WPIAL Softball Playoff Recaps for Monday 5/11

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, May 11, 2015 | 11:56 PM

The curtain went up on the 2015 WPIAL Softball Playoffs Monday with a pair of Preliminary Round games at California University of Pennsylvania with the 16th-seed in both the Class AAA and Class AA playoff brackets up for grabs. Check out the first day of recaps from the softball and baseball district playoffs.

A special thanks to Don Rebel and Bobby Fox for their help of these recaps.

WPIAL CLASS AAA Preliminary Round:

Mount Pleasant Vikings 12 – Highlands Golden Rams 3
The Vikings fell behind early but scored 12 unanswered runs in cruising to the #16-seed in the Class AAA tournament with a 12-3 victory over the Golden Rams Monday at Lilley Field at California University of Pennsylvania. Highlands jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning highlighted by a Julia Luzik two-run single. Mount Pleasant took the lead for good with a five-run third inning thanks to a Christiana Czegan two-run triple and RBI singles by Adaline Kubasky and Nikki Klejka. The Vikings added two more runs in the fourth and five runs in the fifth inning to seal the deal. Poulich and Klejka each had three hits and three runs batted in for Mount Pleasant while Czegan ended up with three RBI and Ava Gnibus added three singles. The season ended for the Golden Rams with a final record of 5-6 while the Vikings improve to 8-10 and will face top-seed Belle Vernon in a First Round game Wednesday evening at Latrobe High School.

WPIAL CLASS AA Preliminary Round:

South Allegheny Gladiators 13 – Waynesburg Raiders 1
South Allegheny advanced into the first round of the WPIAL Class AA softball playoffs after rolling to a 13-1 victory over Waynesburg Central in a preliminary round game on Monday. The Gladiators jumped out to 7-0 lead in the top of the first inning at California University of Pennsylvania’s Lilley Field. Right fielder Julia Giannandrea went two-for-two with a triple, a double, three RBI and a run scored in the opening frame alone. Third baseman Shannon Connors and catcher Stacia Patrillo both came up with two-run base hits in the first. South Allegheny added three runs in the top of the third, one in the fourth and two more in the top of the fifth-and-final frame. Centerfielder Bailey Meyers connected on an inside-the-park homerun to highlight the fourth inning. WCHS scored its lone run of the day in the bottom of the fifth when centerfielder Gabby Rose doubled in catcher Breanna Scott. Brenna Pribanic got the start in the circle and worked a five-inning complete game for the victory. She allowed just two hits and three walks and took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth. Taylor Staley started for Waynesburg and lasted one-third of inning while suffering the loss. She gave up six earned runs on four hits and two walks. The Gladiators will face top-seeded Deer Lakes on Wednesday.