Lady Pioneers cruise to 15-0 win in playoff opener
Darnell Graham
West Greene’s McKenna Lampe reaches out on a bunt attempt during Monday’s WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game against Greensburg Central Catholic game at Canon-McMillan.
West Greene's first baseman Lexie Mooney (8) prepares to catch the ball for the out during Monday's WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game against Greensburg Central Catholic at Canon-McMillan.
West Greene's Madison Renner prepares to release the ball during Monday's WPIAL Class A first-round playoff game against Greensburg Central Catholic at Canon-McMillan.
Darnell Graham
West Greene’s McKenna Lampe bunts in a WPIAL Class A first-round softball playoff game against Greensburg Central Catholic. Lampe, a member of the All-County Softball Team, was one of the most versatile offensive threats in the state, able to slug a home run and fast and alert enough to turn a well-placed bunt into a double. She was one of four impact freshmen for the Lady Pioneers this season, along with her twin sister Madison Lampe, Kaitlyn Rizor and Mackenzie Carpenter. (Photo by Darnell Graham)
NORTH STRABANE — The West Greene softball team lived up to its No. 1 seeding with a dominating 15-0 rout in four innings of Greensburg Central Catholic in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs Monday afternoon at Canon-McMillan.
The Lady Pioneers (20-1) avenge last year’s opening round setback to GCC and captured their first playoff win since 2011.
“We played well in all three phases and I think we set the tone in the bottom of the first inning,” West Greene coach Billy Simms said. “We are very aggressive at the plate and on the base paths. We wanted to come out here with a win, it didn’t matter if it was 1-0 in 12 innings or 15-0. We were focused today and played with energy.”
West Greene was led once again by a potent offense that pounded out 21 hits, including 10 extra-base hits, in the postseason victory over the Lady Centurions (6-8).
Madison Renner picked up the win and extended the Lady Pioneers’ winning streak to 17 games. Renner threw four innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts.
“We were ready from the very beginning today,” Renner said. “We know we are the No. 1 seed and we look forward to playing every day. We set the tone early and we knew we couldn’t overlook them. I kept the ball low and threw a lot outside.”
Renner was also a key catalyst offensively, smashing two home runs and a double for a total of five RBIs.
Bailey Bennington was 4-for-4 with three doubles, while McKenna Lampe, Madison Lampe and Kaitlyn Rizor all had three hits apiece.
McKenna Lampe led off the first with a bunt single and then took off for second after beating the ball to the first base bag. She advanced to third on the play after an errant throw went into the outfield.
“McKenna is our aggressor,” Simms said. “She is very athletic and used her speed well. We always look for that play and McKenna is very smart on when to do that. It caught them off-guard and that was a big play for us early in the game to set the table.”
Madison Lampe brought her sister home with a RBI double and Renner followed with a deep, two-run shot over the left field fence. Bennington then doubled and scored on a RBI two-bagger by Rizor to make it 4-0.
In the second inning, Renner got the offense going with a RBI double and two batters later Lexie Mooney and Linzee Stover collected back-to-back RBI singles.
A RBI fielder’s choice by Mackenzie Carpenter made it 8-0 througyh two innings.
Rizor made it 10-0 in the third after launching a two-run homer to left field.
“I was looking to make contact,” Rizor said. “I just wanted to get a base hit and move the runner. It’s very fun to be a part of this offense. We have a lot of good, power hitters and I just try my best to keep up. I always try to turn on those inside, middle pitches.”
A two-run single by Madison Lampe and a two-run homer by Renner gave the Lady Pioneers a 14-0 lead in the fourth, before pinch-hitter Sage Vliet slapped a RBI single to invoke the 15-run mercy rule.
“I never go into an at-bat looking to hit a home run,” Renner said. “I bring the same approach of being aggressive and working the count. Today, we had a lot of big hits and we got everyone involved on offense.”
West Greene will continue their championship chase in the quarterfinals against Union next Monday with a time and place to be determined.
“We are taking it one game at a time,” Simms said. “We play Union next and that is our next objective. I liked the way we played defense today and we are much improved defensively. We were loose today and we brought the right approach.”