Parshall strikes out 15 in 5-inning win
Edward K.Thompson
Belle Vernon’s Bailey Parshall winds up as she prepares to deliver a pitch during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game against Uniontown at Latrobe. Parshall struck out 15 to record every out in the Lady Leopards’ 12-0 victory in five innings.
Edward K.Thompson
Belle Vernon’s Jordan French drives the ball to the outfield during last year’s WPIAL Class AAAA first-round playoff game at Latrobe against Uniontown. French had three hits in the Lady Leopards’ 12-0 win. Belle Vernon went on the repeat as WPIAL champion.
Edward K.Thompson
Belle Vernon catcher Ally Pacak smiles as she receives the sign from coach Tom Rodriguez during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game against Uniontown at Latrobe.
LATROBE — Bailey Parshall should rip her fingernail more often.
Belle Vernon’s lefty ace did just that during pregame warm-up drills, and then recorded all 15 outs via the strikeout to lead the Lady Leopards to a 12-0 win in five innings in the first round of the Class AAA softball playoffs.
“It hurts and I had to change my curveball grip,” she said. “Everything else was moving good today, though, and we brought the bats today, so that is good.”
Belle Vernon coach Tom Rodriguez was happy that his team advanced to the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals, but he wasn’t happy with specifics from the game.
“I don’t know what it is but we are way out of step and not staying within ourselves,” he said. “We have things to work on, that is for sure.”
“Now the girls understand and see what playoff ball is like,” Uniontown coach Steve Forsythe said of his 3-12 Lady Raiders. “(Belle Vernon) came full force and we hung with them for five innings and I am proud of the girls for that.
“We have a lot of young players and it looks promising, but we have to fix a few things and teach them some discipline.”
Uniontown’s lone hit was an infield single by Lyndsi Urani. The hit was a line drive off the glove of first baseman Mekenzie Sokol and Urani beat the throw to first.
Belle Vernon (18-3) scored an unearned run in the second and then exploded for 11 runs on 11 singles in the fourth.
The big hits of the inning were two-run singles by Alex Sokol and Kourtney Gavatorta, while Natalie French and Parshall had RBI singles.
“We hit the ball in the fourth,” said Rodriguez. “But we have to get our feet right when swinging the bat.”
Gavatorta finished with three singles and three RBI, Jordan French had three singles, Natalie French had two singles and two RBI, and Parshall had two singles and an RBI.
Belle Vernon, the No. 4 seed, moves on to play fifth-seeded Ambridge (9-5) on Thursday at a time and location to be announced on Wednesday.