Plum softball team bounces back from opening loss to blank Derry

By: Michael Love
Monday, March 25, 2024 | 9:15 PM

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The Plum softball team’s season debut against Ligonier Valley on Friday was, in the eyes of the coaches and players, not their best outing.

But the Mustangs shook off the loss and rebounded in all three phases Monday at home against Derry.

The Plum offense collected eight hits, and the defense was nearly flawless behind sophomore starting pitcher Riley Stephans, who didn’t allow a hit over five innings in a 10-0 victory under sunny skies.

“I told the girls that this definitely was a good bounce-back game for us,” Mustangs coach Phil DiLonardo said. “That pitcher for Ligonier Valley (Cheyenne Piper) was really good. I also told the girls that I thought we were better than what we showed, and that came out today in what we were able to do. It was nice to get that early lead and keep control of the game.”

Plum led Derry, 6-0, after one inning and added a run in the second and three more in the fourth. Trojans designated player Kali Henigin drew a walk in the top of the fifth, but there were no further baserunners as the 10-run mercy rule went into effect to end the game.

Plum hopes to keep up the momentum Wednesday when it returns to action at rival Franklin Regional before hosting Highlands on Friday.

The Mustangs were limited to just three hits and struck out 15 times Friday in a 5-1 loss against Piper.

“This was good for us going into Wednesday’s game,” said Plum junior catcher Dani Pici, who doubled and smacked a two-run homer in the bottom of the first. “Franklin Regional is a rivalry school for us.

“Last year was a football-score game (28-19). Our hitting today was better than Friday. We cut down on all of our strikeouts.”

Derry (0-2) played its second Class 5A school in as many games to start the season. The Trojans suffered a 9-8 loss to Connellsville on March 19.

“We’re always looking to get games like this against 5A schools and even 6A schools, and to come out here and see this pitching is good for us,” Derry coach John DePalma said.

“The pitching in our section is similar to what we see in these upper levels. I know it’s early and we’ve had a number of cancellations already. To come out here on a nice day like today and not play a full game, it’s a little disappointing because you want to play a full game, win or lose. We just didn’t compete today as well as we’re capable. We didn’t have our best stuff.”

Of Plum’s six first-inning runs, only three were earned. The Derry defense committed three errors in the inning behind freshman starter Haylee Myers.

Liana Yusko got Plum on the board in the first with a run-scoring single. Yusko knocked in another run in the bottom of the fourth with a double.

After the first seven batters reached base for the Mustangs, Myers settled down and retired nine of the next 10. The one that was not retired was Stephans, who launched a two-out solo home run in the second.

She doubled home two runs in the fourth.

“Haylee has to continue to learn to be effective as a young pitcher, and she is,” DePalma said. “She threw the ball very well. We’re going to keep trying to get better and get ready for our section, which is one of the tougher sections in (WPIAL) softball.”

Stephans’ no-hitter against the Trojans is the second of her young career. She was perfect through five innings at Fox Chapel last year en route to a 12-0 victory.

On Monday, Stephans struck out six and walked three.

The only jam for her and her defense was in the third when Derry loaded the bases with one out.

Henigin walked, Alexa Darazio reached on an error, and Katie Dunlap also walked.

But Henigin strayed a little too far off third and was tagged out on a throw down by Pici.

Stephans then sent Maizie Legge down on strikes to end the threat.

“It’s been a while since I pitched in an actual game,” said Stephans, who didn’t pitch against Ligonier Valley in favor of Makenzie Marotta. “It’s been since September because of the basketball season. It got really busy. I felt I was able to develop some rhythm, and my defense was there for me, too. I felt pretty good. It was a good start.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Derry Area, Plum