Great Scot: Union edges Lady Pioneers for Class A title
West Greene courtesy runner Ella Scott starts her slide to the plate as Union pitcher Mia Preuhs reaches for the throw from catcher Bella Cameron after the pitch went to the screen in Wednesday's WPIAL Class A Softball Championship at Lilley Field. Preuhs was able to make the tag for the out.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Anna Durbin slides across the plate on a passed ball as Union pitcher Mia Preuhs watches the throw from catcher Bella Cameron sail wide in the bottom of the fourth inning in Wednesday’s WPIAL Class A Softball Championship at Lilley Field.
Union's Mia Preuhs releases a pitch in the bottom of the second inning during Wednesday's WPIAL Class A Softball Championship against West Greene at Lilley Field. The Lady Scots edged West Greene, 3-2, for the title.
West Greene's Kiley Meek unloads a pitch in the top of the second inning in Wednesday's WPIAL Class A Softball Championship against Union at Lilley Field.
West Greene second baseman Taylor Karvan tosses the ball to first baseman BreAnn Jackson for the out on Union's Raquel Zarlingo in the top of the third inning in Wednesday's WPIAL Class A Softball Championship at Lilley Field.
CALIFORNIA — Union and West Greene playing in the WPIAL Class A Softball Championship has been a right of passage in recent spring seasons.
West Greene defeated the Lady Scots, handily, for the 2019 and 2021 district titles, with the 2020 championship cancelled because of the pandemic.
Union turned the tables on the Lady Pioneers Wednesday afternoon at Cal U’s Lilley Field, edging the five-time defending champions, 3-2, for the district crown.
The loss snapped West Greene’s WPIAL playoff streak that began in 2016 at 18 consecutive victories. The defeat is the first in the district title game for seniors Katie Lampe, Jordan Karvan, Olivia Kiger, BreAnn Jackson, Kiley Meek, Anna Durbin and Desirae Lemmon after wins of 17-2 in 2021 and 11-0 in 2019 against Union.
The Lady Pioneers also had championship wins of 5-4 (Monessen, 2018), 10-0 (Monessen, 2017), and 12-3 (Chartiers-Houston, 2016) in the title run.
“Years ago, if you would’ve told the West Greene community we would win (five WPIAL titles in a row), they would’ve taken it and run with it,” said West Greene coach Billy Simms. “Hat’s off to them. They wanted to win as much as we did.
“(Union) is much improved over last year. We knew (Preuhs) was a high quality girl and they improved defensively.”
Simms expected a close, low-scoring game.
“I considered it a playoff hockey game. Who knows what would happen,” said Simms.
Union (20-3) plays the District 5 runner-up, either Meyersdale or Shade.
West Greene (14-4) will be on the road against Conemaugh Valley, the District 6 champion. Conemaugh Valley defeated Glendale, 2-0, in the title game.
“We’ll give them (Thursday) off and get ready for the (PIAA playoff game) against the District 6 champ,” said Simms.
The game started an hour later than the scheduled start time of 4:30 p.m. because of the length of the first game on the schedule.
Union pieced together single runs in the top of the third, fifth and sixth innings.
Mallory Gorgacz started the game-winning rally in the sixth inning with a sharp single up the middle. She moved to second on a wild pitch.
Emily Siddall worked a walk from Kiley Meek, and both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Bella Cameron singled to bring Gorgacz home, but Siddall hesitated midway between plate and third base. Catcher London Whipkey ran Siddall back to third and tossed the ball to third baseman Lexi Six, who applied the tag for the second out.
Meek stranded courtesy runner Kenzie Siddall at second with a ground out and fly ball to second baseman Taylor Karvan.
The Lady Scots tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning after Allie Ross singled with one out and moved to second on a passed ball. She moved to third on a ground out to second base.
Tori May then came through with a run-scoring double.
Union pulled into a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning after Addie Nogay walked to open the inning and Piper Jendrysak’s sacrifice bunt attempt was so well placed it became an infield single.
The runners advanced a base on a ground out to second base, and Nogay scored on Raquel Zarlingo’s single to right field.
Meek allowed seven hits, walked three and struck out two.
West Greene looked as though it might open a significant lead in the bottom of the first inning, but a head’s up play by Cameron and Preuhs held the damage to just one run.
London Whipkey walked with one out and Marissa Tharp entered as a courtesy runner. Meek then launched a deep fly ball to left-center field for a run-scoring triple. Simms called for Ella Scott to courtesy run for Meek.
Preuhs muscled up on a pitch, sending the ball to the backstop with Lexi Six at the plate. Cameron’s throw to Preuhs was a bit high, but the freshman grabbed the ball and applied the tag on a sliding Scott just in time for the second out of the inning.
Given the result, Simms second-guessed himself a bit with the courtesy runner.
“If I leave Meek in, we probably score. But, I didn’t want to take the chance of her getting hurt,” said Simms. “That was probably a coaching mistake in the fact that you’re trying to coach for the longevity of the game. I left Meek in with less than two down to run for herself. Then I figured I’d give her a chance to catch her breath and I’d put a courtesy runner in.
“Ella Scott broke on the ball. She never hesitated. She was just out by a half an inch at the plate.”
Six popped out to first base to end the inning.
The Lady Pioneers regained the lead with a solo run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Anna Durbin walked to start the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. The senior advanced to third base on a 1-6-3 ground out and scored on a passed ball.
Preuhs held the potent West Greene offense down, allowing just four hits. She walked four, struck out eight, and stranded five, including runners at third base in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
“Emphatically, (Preuhs) she got a strikeout when she needed them. Kudos to her,” complimented Simms.
Preuhs also had a double in her first plate appearance.
Karvan’s bunt nestled along the first base line for an infield single to open the seventh inning. She stole second, but Simms was reluctant to have her steal third. She did move to third on a ground out, but the game ended on another ground out.
“I was afraid of getting her out. She is as good at second as at third to score,” said Simms. “The risk-reward wasn’t there. I wanted to try to get Whipkey to the plate.”