Preuhs adds another golf medal to family trophy case
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Union freshman Mia Preuhs winds up before firing a pitch during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class A Softball Championship game against West Greene at Cal U’s Lilley Field. The daughter of 1991 Geibel Catholic graduate Marney (Steich) Preuhs and granddaughter of Barb Steich and the late John “Bo” Steich, of Connellsville, Preuhs earned the victory in the Lady Scots’ 3-2 win.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Union freshman Mia Preuhs fires a pitch during Wednesday’s WPIAL Class A Softball Championship game against West Greene at Cal U’s Lilley Field. The daughter of 1991 Geibel Catholic graduate Marney (Steich) Preuhs and granddaughter of Barb Steich and the late John “Bo” Steich, of Connellsville, Preuhs earned the victory in the Lady Scots’ 3-2 win.
CALIFORNIA — Amy (Steich) Witt knows the feeling of winning a WPIAL softball title when she and her Connellsville teammates claimed the Class AAA crown in 1997 with a 2-1 victory over Franklin Regional.
Witt also understands what it’s like to be the runner-up after falling in the 1998 final to rival Hempfield, 3-0.
Witt returned to Cal U’s Lilley Field Wednesday as an interested spectator, sitting in the center field bleachers to watch her niece, Mia Preuhs, and her Union teammates play West Greene for the Class A title.
Behind Preuhs’ strong effort on the mound, the Lady Scots were able to get on the right side of the score against the Lady Pioneers with a hard-fought 3-2 victory.
The win ended a two-game losing streak to West Greene in the title game (17-2 in 2021; 11-0 in 2019; 2020 game cancelled because of pandemic) and stopped the Lady Pioneers’ bid for a sixth consecutive WPIAL crown.
Preuhs, a freshman, was up to the task against the legendary program from Greene County. She held the Lady Pioneers to just four hits, with four walks and eight strikeouts. She struck out at least one batter in all but the first inning.
She stranded five Lady Pioneers, including runners at third base in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings.
“I had a lot on my plate. This team was going for their sixth consecutive WPIAL win, so it was a lot to handle But, my team helped me through it,” said Preuhs. “I was very nervous. After the first inning, after getting the feel of the team and the field, a few pitches, it got better.
“I trust my team’s fielding. I would like to strike people out, but, if they get a hit, I trust them to make the play.”
West Greene’s Taylor Karvan was standing on third base with the tying run and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“Someone better make a play. I don’t know. I was nervous. When Mallory (Gorgacz) made that play, it’s all over,” said Preuhs.
West Greene was poised to break the game open in the bottom of the first inning, but a timely defensive play by Preuhs and catcher Bella Cameron kept the Lady Pioneers’ lead at 1-0. Courtesy runner Ella Scott broke for the plate when a Preuhs’ pitch sailed to the backstop, but the pitcher was able to glove Cameron’s throw to the plate and apply the tag on Scott for the third out of the inning as she toppled over her.
“It was very important because if they score then, they’d have the lead, especially with the play in the seventh inning,” said Preuhs.
Preuhs is the next generation of solid softball players in the Steich family. The daughters of Barb Steich and the late John “Bo” Steich, of Connellsville, all had noteworthy high school careers.
Witt was a standout basketball and softball player for the Lady Falcons, continuing her softball career as a Big East second-team all-conference performer at the University of Pittsburgh.
Mia Preuhs’ mother Marney (1991), along with older sister Carrie (Steich) Parziale (1989), were both all-county softball and volleyball players at Geibel Catholic.
Marney Preuhs was a three-year starter for the Lady Gators, a solid defensive shortstop that handled the bat well with a career batting average around .300 and only one strikeout as a starter. The two older sisters were teammates on Geibel’s first section championship in 1988, advancing to the semifinals in the eight-team bracket before falling to Chartiers-Houston, 9-0, to finish with a 17-1 record.
Witt returned to Lilley Field as a member of the Shaler coaching staff when she taught at the school, but the experience she had Wednesday reminded her of Connellsville’s two-year run to the title game.
“There’s nothing like that feeling to be in that place with your teammates, to represent your school,” said Witt. “We had the support of the whole Connellsville community.
“It brought back a lot of memories.”
Witt continued the thought, adding, “It was good (to be in attendance as a fan). It was hard to remove that player hat and critiquing from the sideline.”
Witt managed to impart a word of wisdom or two to her niece before the game.
“She said she was very nervous, but I told her nerves are good. Use those nerves and bring intensity,” said Witt.
“She said to just play my game and fight hard, and whatever happens, happens,” Mia Preuhs said of the pregame conversation.
Witt was impressed with what her niece and Union were able to accomplish against the five-time defending WPIAL champs.
“It’s awesome. She’s definitely a competitor. She has that competitive drive in her,” said Witt. “She has a bright future ahead of her.
“Those girls came in ready to make their case.”