Mt. Pleasant softball stays in section playoff race with shutout win over Yough

By: Paul Brittain
Thursday, April 25, 2024 | 7:20 PM

Behind the two-hit pitching of GiGi Stanek, the Mt. Pleasant softball team defeated visiting Yough, 5-0, on Thursday for its third straight win, which vaulted them back into the WPIAL playoff picture.

Mt. Pleasant (9-6, 4-4) used a five-run fifth inning and stellar defense to hold the Cougars at bay while taking control of the fourth playoff position in Section 3-3A with two games remaining.

Stanek was perfect through the first three innings before giving up a walk to Yough pitcher Kylee Fisher with two outs in the fourth inning. Stanek allowed singles by Payton Jenkins in the sixth and Kylee Odelli in the seventh.

Stanek received help in taking a hit away from Kate Proctor with two outs in the seventh inning when right fielder Emma Scanlon erased Proctor on a throw to Ally Jones at first base for the final out. The play also preserved the shutout as it negated a run as Odelli crossed the plate.

Mt. Pleasant had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings. But Fisher and her defense came up with key plays each time to keep the game scoreless.

Scanlon led off the game with a single, and Dani Trainer followed with a double. A throw to the plate from shortstop Adoria Waldier to catcher Odelli caught Scanlon trying to score, and two ground outs followed to end the inning.

In the second, Jones walked, and Addison Reese singled, with both runners moving up to scoring position on a wild pitch.

But Fisher got a strike out, pop up and ground out to end the threat.

A pop up and ground out with a runner on third base ended the Vikings’ third inning as well.

But in the fourth, an infield error with two outs opened the floodgates for Mt. Pleasant’s big inning.

Ella Allison reached base on the error and stole second. Gracie Etling singled to drive in Ella Alakson, and Scanlon followed with an infield hit.

Trainer singled to drive in Etling, but Scanlon was called out on the throw to the plate. Mt. Pleasant coach Chris Brunson appealed the call to the infield umpire, and the call was reversed, giving the Vikings a 3-0 lead.

Madyson Hart singled to score Trainer, and Kendell Waters singled a few pitches later to drive in Hart for the 5-0 lead.

Yough coach Dutch Harvey brought in Waldier to pitch in the fifth inning, and she struck out two while allowing just one hit to Stanek.

Brunson said he chose Stanek as starting pitcher because she has been improving with her off-speed pitches, and he felt Yough would “really be geared up” to swing.

“At the beginning of the year, I told the girls that five wins would make the playoffs,” Brunson said. “Before today’s game I told them they had to be all in and focus. When they do that, we play well. When we’re not focused, everything goes bad.”

Harvey said he talked to his team at length after the game about making better pitch selections in the batter’s box. But he wasn’t happy with the umpiring either.

“I certainly wouldn’t recommend this (umpiring) crew for a playoff game. The home plate umpire was all over the place. It was the same thing at Ligonier Valley (a 10-0 loss).

“We just have to reset the button when we come to practice on Sunday and see what happens.”

Tags: Mt. Pleasant, Yough