Westmoreland County softball notebook: Penn-Trafford’s Allyson Paulone brought drama to 5A semifinals

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 5:26 PM

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Allyson Paulone said she had no idea she was taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning Tuesday in the WPIAL 5A softball semifinals. None.

“I was just going along,” the Penn-Trafford pitcher said. “I knew my defense was playing well behind me, but I wasn’t thinking about (a no-hitter). Nobody was saying anything about it in the dugout.”

The crafty sophomore right-hander added: “I tried to look at it as just another game.”

North Hills broke up the no-hit bid with a bloop single in the top of the seventh, but Paulone was fine settling for a one-hit shutout to send her team back to the WPIAL finals for the first time since 2022.

The Warriors (20-2) won 7-0 behind an error-free defensive effort and two-hit games from Rilie Moors and Cam Ponko.

Three strikeouts and one walk don’t seem like much, but what Paulone’s performance lacked in numbers, it made up for in suspense. Paulone had fans and media on high alert as she took the no-no into the seventh.

It was a far cry from the last outing for Paulone, who struggled late against Chartiers Valley as the Warriors held on for a 14-11 quarterfinal win.

“I gave up a couple more runs than I wanted to,” she said. “I just had to flush it and move on to the next game.”

Penn-Trafford coach Denny Little, who pulled Paulone against Chartiers Valley and replaced her with Jadyn Pellis before putting Paulone back in the game, said he expected his top pitcher to bounce back.

Chartiers Valley broke into a 12-6 deficit with five runs over the last two innings. Right fielder Giuliana Youngo made a terrific diving catch to stop the bleeding and seal the win for Penn-Trafford.

“A real peace came over me (Monday night),” Little said. “Allyson has pitched around 45 games. She is a resilient kid. I had a feeling she was going to come out and do something great.”

Paulone and Pellis combined on a five-inning no-hitter when the Warriors blanked Kiski Area, 12-0.

Fit to be tied

Hempfield and Seneca Valley began playing regularly in 2022 as Class 6A opponents.

Since then, they have played even. In fact, they are both 5-5 in 10 meetings.

That means a tie will be broken in next week’s WPIAL championship, their second title-game meeting in three years.

Seneca Valley took two of three from Hempfield in 2022, including a 7-2 win in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

Since then, the teams have gone back and forth with neither winning two in a row against the other.

In 2023, Hempfield won the first meeting 3-2 as Riley Miller struck out 10 and Lexie Hames fanned 12.

In the rematch, Hames struck out 18 and hit a three-run homer in a 3-0 win for the Raiders.

Hempfield walked off the Raiders to win the WPIAL championship, 2-1, as Mia Bandieramonte blasted an eighth-inning home run into the night sky at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.

Last season, Hames fanned 18 in a 2-0 no-hitter before the Spartans responded with a 15-2 bludgeoning.

This year, Seneca Valley won the opener 2-1 as Hames tossed a one-hitter with 18 Ks before Hempfield avoided a sweep with a 1-0 win. Miller and Hames allowed one hit apiece.

Hempfield is 21-13 all-time against the Raiders, including 5-3 in the playoffs.

Record breaker

Hempfield junior Claire Mitchell broke a program record in Tuesday’s 8-2 6A semifinal win over Canon-McMillan.

Mitchell scored her 37th run of the season, breaking the single-season mark of 36 set by Lauren Howard in 2023.

Waldier picks Edinboro

Yough’s only senior this season has a college destination.

Adoria Waldier, who missed most of the season with a torn ACL, made a verbal commitment to Edinboro, a Division II program in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

She also considered Point Park, which was evident at her reveal party.

Waldier played sparingly late in the season, only batting as the DP while the Cougars made an unsuccessful push for a playoff spot.

She hit a two-run homer in her first at-bat of the season.

Last season, Waldier hit .433 with 18 RBIs.

She will join her football-playing brothers, Tristan and C.J., at Edinboro.

State playoffs

Penn-Trafford qualified for the PIAA 5A playoffs. Hempfield can advance to the 6A state tournament if it wins the WPIAL title.

Soft toss

Belle Vernon’s Victoria Selembo committed to Waynesburg. She has played first base, third base and left field in high school and travel ball. … The WPIAL finals in 6A and 5A will feature No. 1 vs. No. 2 seeds, Hempfield-Seneca Valley in 6A and Penn-Trafford-Shaler in 5A. Class 4A has No. 5 (Blackhawk) vs. No. 2 (Hampton). The Nos. 1 and 2 seeds are still alive in 3A, 2A and A.

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

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Yough