Williams Valley Edges West Greene for PIAA A Softball Title

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, June 16, 2016 | 10:55 PM

The PIAA Class-A Softball Championship Game pitted two very similar teams against one another and both the East Champion Williams Valley and the West Champion West Greene played a hard fought even game that would end in walk-off fashion with a Williams Valley Vikings run in the bottom of the seventh securing a 3-2 win over the Pioneers and a State Championship.

The game started with defense as the first 11 batters combined produced no base runners for either team. 

Williams Valley’s Kenna Ferron, was the first base runner of the game when she ripped a single through the right side. After a stolen base by Ferron, Megan Schadle followed with another single to right field. Ferron would score when West Greene right fielder Mackenzie Carpenter bobbled the ball. The error also allowed Schadle to advance to second. She would score on another single to right, this one a blooper by Autumn Calnon, and the Vikings had a 2-0 lead.

It didn’t take long for West Greene to answer as Linzee Stover led off the third inning with a walk. Carpenter then popped up to second but Kate Whelskie dropped the ball. Carpenter reached on a fielder’s choice as Stover was forced out at second. After a pop out by Brittany Bonnema, Jessica Orndoff was inserted as a pinch runner for Carpenter and McKenna Lampe came up with 2 outs. Lampe drove a ball over the center fielder’s head and was quickly on the heels of Orndoff rounding the bases. A little hesitation by Orndoff rounding third may have caused a jam at third base, but a relay throw from Whelskie was off the mark at third and both runners came in to tie the game at 2.

The Vikings threatened again in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with a Carly Pinchorski single, a walk to Rayanne Hawk, and a 1-out walk to Tianna Yanoscak. However West Greene pitcher Madison Renner was able to pitch out of the jam with a force out at home and a fly out to Carpenter in right field.

For the next two innings there was no threat to break the 2-2 tie.

A crucial moment came from the leadoff hitter in the top of the sixth inning. McKenna Lampe drilled a ball to the left-center field gap. As she has been all year, Lampe was over-aggressive on the bases. It has always paid off for the Pioneers, but not this time. Centerfielder Hawk got to the ball quickly and her throw was already headed to the infield as Lampe rounded second base. The relay throw from Pinchorski easily beat Lampe to third and a golden opportunity to have the speedy Lampe in scoring position with nobody out and the heart of the order coming up was squandered.

West Greene threatened again an inning later after a leadoff walk to Kaitlyn Rizor. Head Coach Billy Simms decided to have Lexie Mooney and Stover both bunt to sacrifice Rizor all the way to third with 2 outs. Carpenter then popped up to the catcher in foul territory to end the inning.

As Williams Valley came to bat in the bottom of the seventh, Renner had retired 10 of the last 11 batters she had faced. She would get two more in a row to start the seventh. The second out on a great play by Carpenter in right field to turn a would-be single into a 9-3 putout at first base. The Pioneers were one out away from extra innings when Pinchorski drew a walk and then stole second base. Hawk then sent a fly ball to right field and as Carpenter tried to track it down, lunging for the ball, it went off her glove and allowed the game-winning run to score.

Williams Valley claimed their second title in the past four years and West Greene, who had become the first team in school history in any sport to reach a PIAA Final, had to settle as runners-up.

Yanoscak got the win for the Vikings, allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks, striking out 7. Renner took the loss having not struck out a batter. She allowed 6 hits and 3 walks.

It was a great game and a great season by the Pioneers, but they fell just short of their ultimate goal.

West Greene Pioneers : 0 0 2   0 0 0   0 – 2     4     1
Williams Valley Vikings : 0 2 0   0 0 0   1 – 3     6     2

Tags: West Greene