Trib HSSN Softball Player of the Week for April 18, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Monday, April 18, 2022 | 9:00 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Yough entered last week with a 1-1 record in Section 2-4A.

Three section victories later and the Cougars are in a familiar place, 4-1 and with a half-game lead over Elizabeth Forward for first place.

“Our team goals are to win the section, go deep into the playoffs and return to the state playoffs,” Yough coach Art ‘Dutch” Harvey said. “I think we can do this if we keep improving and gaining that valuable playing time to get us there.”

What makes the Yough start even more impressive is the fact the Cougars are young, with a roster full of mostly sophomores and freshmen.

Yough only has one 12th grader on the roster. Of course it helps when that lone senior is one of the top pitchers in the district in Emma Augustine.

“Emma has been a great team leader this year,” Harvey said. “With us playing so many freshman and sophomores, she has been instrumental in our early success this year. She had truly been the leader on the defensive side of the ball, and this week, we moved her to the No. 3 spot in the batting order and she has been great there.

“I always tell her we go as she goes, and she has responded in the best possible way daily. She is a great teammate, a very good-hearted person and could not be a better leader for this year’s young squad.”

Last week, Yough played three games in three days. The Cougars had bookend shutouts of Laurel Highlands (3-0) and Ringgold (6-0) with a big one-run victory over Belle Vernon sandwiched in between.

“(Last) week, she has been spot on with locations, her curveball and the change-up has really been a key,” Harvey said. “She has also been working with our pitching coach, Kierra Waywood, and has developed a true rise ball this spring that we have been working in also. All of the locations, mix of pitches and off-speed have been the key to our team success.”

Augustine has 71 strikeouts on the year with a 2.10 ERA. Against Laurel Highlands, she gave up one hit, walked one and had 13 strikeouts. Against Belle Vernon, Augustine yielded six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. Finally against Ringgold, the senior gave up two hits and walked one with 13 strikeouts.

A Cougars co-captain with the lone junior on the team, McKenzie Pritts, Augustine has enjoyed success at the plate as well as in the circle.

“Emma this week was 3 for 9 with a home run, a double and single,” Harvey said. “Most importantly, she was walked twice in that nine at bats and she has been very good at getting on base.”

Despite having a great GPA and drawing interest from numerous NCAA Division II and III softball programs, future schooling is not in Augustine’s immediate future.

“Emma has decided to go into her mother’s business,” Harvey said. “She will be going into the salon business that her mother has had in West Newton for years.”

For the next month or two, Augustine plans to make things hairy for Yough opponents as the Cougars try to get back to the WPIAL championship for the first time since 2017.

“I feel good about our performance thus far,” Harvey said. “We have had some great games while facing pressure and come from behind chances. If we continue to improve, we will be a tough out in the future.”

2022 Trib HSSN Softball Players of the Week:

Week 1 – Abby Quickel, Bethel Park

Tags: Yough