Shaler Dethrones Canon-Mac For AAAA Softball Championship

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, May 30, 2014 | 2:37 AM

No. 2 Shaler (17-3) turned it on late, erupting for four runs in the sixth inning and running away with a 9-5 victory over top-seeded Canon-McMillan (18-4) in the WPIAL AAAA Softball Championship on Thursday night at California University of Pennsylvania’s Lilley Field.

The Titans, who claim their third WPIAL softball crown and first since 2005, were helped out in a major way by six costly errors by the Big Macs.

“Chaotic,” said Shaler Center Fielder Haley Dengler. “Just so shocked. I knew we could do it, it was just us pulling through.”

Until the sixth inning, it was a back-and-forth offensive battle, as both teams would cough up multi-run leads. The two squads, who both qualify for the PIAA Playoffs, combined for 14 runs, 18 hits and nine errors.

Canon-McMillan opened the scoring in the first inning as back-to-back singles by Linda Rush and Brittany Crawford, coupled with an error by Jacey Schott, would be followed by consecutive sacrifice flies by Abby McCartney and Olivia Lorusso, giving the Big Macs a 2-0 lead.

But the next five runs would belong to Shaler. The Titans would cut the lead in half in the second inning, as Lyndsey Lakatos would single and score on an RBI double by Rachel Nyman.

Shaler would add on in the following inning, as Schott would draw a leadoff walk and score two batters later on a throwing error by Canon-McMillan Pitcher Tara Fowler, tying the game at 2-2. Dengler would then score on a sacrifice fly by Shaler Pitcher Brianna Dobson, giving the Titans their first lead. Taylor Jones, a courtesy runner for AJ Nichols, would then score on an RBI base hit by Amanda Sartori.

The Titans would gain another run in the fourth inning. After Schott reached first on an error by Big Mac Second Baseman Aly Bellaire, she would score on a base hit by Dengler, pushing the Shaler lead to 5-2.

But Canon-McMillan would storm back in the fifth inning. After Jada Kemp’s infield single, Rush and Crawford would fly out to right field. But with two outs, McCartney would drive a run scoring triple to the gap. In the following at bat, McCartney would come home on a double by Lorusso. Giorgiana Zeremenko would then single home Lorusso, tying the game at 5-5.

Shaler would respond buy batting around in the bottom of the sixth inning. Kayla Seidl would pinch hit and drive a leadoff single. Mia Sipple would attempt to sacrifice Seidl to second, but instead reached base as Dobson elected to throw to second base. The throw was late, allowing runners to reach first and second base on the play. A walk to Schott would load the bases for Dengler, who would sacrifice home the go-ahead run, scoring Seidl.

“I needed to get the ball in play,” said Dengler, who finished 2 for 2 with two RBI. “I went to my coach since they called timeout and he said that I was the only one he wanted up there and I knew I had to do it for him.”

A walk to Nichols would load the bases and, after a fielder’s choice groundout by Dobson, Lauren Miller would hit a ball sharply towards Bellaire, who would not be able to handle the ball. The error would score two runs, giving Shaler an 8-5 lead. Sartori would cap the scoring in the following at bat, singling home Dobson.

Dobson would then turn around and retire Canon-McMillan 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, giving Shaler the AAAA Championship. The Sophomore Pitcher would scatter ten hits over a complete game effort, allowing four earned runs. She struck out four batters and walked none.

Her counterpart, Fowler, was charged with just five earned runs of the nine she allowed. She allowed eight hits over six innings, while striking out one batter and walking three.

Eight of the nine players in the Canon-McMillan lineup recorded a hit, with Rush and Lorusso both singling twice. Lorusso added two RBI in the contest for the Big Macs, who will meet either District 8, 9 or 10 Champions in the PIAA First Round.

Shaler advances to the PIAA Playoffs as the top seed from District 7 and will meet Latrobe, who defeated Penn-Trafford 2-1 in the WPIAL AAAA Consolation Game on Thursday.

Shaler          0-1-3-1-0-4-X = 9-8-3
Canon-Mac 2-0-0-0-3-0-0 = 5-10-6