Westmoreland WPIAL softball playoff capsules: Games of May 14, 2019

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, May 13, 2019 | 9:01 PM

Purchase Photo Options

WPIAL softball playoffs

First round preview

Tuesday’s games

Class 5A

14-Latrobe (12-6) vs. 3-Hampton (15-3)

6 p.m. at Gateway

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Franklin Regional (11-7) and 11-Montour (9-8 Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Rich Kozusko, Latrobe; Ron Fedell, Hampton

Players to watch: Makayla Muchinski, Sr., C, Latrobe; Maddie Werner, Sr., 3B, Hampton

Extra bases: Latrobe, which fell 2-1 in 10 innings to Hempfield in the Class 6A title game last year, finished tied for fourth in Section 1 with Albert Gallatin. The Wildcats started the season 8-0 but were 1-4 in their last five games. Pitching will be the linchpin for the Wildcats, who had to shuffle in new arms because of an injury to sophomore Jenna Tallman. … Hampton split the Section 2 title with Plum, its first section crown since 2015. The Talbots started the season on a 13-game winning streak. Werner is a senior co-captain with first baseman Sidney Kasper.

Class 5A

6-Franklin Regional (12-6) vs. 11-Montour (9-8)

6 p.m. at Hampton

Winner plays: Winner of 14-Latrobe (12-6) and 3-Hampton (15-3) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Jim Armstrong, Franklin Regional; Ken Kutchman, Montour

Players to watch: Angalee Beall, Sr., P, Franklin Regional; Lindsey Penz, Sr., IF, Montour

Extra bases: The Panthers finished tied for second in Section 1 and will look to avoid being upset in their first playoff game for the second consecutive season after being no-hit in a 4-0 loss to Connellsville in the quarterfinals last year. Beall is a Point Park commit, and senior first baseman Mallory Halleck is headed to Saint Vincent. … Montour, which finished fourth in Section 3, lost three of its last five games but scored a 12-10 nonsection victory over No. 3 Hampton in the season finale. The Spartans have yielded double-digit run totals seven times and have scored 10 or more runs six times.

Class 3A

8-Deer Lakes (9-8) vs 9-Southmoreland (9-6)

5 p.m. at Shaler

Winner plays: 1-Avonworth (17-2) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Craig Taliani, Deer Lakes; Todd Bunner, Southmoreland

Players to watch: Makayla Blair, Jr., SS, Deer Lakes; Lexi Klatt, Sr., C.

Extra bases: Deer Lakes, which starts just one senior amid a handful of freshmen, won nine of its final 12 games. The Lancers appeared in five WPIAL championship games from 2012-17, winning two, and are making their ninth consecutive postseason appearance. … Southmoreland is the defending WPIAL champion and returned eight starters, including Klatt, an Alderson Broaddus commit, and senior Faith Miller, who will play at Robert Morris. The Scotties have hit 25 home runs.

12-Derry (4-10) vs. 5-Beaver (12-4)

5 p.m. at Fox Chapel

Winner plays: 4-South Park (13-4) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Pat Meloy, Derry; Amy Haggart, Beaver

Players to watch: Kam Kelly, Jr., SS, Derry; Allie Teagle, Jr., P, Beaver

Extra bases: After dropping from Class 4A this season, sweeps of Valley and East Allegheny propelled Derry to fourth place in Section 1 and a third consecutive postseason appearance. The Trojans have no seniors. Kelly homered in Derry’s regular-season finale against East Allegheny. … Beaver finished second in Section 2 behind top-seeded Avonworth. The Bobcats’ only two losses to a WPIAL team came against the Antelopes. Teagle pitched a three-hitter in a 6-1 win over Highlands in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs last year.

Class A

9-Greensburg Central Catholic (7-9) vs. 8-Bishop Canevin (6-6)

3 p.m. at Fox Chapel

Winner plays: 1-West Greene (16-4) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Mike Gaffney, Greensburg Central Catholic; Karen Seitz-LaFianza, Bishop Canevin

Players to watch: Bella Skatell, Sr., OF/P, Greensburg Central Catholic; Taylor Lokaitis, Jr., SS, Bishop Canevin

Extra bases: GCC won three of its last four Section 3 games by double digits, outscoring opponents 52-19 to secure a tie for third place and a playoff berth. The Centurions finished strong after starting the season 3-5, with all five losses by double digits. Skatell and sophomore Jaden Cox anchor the lineup … Bishop Canevin placed third in Section 1. They played the second fewest games of anyone in Class A. Lokaitis and her younger sister, Meadow, are big bats in the middle of the lineup and make up the Crusaders’ middle infield.

Class A

10-Jeannette (8-5) vs. 7-Mapletown (10-5)

6 p.m. at Peters Township

Winner plays: 2-Leechburg (15-1) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Zac Karas, Jeanette; Raquel Cole, Mapletown

Players to watch: Faith Johnston, Jr., P, Jeannette; Macee Cree, Fr., P, Mapletown

Extra bases: Jeannette finished in a tie for third place in Section 3 with Greensburg Central Catholic. Johnston has a .452 batting average and four homers and has pitched every inning for the Jayhawks and sports a 2.79 ERA. Abby Mortimore has a .382 batting average, and Brylin Hickman is hitting .375. … Mapletown is in the postseason for a second consecutive season after finishing third in Section 2. The Maples earned a 7-2 win over No. 5-seeded Jefferson-Morgan and split with the Rockets in section play. Cree has had a strong freshman season, going 5-2 with 40 strikeouts.

Class A

13-Monessen (6-9) vs. 4-Sewickley Academy (8-3)

4 p.m. at Peters Township

Winner plays: Winner of 5-Jefferson-Morgan (9-6) and 12-Rochester (3-13) Monday (time, site TBD)

Coaches: Carlee Wickstrom, Monessen; Heather Bordner/Shannon Rankin, Sewickley Academy

Players to watch: Hannah Yorty, So., P., Monessen; Theresa Wilson, Sr., OF, Sewickley Academy

Extra bases: Monessen, which finished fourth in Section 2, is the lowest-seeded team in the bracket despite winning three more games than Rochester and Quigley Catholic. The Greyhounds advanced to the Class A final the last two seasons, losing to West Greene both times. Monessen started the season 1-8 but rebounded to win five of its last six games. … The Panthers finished second in Section 1. Win Palmer stepped down as coach three games into the season, and Bordner and Rankin have coached the team to a 6-2 record since. Wilson leads an experienced group that includes senior third baseman Kendall Lightcap, senior infielder Alyssa Winters and junior pitcher Alexis Barlock.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Beaver, Bishop Canevin, Deer Lakes, Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Hampton, Jeannette, Latrobe, Mapletown, Monessen, Montour, Sewickley Academy, Southmoreland