Westmoreland County softball notebook: Hempfield pitcher earns 6A honors

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 | 11:01 AM

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The Big 5/6 Conference, an online organization that follows teams and athletes in the WPIAL’s two largest classifications, recently announced its all-section softball teams and coaches of the year.

But it kept teams in suspense as it waited until the season-ending awards ceremony to announce players of the year.

It was worth the wait for Hempfield senior pitcher Julia Varhola, who was named the Class 6A Player of the Year.

Varhola, a James Madison commit, is 15-1 with a 2.05 ERA and 147 strikeouts for Hempfield (20-1), which will go for a WPIAL repeat Wednesday when it plays Seneca Valley (15-5) for the title at Cal (Pa.).

Varhola saw time in right field in last year’s championship game.

Fresh start

The three Westmoreland County teams that made the WPIAL finals have something in common: difference-making freshmen.

Greensburg Central Catholic baseball features freshman third baseman Carson Kramer. He was batting .614 going into the WPIAL title game.

Hempfield softball (20-1), looking for back-to-back WPIAL titles and three in four years, has two freshmen starters in twins Jayelyn and Jocelyn Luft, who have combined for 72 of the team’s 236 hits, along with 40 RBIs and 42 runs.

And Mt. Pleasant (15-4) starts three freshmen who have played key roles — left fielder and leadoff hitter Sadie Poole, shortstop Chloe Borelli and catcher Emma Miller.

Poole is hitting .418 with a team-high 25 runs and 28 hits, while Borelli, who bats second, has a .355 average with a team-leading 23 RBIs and 17 runs, and Miller bats .400 with 24 hits.

Poole and Borelli each have eight stolen bases.

Two other local freshmen who had big seasons are Morgan Maiers of Latrobe and Aria Smith of Penn-Trafford.

Maiers, who also plays basketball, volleyball and flag football, hit .586 during the regular season with six home runs and a WPIAL-high 39 RBIs.

Smith led the county in runs scored with 34.

Banner season

Speaking of freshmen, Gateway has a good one with local ties.

Pitcher Brianna Banner, who was named the Big 5/6 Section 2-5A Player of the Year, made a splash in her first prep season.

She is the daughter of former Hempfield softball player Ashley (Hainesworth) Banner, who is Gateway’s coach.

Brianna Banner finished with 122 strikeouts and also batted .512 this season.

Batting champ

Ligonier Valley has a sophomore to watch. After one season, it’s clear Elyse Witcoski is a gamer.

Witcoski led the WPIAL in batting average during the regular season with a sparkling .721 (44 for 61). She only struck out twice and finished with a 1.810 OPS, 21 RBIs, 37 runs and 21 stolen bases in 16 games.

The 5-foot-5 catcher and outfielder drove in 14 when there were two outs.

The champ is here

Hempfield has the Westmoreland County record for WPIAL softball titles with nine.

Belle Vernon is next with five (2023, ’18, ’17, ’15 and ’07), Latrobe has three (2011, ’08 and ’07), Burrell (2011, ’00), Mt. Pleasant (2021, ’16) and Valley (2010, ’07) have two, and Franklin Regional (2009), Greensburg Salem (2013), Southmoreland (2018) and Yough (2011) have one apiece.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway, Hempfield, Latrobe, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford