Seneca Valley’s Lexie Hames nearly untouchable in shutout vs. Norwin
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Monday, April 21, 2025 | 9:43 PM
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames delivers against Norwin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames delivers against Norwin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames trades places with pinch runner Brielle White after being intentionally walked Monday.
Seneca Valley’s Olivia Herrem drives in the game’s first run during the first inning on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames delivers against Norwin on Monday.
Norwin’s Makenna Black bats against Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames on Monday.
Norwin pitcher Abbie Telli delivers against Seneca Valley on Monday.
Seneca Valley’s Lauren Folino connects on a double against Norwin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Seneca Valley’s Abby Kalkowski celebrates her 2-run double against Norwin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames talks with Norwin first baseman Rachel Minteer after drawing a walk on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Norwin pitcher Abbie Telli works through a rain shower against Seneca Valley on Monday.
Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames celebrates the second out of fifth inning against Norwin on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
Norwin second baseman Isabella Deering catches a ball in shallow right field against Seneca Valley on Monday, April 21, 2025, at Norwin.
After losing to Pine-Richland twice in a five-day span, Seneca Valley went into its next softball game with some pent-up frustrations.
Ace pitcher Lexie Hames and the third-ranked Lady Raiders took it out on Norwin.
Hames was on her game in a big way, striking out 19, including the final 17 Lady Knights hitters, in a clean, 6-0 one-hitter Monday in a Class 6A section game in gray-skied North Huntingdon.
Hames did not walk a batter and was boosted by an eight-hit attack that included a four-RBI day from Bella Gross, who went 2 for 4 for the reigning WPIAL champions.
Olivia Herrem also had two hits, including an RBI double, and Abby Kalkowski contributed a two-run double for the Raiders (9-2, 7-2), who added to Hames’ cushion with a four-run sixth.
Catcher Makenna Black had the only hit for Norwin (5-7, 5-4), a soft single over the shortstop to lead off the second inning.
Norwin bats barely touched the ball from there as Hames mixed speeds and made batters chase, weaving a tapestry of Ks in a light rain.
“We had some leftover feelings from the loss (to Pine-Richland),” said Hames, a Clemson commit who moved to 8-1 for the season and 54-10 for her career. “I was striking out 15 on 90 pitches, and we were up 8-1 (in the seventh at Pine-Richland) but they were only calling strikes if they swung. It was tough to overcome. I felt confident today. Once we got some hits, I settled in.”
Just three days after losing 3-2 to Pine-Richland, Seneca Valley watched the Rams score eight runs Thursday in the seventh as Hames walked five in the inning and was replaced in the circle by Kalkowski, who was tagged with the stunning 9-8 walk-off loss.
The Raiders said the strike zone tightened, and Pine-Richland took advantage.
“It was frustrating because the zone changed so much,” Raiders coach Marlesse Hames said. “It was totally different in the last inning. We had to let it go and move on and focus on what we can control. I told Lexie, that game doesn’t define you.”
No, games like the one she threw Monday have, though, and there have been many like it.
Hames recently topped 800 career strikeouts.
“I don’t know if I have struck that many out in a row like that before,” Hames said.
Seneca Valley-Norwin was a rematch of last year’s WPIAL championship won by Seneca Valley, 4-3.
The Raiders edged Norwin, 3-2, earlier this season. The Knights have had success getting on base and moving over runners against Hames in the past, but the flame-throwing right-hander was untouchable this time.
Diem Wardzinski was the only other hitter to put the ball in play against Hames, but she flew out to right in the second.
“She threw hard today,” Norwin coach Brian Mesich said of Hames. “You have to be mentally ready for something like that. When she’s throwing gas like that, it’s tough. It’s frustrating, but we went down swinging.”
Herrem’s run-scoring double and an error allowed the Raiders to take a 2-0 lead in the first against Norwin ace Abbie Telli, who struck out seven and walked six while scattering eight hits.
Hames, who also carries a big bat, was the leadoff hitter instead of her usual cleanup spot. Still, she wasn’t able to do much offensively: She was intentionally walked in her first two at-bats, then walked two more times before flying out in her fifth trip to the batter’s box for an 0-for-1 day.
Hames was been walked on purpose nine times in her last three games.
“It’s my senior year, and I want to swing the bat,” Hames said. “But I trust my teammates to get the job done.”
Seneca Valley finally scored again in the sixth with a two-out surge. Emry Rice started the rally with a single, and Hames walked, setting up Kalkowski’s two-run double.
After Neve Miller walked to load the bases, Gross ripped a two-run single down the first-base line to make it 6-0.
Lauren Folino also doubled, and Rice had two hits for the Raiders.
“This felt more like who we are,” Marlesse Hames said, “and what we’re about.”
Seneca Valley has outscored its opponents 84-18.
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Norwin, Seneca Valley
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