Lady Pioneers’ playoff run comes to end with 8-2 loss
West Greene catcher London Whipkey applies the tag on DuBois Central Catholic’s Ema Suplizio after taking the throw from rightfielder Oliva Kiger in the top of the first inning in Thursday’s PIAA Class A quarterfinal softball playoff game at Slippery Rock University. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
West Greene’s Kiley Meek slides safely into second base as DuBois Central Catholic second baseman Madison Holt takes the throw in the bottom of the first inning in Thursday’s PIAA Class A quarterfinal softball playoff game at Slippery Rock University.
West Greene third baseman Lexi Six throws to first for the out on DuBois Central Catholic’s Jessy Frank in the top of the first inning of Thursday’s PIAA Class A quarterfinal softball playoff game at Slippery Rock University. (Photo by Jim Downey)
SLIPPERY ROCK — DuBois Central Catholic put up six runs in the top of the fourth inning Thursday afternoon and West Greene was unable to recover in an 8-2 loss to the Cardinals in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class A softball playoffs at Slippery Rock University.
DuBois C.C. (21-3) advances to Monday’s semifinal against Saegertown. Saegertown (16-4) edged WPIAL champion Union in the first game of the doubleheader, 1-0, in eight innings.
West Greene closes the season with a 14-5 record.
West Greene coach Bill Simms had nothing but praise for his squad.
“This team, I could walk away from coaching and be happy,” said Simms. “I couldn’t ask for more or be prouder of this team.”
The Cardinals pounded out six hits in the fourth inning, sending 11 batters to the plate. The Lady Pioneers also committed two errors in the inning.
Ema Suplizio opened the scoring with a two-run single. Kaylee Risser’s double and Savannah Morelli’s infield single loaded the bases with one out.
Suplizio was out at the plate on Madison Holt’s ground ball to third baseman Lexi Six, but Jessy Frank cleared the bases with a three-run double.
Payton Gilbert replaced starter Kiley Meek on Davidson’s second at-bat of the inning. She walked Davidson, but got Melia Miscovich to fly out to right field to end the inning.
“We’ve had big innings. We just couldn’t get out of it,” said Simms. “When you play with fire, you get burned. They earned it.
“It was tough to take Kiley Meek out, but you have to try something. I thought Payton came in and kept us alive. Of course, we played defense behind her.”
West Greene escaped big innings in the top of the first and second, holding the Cardinals to one run in each at-bat.
Kali Franklin was safe on an error to open the game and advanced to second on Suplizio’s single. A ground out to second base moved both runners up a base.
Morelli ripped a single, bringing Franklin home. Suplizio tried to score on the play, but Olivia Kiger’s throw to London Whipkey was on target for the second out of the inning.
“We had an error and she scored. You can’t give outs away in big games,” said Simms.
DuBois C.C. loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second and scored a run when Suplizio walked home a run.
“Damage control. I felt we had a little momentum after leaving the bases loaded,” said Simms.
Gilbert settled the game down over the final three innings, allowing four hits but stranding all four runners.
West Greene stranded single runners in the first and fourth innings and two in the third inning before finally breaking throw in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Anna Durbin singled with one out and scored on Whipkey’s long double to left field with two outs. Courtesy runner Emily Wise came home on BreAnn Jacobs’ single.
The Lady Pioneers stranded a runner at third in the bottom of the sixth inning and had one last gasp in the final inning.
Katie Lampe and Whipkey opened with back-to-back singles, but were unable to advance with Morgan Tyler, who came in relief in the sixth inning, retiring the next three batters.
“We had some nice hits, but couldn’t get enough hits bunched up,” said Simms.