Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules for May 18, 2021

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, May 17, 2021 | 4:38 PM

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Tuesday’s games

Class 5A

First round

Tuesday

1-Penn-Trafford (14-4) vs. 16-Hampton (7-8)

4 p.m. at Gateway

Coaches: Denny Little, Penn-Trafford; Ron Fedell, Hampton

Winner plays: Winner of 8-North Hills (12-4)/9-Trinity (8-4) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Brooke Cleland, Sr., OF, Penn-Trafford; Charlotte Lomb, Fr., P, Hampton

Extra bases: Top-seeded Penn-Trafford started 1-3 but since has won 13 of 14. The middle of the team’s order can rival any in the state with seniors Allie Prady (Fairmont State), Brooke Cleland (Seton Hill) and Emma Little (Bloomsburg). Junior Mia Smith has become a formidable strikeout pitcher and works well with the lead. The Warriors won the PIAA title in 2019 after losing in the WPIAL semis. Penn-Trafford beat Trinity and North Hills this season. Hampton can score a lot of runs but also has a few lopsided defeats. The Talbots have four wins by mercy rulebut have lost four of their last five.

2-Latrobe (10-4) vs. 15-Indiana (10-7)

4 p.m. at Valley

Coaches: Bob Kovalcin, Latrobe; Harold Wilson, Indiana

Winner plays: Winner of 7-Armstrong (12-4)/10-South Fayette (12-6) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Jenna Tallman, Jr., C, Latrobe; Sara Zimmerman, Sr., 2B, Indiana

Extra bases: Latrobe pulled a surprise No. 2 seed in the tournament after the Wildcats expected to be in the No. 5 or 6 spot. They finished second in Section 2 behind Penn-Trafford and split with the Warriors. Freshman Kayla Williams and sophomore Josie Straigis have filled in nicely for injured senior pitcher Jordan Tallman. Williams threw back-to-back no-hitters in the same day against Gateway. Indiana finished fourth in Section 1. The Indians average nearly eight runs and have won five of their last seven going into the playoffs. The Zimmerman sisters fuel the offense. Sara is hitting .423 with four home runs, 25 runs and 16 RBIs, and freshman Olivia has a .509 average with five homers and 22 RBIs.

11-Franklin Regional (9-6) vs. 6-West Allegheny (12-3)

2 p.m. at North Allegheny

Coaches: Jim Armstrong, Franklin Regional; Mindi McFate, West Allegheny

Winner plays: Winner of 3-Plum (13-3)/14-Fox Chapel (11-6) Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Madison Nguyen, So., OF, Franklin Regional; Angela Costa, Sr., P, West Allegheny

Extra bases: Franklin Regional will get another shot at the team that ended its season in 2019. West Allegheny defeated the Panthers, 4-2, in the semifinals. A talented sophomore group leads the Panthers this season, behind senior pitcher Makinzie DeRiggi. Nguyen has seven homers. The Panthers have a five-game winning streak, which followed a four-game losing streak. West Allegheny has won the last three WPIAL 5A titles and was appeared headed for a top-2 seed, but the WPIAL awarded Penn-Trafford No. 1 and Latrobe No. 2. Costa, a Farleigh Dickinson recruit, was the winning pitcher as a sophomore in the ‘19 title game. The Indians beat Western Beaver, 32-0.

Class 3A

First round

9-Derry (6-6) vs. 8-South Park (8-6)

2 p.m. at Norwin

Coaches: John DePalma, Derry; Anna Lauterbach, South Park

Winner plays: 1-Mt. Pleasant (14-3) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Isabella DePalma, So., C, Derry; Lainie Schultz, South Park

Extra bases: Derry only played a dozen games but did enough to get into the playoffs. All six of the Trojans’ wins came in Section 1 play. Senior Maddie Berger recently pitched a two-hit shutout against Shady Side Academy. The Trojans have five seniors and seven freshmen. DePalma is in his first season as coach. South Park won four out of five to get into the postseason. The Eagles tied for second with Keystone Oaks in Section 2, which was won by Avonworth.

7-Southmoreland (9-4) vs. 10-Keystone Oaks (10-5)

4 p.m. at West Mifflin

Coaches: Todd Bunner, Southmoreland; Mark Kaminski, Keystone Oaks

Winner plays: 2-North Catholic (11-4) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Amarah McCutcheon, Fr., SS, Southmoreland; Julia Piatt, Jr., P, Keystone Oaks

Extra bases: Southmoreland squeezed in four games in two days to try to finish section play, and the Scotties qualified for the postseason and are looking to make a run with a young team that includes 10 freshmen. McCutcheon is a power-hitting shortstop but is surrounded by quality hitters, including seniors Emily Eutsey and Jess Matheny. Keystone Oaks tied South Park for second in Section 2. The Golden Eagles have reached double-digit runs in eight games. They have three one-run losses, two to South Park and one to Section champ Avonworth.

Class A

6-Greensburg Central Catholic (10-4) vs. 11-Ellis School (4-5)

2 p.m. at Fox Chapel

Coaches: Mike Gaffney, Greensburg C.C.; Nathan Iverson, Ellis School

Winner plays: 3-Union (10-7) on Thursday (time, site TBD) in quarterfinals

Players to watch: Emma Henry, So., P, Greensburg C.C.; Athena Iverson, So., SS, Ellis School

Extra bases: Greensburg Central Catholic put together a nice stretch run, winning eight of nine to get into the postseason and pull into second place in Section 2 behind top-seeded West Greene. Henry has been consistent in the circle and has helped the Centurions get outs they couldn’t get in the past. Offensive threats include freshman Makenzee Kenney, sophomore Isabella Marquez and freshman Grace Kindel. Ellis School ended up third in Section 3, well behind Leechburg and Springdale. The team allowed double-digit runs in every loss, including 22-0 and 15-0 losses to Leechburg, and a 21-0 setback against Springdale.

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

Tags: Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Latrobe, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland