Katie Armstrong leads Burrell into PIAA softball playoffs for 1st time in 11 years
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Tuesday, May 31, 2022 | 5:45 PM
Burrell catcher Bella Stewart (left) celebrates with starting pitcher Katie Armstrong after beating Montour in the WPIAL Class 4A consolation game Tuesday at Mars Area High School. Armstrong struck out 16.
Burrell’s Caroline Dynka scores behind Montour catcher Payton Wiernik in the first inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Cassidy Novak makes a running catch on a ball hit by Montour’s Angelia Lamarca in the third inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Bella Stewart drives in a run against Montour in the first inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell starting pitcher Katie Armstrong throws against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School. Armstrong struck out 16.
Burrell’s Pyper Ferres celebrates with Caroline Dynka after Dynka scored in the first inning against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Bella Stewart takes second base ahead of the tag of Montour’s Breanna Pies in the first inning after an RBI single during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
Burrell’s Bray Jones tracks down a ball hit by Montour’s Payton Wiernik in the third inning during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation game Tuesday.
The Burrell infield celebrates after getting out of the sixth inning against Montour during the WPIAL Class 4A consolation softball game Tuesday, May 31, 2022, at Mars Area High School.
For the first time in 11 years, the Burrell softball team will be a part of the PIAA playoffs.
The Bucs scored three times in the first inning of Tuesday’s WPIAL Class 4A third-place game against Montour at Mars. The lead held up behind the pitching of junior Katie Armstrong and the Bucs defense.
The Spartans got a single run in the sixth, but Burrell closed the door on a 3-1 victory that extended its season to states.
“I am just so excited and so blessed to keep playing with my teammates and to have this opportunity at states,” said Armstrong, who scattered four hits, walked one and struck out 16. “I love these girls. We’ve worked so hard for this.”
Burrell, which has given up just three runs in three playoff games, bounced back from a 2-1 semifinal loss to Elizabeth Forward last Wednesday. The Bucs (13-2) open PIAA play Monday against District 10 champion Villa Maria Academy at a site and time to be determined.
“This feels great. We’re moving on,” Burrell coach Rick Nealer said. “It’s a new season now. Everyone is 0-0. It’s one game at a time starting Monday, and let’s see where we go.”
Burrell got all it would need in the bottom of the first in support of Armstrong.
Lone senior Caroline Dynka singled over the first-base bag on the first pitch of the game, and she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Armstrong.
Freshman catcher Bella Stewart then singled off of Montour junior starter Kaitlyn Molitoris. Dynka scored on the hit to give Burrell a 1-0 lead.
With two outs, freshman Bray Jones drew a walk.
Stewart was on third, and Jones was on second when junior Alanna Miller hit a ball back to Molitoris. The throw to first was wide and skipped into foul territory. Stewart and Jones scored to extend the Bucs’ lead.
Burrell looked to build the lead with runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.
“We had plenty of chances to add on,” Nealer said. “We didn’t do it, but, luckily, those three runs held up. We had runners on just about every inning. With Katie on the mound, even getting one run, we’re feeling pretty good. With three, we were extremely confident.
“But it’s the playoffs, and the kids get tight in the later innings. We are always looking to keep them loose.”
Montour got on the board as No. 9 hitter Kylie Ross led off the top of the sixth with a walk. It was only the 13th walk Armstrong has given up all season.
Junior Mia Arndt then flew out to left, and Armstrong struck out senior Breanna Pies. But junior Avrie Polo beat out a bunt for a single that scored Ross, who had stolen both second and third.
It was only the second earned run surrendered by Armstrong all season. She was charged with an earned run in the season-opening 6-1 victory over Mt. Pleasant.
The Bucs got out of the inning with no further damage.
Senior Payton Wiernik hit a liner to center to keep Montour alive in the top of the seventh after Armstrong struck out the first two batters. It was the only one of the four Spartans hits to leave the infield.
But Armstrong came back with her 16th and final strikeout of the game, fanning Molitoris to end it.
“It helped just knowing that we had those extra runs to give us a little wiggle room,” Armstrong said.
“However we can get the runs, we’ll take them.
“They had seen me a couple of times before the sixth and kind of had a better approach. But I knew that I had my defense behind me, and I knew they equally wanted to win this game.”
The Burrell defense, in its limited opportunities while Armstrong was piling up the strikeouts, didn’t commit an error.
Molitoris was up to the task for the Spartans. She walked six with five strikeouts but only gave up one hit — a single from Armstrong to lead off the bottom of the fifth — after the two she surrendered in the first.
Montour, with five seniors in its lineup, capped its season at 14-6.
“All year, the girls never got down on themselves and continued to fight, no matter what the circumstances were in a game,” Montour coach Ken Kutchman said. “(Armstrong) is such a good pitcher. We just couldn’t lay off the rise (pitch). We had to be a little more disciplined, and we weren’t. Give Burrell all the credit.”
“As I told the girls earlier, this has been one of my most enjoyable seasons in 15 years. It’s just a great bunch of kids.”
Tuesday’s game marked the return to the lineup of Burrell freshman outfielder Sabrina Hoover, who missed 10 games because of injury.
Hoover, in the starting mix at the beginning of the season, was cleared for game action Tuesday. She finished 0 for 2 with a walk.
“It was such a great feeling to be back and on the field with my teammates,” Hoover said.
“There were a little nerves, but it was mostly excitement. It was a long time being out. I knew if we made it far I was going to be able to come back. Not a lot of teams make it this far, so I am grateful for that.”
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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