Seneca Valley senior named Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week

By: Don Rebel
Monday, May 13, 2019 | 10:17 PM

Claire Zimmerman

School: Seneca Valley

Class: Senior

The Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week is Seneca Valley senior Claire Zimmerman, helped the Raiders close out the regular season with two nonsection wins thanks to her bat and her pitching.

Against Montour, Zimmerman hit a three-run homer to ignite the Seneca Valley offense in a 10-1 win over Montour.

“Claire had a great week last week,” coach George Trew said. “She pitched two outstanding games as she scattered three hits in a win over Montour with five strikeouts. She was mixing up her pitches well.”

The next day, she threw a four-inning no-hitter as the Raiders rolled to a mercy-rule victory over Blackhawk.

“Claire has been solid this year, pitching 114 innings and only giving up 30 earned runs for a 1.84 ERA,” Trew said. “She has 73 strikeouts and 31 walks and has a 14-4 record.”

At the plate, Zimmerman is batting near .300 for the season with 11 RBIs.

“Our expectations were high for Claire this season.” Trew said. “As a senior and three-year starting pitcher, she has lived up to those expectations.”

Seneca Valley finished 14-5 and in fourth place in Section 2-6A, one game behind tri-champions Hempfield, North Allegheny and Norwin.

Trew knows Zimmerman and the Raiders have to be near the top of their game as the playoffs begin with a quarterfinals matchup Wednesday against No. 2 seed Canon-McMillan.

“We are going to have to play well against Cannon Mac if we want to have a chance to win,” Trew said. “They are a good team and are on a hot streak. It should be a great game to watch and be a part of.”

Honorable mention:

Lindsay Schmidt, Canon-McMillan

Junior Lindsay Schmidt helped Canon-McMillan outscore Peters Township and Allderdice, 26-8, as the Big Macs closed section play with two wins that gave them a share of the Section 1-6A title with Baldwin and Bethel Park. Schmidt was 4 for 6 with two runs, four RBIs, two doubles and a triple.

Lindsey Penz, Montour

The senior was a combined 5 for 7 in the final two games of the regular season with two runs, four RBIs and a double. Penz is hitting over .400 for the season, helping Montour finish 9-8 and qualify for the WPIAL playoffs, where they will face Franklin Regional on Tuesday.

Aliyah Rotharmel, South Allegheny

Rotharmel, a senior, finished the regular season strong, as did the Gladiators with five straight wins. In the final two section victories last week, Rotharmel had a double, triple and had three RBIs in a win over South Park then was 3 for 3 as South Allegheny rolled past Brownsville.

Previous Trib HSSN Softball Players of the Week:

Izzy Farmer, West Mifflin

Madison Slowinski, Freedom

Nina Grandey, Serra Catholic

Jena Hixson, Connellsville

Sydney Calderaro, Vincentian Academy

Maddy Hershberger, Albert Gallatin

This Week’s Trib HSSN Team of the Week: Upper St. Clair Panthers