Leechburg extends season with win over South Side in Class A softball 3rd-place game

By: George Guido
Thursday, May 27, 2021 | 9:01 PM

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Facing a possible final game in the careers of six seniors, coach Debbi Young issued a challenge to the Leechburg softball team.

“When we got to the bus today, I told them if they don’t want to play, get off the bus,” Young said. “If you want to play, let’s go. Nobody got off the bus, so here we are.”

The jaunt to Mars was worth it as the Blue Devils defeated South Side Beaver, 10-3, to earn a berth in the PIAA Class A playoffs, which begin on June 7.

Leechburg took advantage of three early Rams errors and took a 4-0 lead. The Blue Devils then broke it open in the fourth on a grand slam by sophomore Anna Cibik to cap a six-run inning.

Leechburg (13-5) will be in the state playoffs for the second straight season and the seventh time since 2004. The Blue Devils will face the winner of Monday’s District 9 title game between DuBois Central Catholic and Clarion-Limestone.

South Side Beaver, 2017 state runner-up to Minersville, finished its season at 12-5.

With two on and two out in the bottom of the first, Cibik’s pop-up near second was dropped and McKenna Pierce and Emma Ritchie scored. Leechburg had the bases loaded and none out in the second, thanks to a pair of South Side errors. Pierce’s single brought home two more runs.

“The errors killed us,” said Rams coach Amy Pieto. “I think that got the girls down to start out with.”

The Rams got on the scoreboard in the third when Giavanna Chiccarello led off with a double and came home on a wild pitch.

Up 4-1, Leechburg loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. After South Side starter Laney Lewis walked Tatum Verner with the bases loaded, Lewis was replaced by Madison Fischer. Cibik greeted Fischer with a towering blast to left center to stake the Blue Devils to a 10-1 lead, and senior pitcher Ritchie cruised after that.

Said Young: “We needed to string together some runs. That’s been something we‘ve struggled with for a while.”

Leechburg sent 11 batters to the plate in the decisive fourth.

The Rams pushed across runs in the sixth and seventh off Ritchie, but Lilly Shychuck’s pop-up to second ended the game.

“The season’s over for us,” Pieto said. “We only lose two girls, so hopefully next year, we’re back at it.”

The Leechburg defense picked four runners off base. The Blue Devils had lost a 7-2 decision to Union in Tuesday’s semifinal round.

“How we played today’s game was typical of us, I’d say, and Tuesday’s game was atypical in every way,” Young said. “Today’s game was the game that we expected.”

Fischer had three singles for South Side.

Tags: Leechburg, South Side