WPIAL softball playoffs roundup for May 16, 2019: Ellwood City tops Freeport in 9 innings

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, May 16, 2019 | 10:50 PM

Ellwood City scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning and held on in the bottom half to beat Freeport, 14-11, in a wild WPIAL Class 3A first-round softball game Thursday at North Allegheny High School.

The No. 7 Yellowjackets (10-4) stormed back from an 8-1 deficit by scoring three runs in the fifth inning and five in the sixth to take a 9-8 lead, then answered No. 10 Ellwood City’s three-run seventh with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to force extra innings.

Anna Ferrucci went 4 for 4 with a homer and four RBIs for Ellwood City (12-6), and Natalia Greco had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and four RBIs. Makinley Magill drove in a pair of runs, and Marie Ioanilli had a double and RBI.

Ally DeJidas led Freeport’s 15-hit attack, going 4 for 6 with a double, triple and three RBIs. Tori Radvan homered and knocked in three runs, and Autumn Powell had four hits and an RBI.

Ellwood City advanced to play No. 2 South Allegheny (16-2) in the WPIAL quarterfinals on Monday at a site and time to be determined.

Keystone Oaks 16, North Catholic 1 (3 inn.) — Gia Woods was 2 for 3 with three RBIs, and Julia Platt and Sierra LaDonne each knocked in two runs as No. 6 Keystone Oaks (11-4) won a Class 3A first-round game at Hampton. Brianna Butler threw a four-hitter with one strikeout. The Golden Eagles will play No. 3 Burrell (13-2) in the quarterfinals.

Class 5A

Connellsville 15, Mars 1 (5 inn.) — Maddy Kineer was 2 for 3 with four RBIs, and Kaybree Benton was 4 for 4 with three RBIs to pace No. 4 Connellsville (14-6) in a Class 5A first-round win at Gateway.

Winning pitcher Mia Burd and Abby King (3 RBIs) each had three hits for the Falcons, who will play Trinity in the quarterfinals Monday.

Franklin Regional 7, Montour 4 — Kylee O’Neil hit a two-run triple, and Angalee Beall also tripled home a run as No. 6 Franklin Regional (12-7) won a WPIAL Class 5A first-round game at Hampton. Sarah Cowell hit a two-run single, and Abby Kane was 3 for 4 with an RBI. Beall threw a six-hitter with three strikeouts to earn the win.

The Panthers will play Hampton in the quarterfinals Monday at a time and site to be determined.

Hampton 4, Latrobe 1 — Bella Nordic had a two-run single in the fourth inning to help No. 3 Hampton (16-3) earn a WPIAL Class 5A first-round win at Gateway. Anneliese Probeck threw a six-hitter with three strikeouts.

Hannah Brewer was 3 for 3 with a double for No. 14 Latrobe (12-7).

Trinity 6, Gateway 2 — Bailey Bell was 3 for 4 with a home run, and Bayleigh McCullough had two hits and two RBIs to lift No. 12 Trinity (14-4) to a Class 5A first-round win.

Emma Kennedy was 3 for 3 for No. 12 Gateway (10-8).

Trinity used a three-run fifth to break the game open.

Bell led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run over the left field fence.

An RBI single by McCullough two innings later produced a 2-1 lead for the Hillers.

Kylie Poland tossed four innings and was the winning pitcher. Poland switched positions with third baseman Emma Morgan, who pitched three innings in relief.

Maura Ryan suffered the loss for Gateway in a complete-game performance.

West Allegheny 7, Shaler 5 — Megan Pollinger was 3 for 4 with a double, two triples and three RBIs to lead No. 10 West Allegheny (9-7) to a Class 5A first-round win at Hampton. The Indians will play No. 2 Plum (15-3) in the quarterfinals.

Ella Richards was 2 for 4 with three RBIs for No. 7 Shaler (11-8).