Ligonier Valley’s Cheyenne Piper selected Tribune-Review Westmoreland Softball Player of the Year
By:
Saturday, June 22, 2024 | 7:23 PM
“Fight, fight, fight!”
Cheyenne Piper started that chant, and it caught on in the Ligonier Valley dugout.
The senior softball pitcher who took the WPIAL by storm this postseason with a rash of no-hitters wants people to remember her for that chorus, for that fight.
When Piper was fired up, so were her teammates.
“I started this cheer, and it made people laugh at us, but it also served as means of humble motivation,” Piper said. “We knew we needed to work hard and fight for what we now have, because walking into a mindset expecting to win without any work behind the expectation was a recipe for disaster.”
Piper put in the time, repeatedly shutting down batters with her movement and change in speed while guiding the Rams (16-7) to a section title and WPIAL 3A semifinal and PIAA playoff appearances.
As a result, she is the TribLive Westmoreland Softball Player of the Year.
Toryn Fulton of Franklin Regional, Bailey Snowberger of Norwin, Grace Stein of Jeannette and Makayla Etling of Southmoreland also were considered.
The glasses-clad Piper threw three consecutive no-hitters, one against Indiana to close the regular season, then against Keystone Oaks and Ellwood City in the first two rounds of the WPIAL playoffs.
The Keystone Oaks win was a perfect game. She fanned 11 straight to close down Ellwood City and finished with 17 strikeouts.
“Cheyenne is a bulldog, and she hits her spots,” Ligonier Valley coach Mark Zimmerman said. “She has that inner fire.”
Piper finished with a 16-7 record and a 1.08 ERA. She struck out 252 and walked 15 in 1492⁄3 innings.
“She is cool on the mound,” Avonworth coach Jenna Muncie said.
Also an offensive threat for the Rams, Piper had seven doubles and drove in nine runs.
Piper said the season exceeded her expectations.
“That’s because of our team,” she said. “We worked so well together, and we were truly a family. I accomplished my goals for sure, but if I didn’t, it was definitely made up in some other way.
“I do believe that I’ve made a name for myself. A lot of people doubted what I could do and what our team could do, and they were definitely proven wrong. There was no prospect for us to be section champs, let alone finish third in our district and be part of the best 16 teams in the state. A lot were surprised at what we brought to the competition.”
First team all-stars
Makayla Etling
Jr., C, Southmoreland
UNC Pembroke commit led the Scotties with a .538 batting average, 1.712 OPS and 1.153 slugging percentage, and had a team-high eight home runs, 24 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
Toryn Fulton
Jr., SS, Franklin Regional
The South Florida recruit was one of the WPIAL’s toughest outs. She batted .673 with a 2.019 OPS, 1.296 slugging percentage and .722 on-base percentage. She had eight doubles, seven home runs, 26 RBIs and 31 runs. She did not strike out and was intentionally walked 10 times.
Maggie Howard
Sr., OF, Hempfield
The Georgetown commit was an offensive leader for the 6A Spartans. She batted a team-best .571 with 32 hits, including five doubles, three triples, three home runs and 17 RBIs. She also had 11 stolen bases.
Makenzee Kenney
Sr., IF, Greensburg Central Catholic
An experienced hitter and team leader for the Centurions, she led Westmoreland County with a .667 batting average. She also drove in 29 runs to pace the 2A playoff team.
Amarah McCutcheon
Sr., SS, Southmoreland
The Cal (Pa.) commit hit .404 with seven home runs, including three in one game, 16 RBIs and 19 runs scored. She also had a 1.000 slugging percentage and 1.509 OPS for 3A playoff team.
Riley Miller
Jr., P, Hempfield
The reining county player of the year and Kent State commit finished 13-2 with a 1.09 ERA for the 6A Spartans, who reached the WPIAL semifinals. She struck out 92 and walked 23 in 77 1⁄3 innings.
Cam Ponko
Jr., 3B, Penn-Trafford
The Warriors’ slugger batted .500 with a .549 on-base percentage and .968 slugging percentage. She had 32 hits, including 10 doubles, six home runs, 25 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
Gionnah Ruffner
Sr., C, Greensburg Salem
The Seton Hall recruit led the Golden Lions in every offensive category for four seasons. This year, she batted .519 with 10 doubles, three homers and 23 RBIs. She threw out five would-be base stealers.
Bailey Snowberger
Sr., SS, Norwin
The Holy Cross commit led the 6A Knights to their first WPIAL championship game appearance. She batted .400 with 25 hits, 22 runs, a 1.215 OPS and 18 stolen bases. She had 100 career hits.
Grace Stein
So., P, Jeannette
The fast-rising Jayhawks’ ace went 12-3 with a 1.02 ERA and 202 strikeouts for a Class A playoff team. She had only five walks in 89 innings and also batted .467 with 20 stolen bases.
Adoria Waldier
Jr., 3B, Yough
She helped lead the 3A Cougars to the WPIAL playoffs while hitting .433 with 18 RBIs and 18 runs scored. She also had a 2-0 pitching record and a save.
Kayla Williams
Sr., P, Latrobe
She finished the season with 10 wins, a 2.65 ERA and 166 strikeouts while leading the Wildcats to their first PIAA berth since 2018. The Slippery Rock commit finished with 417 career strikeouts. She also hit .367 with three homers and 20 RBIs.
Second team all-stars
Maddie Brown
Sr., P, Southmoreland
Ciara Camacho
Jr., C/OF, Franklin Regional
Allie Cervola
Jr., SS, Hempfield
Sydnee Foust
Jr., C, Ligonier Valley
Emily Griffith
Sr., 1B, Hempfield
Lauren Howard
So., 3B, Hempfield
Mack Keenan
Sr., C, Penn-Trafford
Grace Kindel
Sr., OF, Greensburg Central Catholic
Josey Michalski
Sr., 3B, Norwin
Gracie Sokol
Sr., 1B, Belle Vernon
Danica Trainer
Sr., P/IF, Mt. Pleasant
Corrine Wright
Sr., 2B, Latrobe
Third team all-stars
Sara Blossey
So., OF, Latrobe
Taylor Doppelheuer
Jr., 3B, Southmoreland
Erin Drotos
Sr., 1B, Penn-Trafford
Kylee Fisher
Fr., P, Yough
Peyton Heisler
Sr., OF, Hempfield
Joey Hurst
So., IF/P, Monessen
Brookelyn Kotch
Sr., P, Norwin
Macee Magill
Sr., IF, Greensburg Central Catholic
Haylee Myers
Fr., P/1B, Derry
Allyson Paulone
Fr., P, Penn-Trafford
Emma Scanlon
Sr., OF, Mt. Pleasant
Allie Scarpa
So., P, Greensburg Salem
Katie Sokol
IF, Jr., Belle Vernon
Abigail Springer
Jr., SS, Ligonier Valley
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Monessen, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland, Yough
More High School Sports
• Kiski Area School Board set to vote on hiring athletic director• Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Ligonier Valley’s Sydnee Foust
• A-K Valley Senior Spotlight: Kiski Area’s Bella Horcicak
• High school sports scores, schedule for Dec. 8, 2024
• This week on Trib HSSN for week of Dec. 9, 2024