With new players in lineup, Chartiers Valley softball looks to build on last season’s success

By: Ted Sarneso
Sunday, March 23, 2025 | 11:01 AM

Previous Next

Last season was a year of milestones for the Chartiers Valley girls softball team.

The Colts finished the year with an overall record of 18-5, which was the most wins in school history.

Then, they made it to the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals where they lost to Elizabeth Forward. It was the fourth consecutive year in which the Colts made it to the semifinal round.

Finally, they beat Cathedral Prep in the first round of the PIAA playoffs, which was the first state tournament win in school history. Their season ended with a loss to Elizabeth Forward in the state quarterfinals.

Following all that up won’t be easy, but the Colts have the pieces in place to set their sights just as high in 2025.

“The first goal is to win the section,” said coach Chris Lloyd. “From there, we will look to get past the semifinal hump in WPIALs, get a championship and then get to states.”

This year, Chartiers Valley is back up in Class 5A, where the competition is a step up from 4A, but Lloyd isn’t too concerned.

“We’ve been up in 5A before, so we know what to expect,” Lloyd said. “We need to continue to hit, but our defense has to be better than it was for us to be successful.”

Although the Colts dropped their first two nonsection games, first a 4-0 loss to Neshannock and then a 13-0 defeat at the hands of Plum, there is still plenty of firepower in the lineup that, once awakened, will provide plenty of runs.

It starts with 2024 all-state and all-section selection Lily Duffill, a junior who will look to improve upon her numbers from a year ago.

Last year as a sophomore, the catcher and Penn State commit had a .527 average and collected 39 hits and 52 RBIs while hitting seven doubles, a pair of triples and slugging 17 home runs. She also scored 25 runs and only struck out five times all season.

“You always worry about a sophomore slump, but Lily only got better as the season went on last year,” said Lloyd. “She puts a lot of pressure on herself, and she wants to be the best. She eats, sleeps and breathes softball. Her best days are ahead of her.”

Fellow 2024 all-state and all-section selection senior Delaney O’Connor will take over in center field and can also rake at the plate.

Last year, O’Connor hit for a .500 average, had 36 hits, four doubles, four home runs, drove in 26 runs and scored 24. O’Connor will also come in as pitching relief, and she was 1-2 last year with three saves, 24 strikeouts and a 4.30 ERA.

“Delaney pitched throughout the winter when we had workouts,” Lloyd said. “She’ll come in to pitch again for us this year when called upon and she’ll be just fine.”

O’Connor will come in relief of fellow senior Taylor Walsh, who was also an all-section selection last year and is committed to Wheeling University.

As the Colts’ No. 1 starter, Walsh went 17-3, struck out 117 and eclipsed 200 strikeouts for her career and posted a 3.29 ERA.

At the plate, Walsh hit .452 with 28 hits, including four home runs and eight doubles, drove in 26 runs and walked 20 times.

“Walsh, O’Connor, Duffill and Annabelle Helt are going to be the ones to carry us this year,” said Lloyd. “We’re also expecting a big year from junior Kaitlyn Truong, looking for her to build on what she did last year.”

Helt, a senior, took over at second base last season and made it her own with how well she played. She hit .274 with four doubles a home run, 15 RBIs and 19 runs scored.

Truong will play left field and hit well last year, sporting a .361 average with 22 hits, including four triples and three home runs, and drove in 26 runs.

“It was great to watch them all step up in different moments for us last year,” said Lloyd. “I tell them not to be somebody they’re not, just be themselves and their time to shine will happen, sooner rather than later.”

Rounding out the lineup for Chartiers Valley are five sophomores who all got playing time last year and are stepping into starting roles this year.

Ava Dunlap will start at first base, Morgan Vaughn takes over at shortstop, and Alaina Wood will be at third.

“We had some JV games last year, and they got the opportunity to see some pitching,” said Lloyd. “They got in some varsity games, and they’ve seen a lot of live pitching in the winter from our pitchers throwing to them.”

Twin sisters Chloe and Alyssa Tenney will continue a battle for right field that started before the season, into scrimmages and will last up to the Colts’ first section game.

“Both will get their opportunities,” Lloyd said. “It could end up being a platoon situation or we go with the hot hand. It’s just so hard to split up twins, and I swear they’re telepathic with one another, but there are only nine spots.”

Chloe Tenney has the added benefit of being able to pitch, and, Lloyd says, she’s a “good change from Taylor and Delaney and she’s looked really good, so I have expectations for her.”

Even with the new faces in the field and in the lineup, Lloyd isn’t concerned with their limited experience.

“We’ve talked about them playing this game since they were kids,” said Lloyd. “The game doesn’t change, just some girls are bigger, faster and stronger. But it’s still fielding a ground ball, catching a fly ball and throwing it where they need to.

“Where we start the season, by the end of the year, as long as they get 1% better every day, by the time May and June roll around, they’re going to be so much better and ready to play, and that’s the main goal: to get better each and every day.”

As far as the young players’ presence in the lineup, Lloyd likes the diversity they add.

“They all have their own assets in a sense,” he said. “Some have power, some are more contact hitters, and there are some that are line-drive hitters. I expect them all to hit, and we’ll be solid one through nine.”

Even though the Colts haven’t gotten off to a great start this year, there is hope that they can bring it all together at the right time and be ready for section play, which won’t be easy.

Within their section lurks South Fayette and powerhouse West Allegheny. Upper St. Clair and Moon each have new coaches. Montour moves up with Chartiers Valley, and the two played each other a lot over the last couple of years.

“We were in the same section with Montour last year,” Lloyd said. “They beat us last year, and the last two years we split with them, so it’s always a battle when we play them.

“Moon and Upper St. Clair will offer up something different this year with their new coaches, and we play South Fayette every year and they’re really good. We’ll play 10 games and none of them will be easy.”

Tags: Chartiers Valley