Well-prepared Central Valley knocks Mt. Pleasant out of WPIAL softball playoffs
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Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | 8:49 PM
Mt. Pleasant’s Emma Leachalk throws out Central Valley’s Hannah Moskal during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s Isabella Skrlac tracks down a ball hit by Mt. Pleasant’s Kendall Waters during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Kendall Waters hits a ball to the warning track that was run down by Central Valley’s Isabella Skrlac during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s Isabella Skrlac celebrates after scoring against Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley celebrates after beating Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s Abigale Stewart celebrates on third after hitting a triple against Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s Maddie Spirnak can’t complete a double play as Mt. Pleasant’s Emma Scanlon beats the throw during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s London Banks scores against Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley starting pitcher Emma Weaver throws against Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Central Valley’s Abigale Stewart hits a triple against Mt. Pleasant during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Mt. Pleasant starting pitcher Emma Leachalk throws against Central Valley during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Mt. Pleasant’s Carly Surma tries to complete a double play over Central Valley’s Maddie Spirnak during a WPIAL Class 4A first-round softball game Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at West Mifflin High School.
Like most games, Central Valley softball players knew the assignment.
Coach Shannon Sullivan and her staff like to analyze opponents down to the finest details. They know tendencies.
“We had girls watching film during study hall,” Sullivan said. “We chart pitches and do our homework on teams. We know what hitters are going to do.”
The sixth-seeded Warriors had the look of a well-prepared team Tuesday as they dispatched No. 11 Mt. Pleasant, 6-1, in the WPIAL Class 3A first round at West Mifflin.
“You can tell they did their homework,” said Mt. Pleasant coach Chris Brunson, whose team is finished at 11-9.
Pitcher Emma Weaver, who often shares innings with Abigale Stewart, went the distance for Central Valley (12-2), which advanced to play No. 3 South Park (17-1) in the quarterfinals Thursday.
Weaver scattered five hits, struck out seven and walked one and also had two hits for the Warriors, who have won seven in a row and have allowed only 42 runs all season.
“Weaver was great on the mound, and she led us,” Sullivan said. “There were no errors on the field, and we hit the ball when we needed to. When you do those things well, you’re going to win. Momentum finds this team.”
A pair of two-out, RBI singles by Maddie Spirnak and Sonya Householder gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead in the first.
Despite leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, the Warriors added two more runs in the fifth on a run-scoring single by Spirnak, who had two RBIs, and another from Daelyn Dreher to make it 4-0.
Stewart led off the inning with a stand-up triple.
Mt. Pleasant cut it to 4-1 in the sixth on Kendall Waters’ sacrifice fly. Gracie Etling and Dani Trainer had singles to set up the run.
“I didn’t think we’d come out flat like we did,” Brunson said. “I thought we’d adjust, but we didn’t. If we got two runs up, I thought we could have applied a little more pressure.”
Aubrey Grater started the seventh with a single, and Isabella Skrlac dropped a sacrifice bunt. But a throwing error sailed into left field, and two more runs scored for the Warriors to make it 6-1.
Grater, Spirnak, Nadia Ehle and Weaver had two hits each.
Using a screwball, drop curve and rise ball, Weaver kept Mt. Pleasant off balance, although a number of hitters sent shots right at defenders.
“She hit her spots, and we made some plays,” Sullivan said. “This was a total team effort. I feel like this is our year to go.”
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Central Valley, Mt. Pleasant
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