South Park hands Lady Cougars 12-1 defeat
Holly Tonini
Charleroi’s Emily Bauer tags South Park’s Haleigh Finale (8) for the out as she tried to steal second base during Monday’s Section 3-AAA game at Charleroi High School.
Charleroi's Sam Mavilla (16) makes the out at first base with South Park's Kaitlyn Morrison (21) a step away during Monday's Section 3-AAA game at Charleroi High School.
Charleroi's Sam Mavilla (16) gets the out at first as South Park's Taylor Glowa (18) sprints down the line during Monday's Section 3-AAA softball action at Charleroi High School.
CHARLEROI — South Park made both the WPIAL and PIAA Class AA softball semifinals a year ago.
Charleroi found out why South Park is highly-touted for this season in the Lady Cougars’ home and Section 3-AAA opener Monday afternoon as they fell, 12-1.
“That’s a good team who has a solid pitcher and they can hit,” Charleroi coach Trey Tilghman said. “We have to do a better job in the field, hitting and pitching.
“We struck out too many times and we have to make them field the ball and give us a chance.”
South Park ace Justine Dean struck out 14 hitters and limited Charleroi to three singles over seven innings.
South Park scored two runs in the first with the big hit being an RBI triple by Katlyn Pavlik, and she scored on batter later on an error.
Fielding miscues hurt Charleroi as it committed six errors for the game and gave up six unearned runs.
Pavlik doubled South Park’s lead to 4-0 with a two-run home run in the third, and she added an RBI triple in the third inning.
Down 5-0 in the third, Charleroi scored its lone run of the game.
Katie Reed led the inning off with a single and she advanced to second base on a passed ball. She scored moments later on South Park’s lone error of the game.
Up 5-1 in the fifth, South Park blew the game wide open as it scored three unearned runs.
Joining Reed in the hit column for Charleroi with singles were Sam Mavilla and Ashley Smith.
“We will get back at it tomorrow at practice,” Tilghman said. “We just ran into a good hitting team with a pitcher and they deserved to win.”
Charleroi returns to action Wednesday when it heads to Southmoreland for a section game.