Lady Pioneers ride furious rally to PIAA title
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard West Greene players rush to the mound to celebrate after recording the final out of their 9-8 victory over Williams Valley in the PIAA Class A softball championship game Friday at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
West Greene players gather around senior Shelby Morris as she raises the PIAA Class A softball championship trophy after the Lady Pioneers defeated Williams Valley, 9-8, last Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. See story on page B1. (Photo by John F. Brothers)
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard West Greene head coach Billy Simms presents his players with their PIAA Class A softball championship gold medals after the Lady Pioneers rallied from a 7-0 deficit to defeat Williams Valley, 9-8, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. West Greene lost to Williams Valley in last year’s state final, 3-2.
West Greene pitcher Jade Renner goes into her wind-up with third baseman Madison Lampe in the background during the Lady Pioneers’ 9-8 victory over Williams Valley in the 2017 PIAA Class A softball championship game, June 16, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. Renner, who was the winning pitcher and had four hits, and Lampe both return for the 2018 season as West Greene shoots for its third consecutive WPIAL championship and second straight state title.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers West Greene head Coach Bill Simms is hugged by twin sisters Madison Lampe (left) and McKenna Lampee after the Lady Pioneers defeated Williams Valley, 9-8, in the PIAA Class A softball championship game on June 16 at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. Both girls were named to the 2017 PaHSSBCA All-State Softball Team as the Class 1-A Co-Players of the Year.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard West Greene’s Madison Lampe (4) races past coach Billy Simms toward home plate to score a run on an RBI single by Jade Renner in the fourth inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game against Williams Valley, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. The Lady Pioneers rallied from a 7-0 deficit to win, 9-8.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Brianna Goodwin (23) scores the tying run-on an RBI single by Lexie Mooney in the sixth inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game against Williams Valley, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. The Lady Pioneers trailed 7-0 before rallying for a 9-8 victory.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard West Greene catcher Shelby Morris (14) puts the tag on Williams Valley’s Maddy Bordner (8) for the out at home in the second inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Brianna Amos (6) scores the Lady Pioneers’ second run from second base on a double by Kaitlyn Rizor in the third inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game against Williams Valley, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Madison Renner (48) leaps into the air but can’t avoid the tag by Williams Valley catcher Grace Hoffman (28) during the first inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s McKenna Lampe (16) beats the throw to Williams Valley first baseman Maddy Bordner (8) to open the game with a bunt single in the PIAA Class A softball championship clash, June 16, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park. Lampe and teammate Madison Renner are the Heraald-Standard Class A Co-Softball Players of the Year after helping lead the Lady Pioneers to the Section 2-A, WPIAL and PIAA championships.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard West Greene senior Shelby Morris proudly holds up the PIAA Class A softball championship trophy for the Lady Pioneers after they rallied from a 7-0 deficit to defeat Williams Valley, 9-8, Friday, at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
Williams Valley's Grace Hoffman (28) dives safely back to first ahead of the throw to West Greene first baseman Lexie Mooney (8) in the third inning of the PIAA Class A softball championship game Friday at Nittany Lion Softball Park in University Park.
UNIVERSITY PARK — Trailing by seven runs in their PIAA Class A softball championship game, West Greene kept its composure and rallied for a dramatic 9-8 victory over Williams Valley for the school’s first ever state title last Friday afternoon at Nittany Lion Softball Park on the campus at Penn State University.
“We have gotten so much support from the county and our little area in the corner of the state,” West Greene coach Billy Simms said. “The fans came out and made the four-hour drive. That means a lot to me and to the team. We definitely faced some adversity today and what an effort by our girls. They showed so much heart and poise today.”
The Lady Pioneers (26-1) gained redemption in Happy Valley after losing in the state final last year to Williams Valley.
“They say revenge is sweet, and after this win, I know what they are talking about,” Madison Renner said. “What a win and what a game. We were down 7-0, but it was still early and we had plenty of game left. I wouldn’t trade this team for the world.”
At first it seemed like it would be another sour ending to a great season for West Greene at PSU, but the team scored all nine of its runs over a four-inning stretch.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Vikings (20-6) had the tying run on third base with one out, but Jade Renner was able to get out of the jam and secure the win with a strikeout and a ground out to third baseman Madison Lampe.
“We were all down in the dugout and it got real quiet in there,” WG’s four-year starting catcher Shelby Morris said. “We just had this mentality that we weren’t going to come this far and lose like this. We regrouped and just took it one inning at a time. It was a nail-biter the whole game, but we knew we could win this one.”
Jade Renner, who went 4-for-5 at the plate, threw seven innings in the circle and allowed eight runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
“I think I was over-thinking things to begin the game and my nerves got me,” Jade Renner said. “I was trying to place the ball and not pitch to my spots. I woke up after we had that big inning and I was so confident of my defense. The zone was a little small today and I threw a lot of change-ups to keep them off-balance.”
Stevie Unger was issued the loss for Williams Valley and was pulled out of the game for reliever Morgan Updegrove in the sixth inning. Unger allowed nine runs on 16 hits with three strikeouts and seven free passes.
West Greene was held scoreless in the top of the first despite recording three hits and a walk in the frame. Williams Valley took care of their scoring chance later in the inning with a RBI double by Updegrove and a RBI triple by Autumn Calnon to go up 2-0.
The Lady Vikings exploded in the second inning with five runs, courtesy of four hits and two errors by West Greene, to go up 7-0. The big hit in the inning was a bases-clearing double by Updegrove.
In the third inning, the Lady Pioneers cracked the scoreboard when McKenna Lampe scored on an RBI ground out by twin sister Madison.
Later in the frame Madison Renner doubled and her pinch-runner Brianna Amos crossed home plate after a RBI double by Kaitlyn Rizor to pull WG within 7-2.
West Greene trimmed the deficit to 7-6 in the fourth with four runs off of five hits. Mackenzie Carpenter recorded an RBI double to get the scoring started in the frame.
“I haven’t been able to get good contact at the plate the last couple of games,” Carpenter said. “I just came up to the plate with the mentality of I was going to get my pitch and drive it. I thought I was just due and I knew the hits would come for me.”
Madison Renner delivered a hard-hit RBI single and with two outs Jade Renner hit a two-run single.
“We got in our way in the first couple of innings, but we were still squaring the ball up against their pitcher,” Simms said. “Williams Valley is tough. We just had to chip away and play within ourselves. I don’t think I have ever been a part of a team that had come back from that far down.”
After a scoreless fifth, the Lady Pioneers tallied three runs in the sixth to take their first lead.
Lexie Mooney smacked an RBI single to knot things up and West Greene took a 9-7 lead after an RBI hit by Madison Lampe and a bases-loaded walk to Madison Renner.
“We had to keep our emotions in check and keep our composure,” Madison Lampe said. “We rallied around each other and we were able to handle the momentum shifts. It was definitely more intense today. On my (game-winning) single, I was just trying to move the runners over and get the ball to the outfield. I couldn’t swing at a bad pitch.”
The Lady Vikings got a run back in the bottom of the sixth with a RBI triple by Mya Achenbach, but she was left stranded after Jade Renner struck out the next batter.
Jade Renner worked around a lead-off single and an illegal pitch that advanced the runner to third, but the freshmen lefty was able to settle down and get the win.
“I’m almost speechless right now,” Madison Renner said. “This is a great group of girls and I’m so happy for our seniors. We fought the whole year for this, and it’s an unbelievable feeling. Today was a little bumpy, but we never stop believing in each other. I can’t even describe this feeling.”
The state title is the first in school history and this is the first PIAA team title for a Greene County school in any sport since the 1998 Carmichaels softball team.
“We are a heavy-hitting team,” Simms said. “Our top (of the lineup) is very good, but our lineup, one-through-nine, got us back into the game. Everyone hit and came through with good at-bats. Jade bounced back with a strong effort. We lost in dramatic fashion last year, and this year I guess we were due to win in dramatic fashion.”
West Greene’s “unfinished business” just got finished in Happy Valley.