempfield defeated Latrobe three times in 2017, including 13-2 in the WPIAL Class 6A finals. Latrobe, which lost 3-1 and 3-0 during the regular season, was leading 2-0 early and almost saw the lead go to 6-0 when Regan McCracken's grand slam bid was caught at the fence.

“It's hard not to look ahead,” Blair said. “We've played against Hempfield (or West Point), for years. The games are always exciting.”

Kozusko had his team working on different game situations at practice Thursday.

“Our focus is on Norwin,” Kozusko said. “They had six hits against us in the first meeting (a 7-0 Latrobe win). We've been hitting the ball well. Now, we just want to play games.”

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.