Quick start helps Beaver in 6-0 win over EF
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Elizabeth Forward’s Shelby Telegdy pitches against Beaver during Friday afternoon’s WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at California University of Pa.’s Lilley Field.
Elizabeth Forward's Isabella Gimiliano singles during Friday afternoon's WPIAL Class AAAA championship game against Beaver at California University of Pa.'s Lilley Field. It was one of only three hits by the Lady Warriors, who lost 6-0.
Beaver's Payton List pitches to the Lady Warriors' Grace Smith during Friday afternoon's WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at California University of Pa.'s Lilley Field. List pitched a three-hit shutout in the Lady Bobcats' 6-0 win.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Elizabeth Forward center fielder Lauren Vay makes a diving attempt to catch a long drive by Beaver’s Chloe List during the third inning of Friday afternoon’s WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at California University of Pa.’s Lilley Field. The run-scoring hit ended up as a triple for List.
Elizabeth Forward shortstop Brooke Markland hauls in a pop up by Beaver during Friday afternoon's WPIAL Class AAAA championship game at California University of Pa.'s Lilley Field.
Elizabeth Forward seniors Grace Smith (left) and Brooke Markland wear their silver medals while holding the WPIAL Class AAAA runner-up trophy after the Lady Warriors fell to top-seeded Beaver at California University of Pa.'s Lilley Field on Monday afternoon.
CALIFORNIA — Elizabeth Forward and Beaver both put runners in scoring position in the first inning of Friday afternoon’s WPIAL Class AAAA softball championship game.
The second-seeded Warriors failed to score while the top-seeded Lady Bobcats cashed in for a pair of runs that propelled them to a 6-0 victory at California University of Pa.’s Lilley Field.
The early two-run cushion was plenty for Beaver pitcher Payton List who fired a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts as the undefeated Lady Bobcats (19-0) extended their winning streak to 40 and became the first team in history to put together back-to-back undefeated WPIAL championship seasons.
Beaver went on to win the PIAA title last year, rallying for a 5-3 quarterfinal win over Elizabeth Forward along the way.
List pitched that game as well.
“She’s definitely as fast, if not faster, than what we saw last year,” EF coach Harry Rutherford said. “She did a really good job.”
Both teams will play in the state tournament again this year beginning Monday.
Losing pitcher Shelby Telegdy had two of Elizabeth Forward’s three hits, both doubles, one coming with two outs in the top of the first inning. List left her stranded there with an inning-ending strikeout.
List then doubled leading off the bottom of the first and went to third when Taylor Young reached on a bunt single.
Young stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. Telegdy almost got out of the jam with a strikeout and pop out to shortstop Brooke Markland but Kayla Cornell followed with a two-run double to left field.
“If we could’ve got out of that then I think it could’ve been a totally different game,” said Rutherford whose team fell to 16-3. “I think once they scored, we’re an inexperienced team and I think that took them out of the game a little bit.
“We get out of the that first inning, it might be a one-run game.”
Elizabeth Forward’s only other base runner besides Telegdy was Bella Gimiliano whose grounder bounced off List for a single in the second inning.
“Shelby made good contact twice and Bella also hit a line drive to center,” Rutherford said. “They were the only two I felt made solid contact.”
Beaver made it 3-0 in the third when Samantha Springman was hit by a pitch, went to second on Hanna Crowe’s bunt and scored on Chloe List’s triple that center fielder Lauren Vay just missed catching with a diving attempt.
The Lady Bobcats put the game away with a three-run sixth that included a two-run double by Springman and an RBI double by Crowe.
Telegdy allowed three earned runs on 11 hits with no walks, two hit batters and five strikeouts.
“I didn’t think she hit her spots as well as she could, but she’s a sophomore and this is her first championship game,” Rutherford said of Telegdy. “She’s going to learn from this and she’ll grow. She’ll be fine.”