Jun 1, 2017 By Bill Hughes for The 3 min read

It is easy to understand if people are expecting the WPIAL Class A softball championship to be a mere formality to crown top-ranked West Greene with its second straight title.

After all, the Lady Pioneers (21-1) have scored at least 10 runs in 14 of its 22 games this season and have all but one starter back from last year’s WPIAL champion and PIAA runner-up squad.

However, if those same people are expecting sixth-seeded Monessen (16-5), playing in its first-ever WPIAL softball title game, to roll over and give West Greene the title, they are wrong.

First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Lilley Field on the campus of California University of Pennsylvania.

West Greene (21-1) won the Section 2-A crown, while Monessen (16-5) finished third in the section with West Greene sweeping the season series.

The first contest, played at West Greene on April 10, ended 6-2, but the rematch, played at Monessen on April 25, was scoreless into the 7th inning when West Greene scored the lone run of the game.

Both coaches, Monessen’s Bo Teets and West Greene’s Bill Simms, expect a competitive game considering how familiar the teams are with one another.

“I expect to see a lot of Dana Vatakis bringing heat,” said Simms of the Monessen junior who has 193 strikeouts on the season. “She threw one of the better games I have seen thrown by a high school pitcher in that 1-0 game.

“We had runners on base, but she kept us off balance, the defense made plays behind her, and I expect that of her as soon as we get off of the bus.”

“They can all hit,” Teets said of West Greene. “I am hoping for a competitive game and if our girls can play our game, it will be competitive.”

Vatakis, a junior, is committed to Robert Morris, while freshman Jade Renner is 14-1 for West Greene.

While Simms knows Vatakis will bring her “A” game, his lineup is stacked from one through nine.

The Lampe twins, Madison and McKenna, the Renner sisters, Madison and Jade, and Kaitlyn Rizor were all players that Teets mentioned off the top of his head that can pound the ball.

Both teams had easy roads to the championship game.

West Greene defeated Bishop Canevin, 17-0, in the quarterfinals and beat Leechburg, 6-1, in the semifinals.

Monessen, on the other hand, defeated Riverview, 11-0, in a first round game, third-ranked Sewickley Academy, 19-3, in the quarterfinals, and second-seeded Carmichaels, 6-2, in the semifinals.

The win over Carmichaels avenged two section losses earlier in the season for Monessen.

“The absolute biggest key for us is to score first as they have been hitting the ball extremely well as of late and scoring first,” said Simms. “It gives them confidence and makes (Vatakis) comfortable.

“We just have to be us and if we pitch well, field well, and hit anywhere near the capability that we normally do, we will be fine.”

But the team that scores the first run will have confidence and hopefully it is us.”

“Hopefully, we can get the lead,” said Teets. “We have to play close to a perfect game defensively, have to hit, and everyone has to bring their ‘A’ game.”

Teets also said that West Greene’s 10-0 semifinal win a year ago has no bearing on this game.

“That game doesn’t mean anything to either team,” he said. “The games form this year carry a lot more weight, and we were in both, even the 6-2 game.”