Trib HSSN softball team of the week for April 24, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, April 24, 2025 | 11:40 PM

Trib HSSN softball team of the week – Jeannette Jayhawks

Coach – Tubby Stein (fourth year)

Record – Jeannette is all alone in first in Section 3-A with a 6-0 section mark and an overall record of 7-3 with six consecutive wins.

#Earned – Jeannette’s week began with a showdown against Serra Catholic in a battle for first place between undefeated section teams. The Eagles scored a run in the first inning and it looked like it might hold up, but the Jayhawks tied it with a run in the sixth inning, then took the lead for good with a run in the seventh to take sole possession of first place with a 2-1 victory. Two days later, it was a doubleheader against rival Greensburg Central Catholic. In the first game, Jeannette scored a run in the first inning and added three more in the third as it won the opener, 4-1. In the second game, the Centurions scored four runs in the first three innings and led 5-1 after 4 ½ innings. However, the comeback Hawks scored five runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh to gain the sweep, 8-5, putting them in first place at the midway point of section play.

Standout performers – Junior Grace Stein, the daughter of head coach Tubby Stein, had a strong week at the plate and in the circle. She was lights out pitching, limiting Serra Catholic to no earned runs, four hits, no walks and 15 strikeouts in seven innings. She pitched both games of the twin bill against GCC. In the opener, she threw a complete game no-hitter, walking three and striking out 18. In the second game, she allowed no earned runs in seven innings on only one hit with three walks and 15 strikeouts. On Monday, in the win over Serra, Stein also had two hits while junior Abby Shaw and senior Mia Sarpolis each had a hit, with Sarpolis scoring a run and Shaw driving her home. In the first game against the Centurions, Stein doubled, scored and drove in one. Shaw had a triple, run scored and drove home two runs, and Sarpolis and freshman Leah Defelice each had a hit and a run scored. In Game 2 against GCC, junior Raylyn Gallik had a hit and drove in four runs, Shaw singled, scored and had an RBI while Stein had two hits, including a double and two RBIs, and Sarpolis had a hit and scored three runs.

Last year – The Jayhawks enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, but followed it up with another strong campaign in 2024. Jeannette won the first 10 games of the season by outscoring opponents 89-7. The team’s first loss was April 29 to unbeaten Frazier in a battle for first place, 5-4. After a rout of Bishop Canevin, the Jayhawks faced the Commodores again in the regular season finale with Frazier winning, 1-0. The Commodores won Section 3-A with a 12-0 record while the Jayhawks finished second at 10-2. In the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs, Jeannette blanked Northgate, 4-0. However, the season ended in the district quarterfinals with a loss to eventual WPIAL champion Chartiers-Houston. It marked the second straight season that the ‘Hawks won in the first round but lost to the eventual champs in the quarterfinals.

Remember when – In the first two years of this decade, the Jeannette softball team struggled mightily, coming out of the canceled covid season of 2020 by going a combined 2-31 in 2021 and 2022. However, the pendulum has swung big time as the Jayhawks have gone a combined 24-8 the last two years. They also enjoyed postseason success the last two springs, winning two straight first round playoff games, beating Carlynton in 2023 and Northgate in 2024 by a combined score of 20-1. It was 12 years ago when the program first tasted postseason success. In the 15th and final year of former head coach Dee Cortazzo’s coaching career, Jeannette fell behind Sewickley Academy, 3-0, and then 5-2 before the ‘Hawks scored nine runs in the last two innings to win, 11-5. Brianna Crawford went 4 for 5 to lead the Jeannette offense in the historic win.

2025 Trib HSSN Softball Teams of the Week

Week 2 – Pine-Richland Rams

Week 1 – West Mifflin Titans

Tags: Jeannette