One big inning boosts Avonworth, trips up Deer Lakes ace Maddie Kee in 3A title game

By: George Guido
Wednesday, June 1, 2022 | 4:01 PM

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Deer Lakes sophomore pitcher Maddie Kee did all she could to hold off the explosive Avonworth lineup in the WPIAL Class 3A softball championship game Wednesday at Lilley Field at Cal (Pa.).

The Antelopes (17-5) had the bases loaded and none out in the first, but Kee limited the damage to just a sacrifice fly by Leah Kuban that scored Sydney Savatt.

Her pitching opponent, Alivia Lantzy, smashed a double in the second to score Savatt, who reached base on an error.

The Lancers (13-5) scored in the top of the third to cut the Antelopes lead to 2-1.

Avonworth, however, answered in the bottom of the third as Cassandra Heinauer’s single scored courtesy runner Myla Azen. Again, Kee held off a big inning with two runners on and a run in.

She induced a popup to first from Emma Obersteiner and a grounder to second by Layne Shinsky.

But the Avonworth tide could be held back for only so long.

The Antelopes batted around in the fifth inning, sending 13 batters to the plate as Kuban and Rylee Gray started the decisive fifth with back-to-back doubles. Heinauer and Obersteiner followed with run-scoring singles, and Avonworth was on its way to its second WPIAL title in school history.

“Maddie Kee’s the real deal,” said Deer Lakes coach Rick Cerra. “She’s only a sophomore. I’m excited to have her for another two years. She’s only going to get better and better as she matures. I can’t say anything but good things about her.”

Shortstop Meghan Fissore was a freshman starter on Avonworth’s other WPIAL championship team in 2019 and thought there would be a big inning in the offing.

“We’ve been working all season on hitting outside pitches,” Fissore said. “That’s where she (Kee) lives, and that’s what we’ve been prepping for this game in the last week. I knew we were going to have that one big inning, and I’m glad we did.”

Savatt had a two-run single to conclude the rally.

“It was awesome,” Avonworth coach Jenna Muncie said about the big inning. “It was an offensive breakout at the perfect time.”

The Antelopes weren’t daunted by the early innings that didn’t result in a breakout.

“I think what we wanted to do was chip away and put a few runs on the board, one at a time, and that’s kind of our motto,” Muncie said. “If we could put up a few, I thought we’d be pretty good.”

As a senior, Fissore found this year’s gold medal especially satisfying.

“It’s super-exciting because I’ve had all these years of growth as a player,” she said. “Just coming out and help my team means the world to me.”

The Lancers had just three baserunners over the last four innings against sophomore Lantzy.

Cerra said both schools can look forward to similar matchups over the next two seasons as Deer Lakes and Avonworth will be in the same section.

Up next

Both schools will be in action Monday to start the PIAA playoffs.

Deer Lakes will travel north to play District 10 champion Corry. Avonworth will play the loser of Friday’s District 6 title game between Westmont Hilltop and Bald Eagle Area.

Tags: Deer Lakes