No. 1 Hempfield fends off challenge from hard-hitting Penn-Trafford

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Thursday, March 28, 2024 | 9:06 PM

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With the scoreboard on the fritz, a temporary display panel was used Thursday at Hempfield’s Robert D. Kalp Field.

That was the least of the home team’s problems, however, as Penn-Trafford dealt the Spartans their first bout of adversity this season.

The Warriors, though, couldn’t deal them their first loss.

Hempfield won the nonsection softball game, 5-3, but not before the visiting Warriors tested the mettle of the defending WPIAL 6A champions.

“It was tight, but that’s good,” Hempfield coach Tina Madison said. “We are going to be challenged all year. We expect it to be tough.”

Hempfield (3-0), the No. 1 team in 6A, had posted a pair of shutouts against North Allegheny (6-0) and Mt. Lebanon (8-0). But 5A Penn-Trafford (2-2) has a knack for aggravating Hempfield with its heavy bats and found a way to score on the Spartans and ace junior pitcher Riley Miller.

Hempfield saw a 3-0 lead narrow to 3-2 in the top of the third. That eventually caused Madison to make a rare pitching change, subbing out Miller for sophomore Julia Varhola in the fifth.

Varhola kept the Warriors quiet after a bumpy start, and the offense added two important runs from there.

“The middle of their order is so strong,” Madison said. “Riley is so reliable, but we wanted to give them a different look. It’s a nonsection game, and it was a big-pressure situation. It was good reps for a sophomore. It all worked out.”

Varhola came in after junior Cam Ponko’s leadoff single in the fifth.

In the bottom of the inning, sophomore pinch-runner Audrey Semow took off for third on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Ella Berkebile. The throw over was on time, but the ball came out of Youngo’s glove and Semow was safe.

Senior Maggie Howard then ripped a two-out double to make it 4-2.

“I am always happy to go in for Riley,” said Varhola, who allowed one hit in 2 2/3 innings. “We got some hits and took off some of the pressure.

“This game will help us and make us push harder and work harder.”

Said Howard: “I have been looking for a big hit. I knew that was a good time to get it. My coaches told me just to relax and have fun.”

Hempfield took a 2-0 lead in the first on back-to-back RBI singles by senior Emily Griffith and Berkebile. Sophomore Claire Mitchell’s double to deep right started the early charge.

It was 3-0 after Mitchell’s single followed an extra-base hit by junior Allie Cervola.

Penn-Trafford cut it to 3-2 with two runs in the third. With two outs, juniors Giuliana Youngo and Kylie Anthony had run-scoring singles off of Miller.

Senior Sarah Podkul opened the sixth with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch for a 5-2 lead.

“In the fourth inning I told the girls, ‘Don’t look now, but we’re in the game,’” Penn-Trafford assistant coach Mike Cleland said. “I think we left six in scoring position. Hats off to their pitcher. They are the best team in 6A for a reason.

“We did give them a challenge. This is good for our confidence, even though we lost.”

Cleland filled in for head coach Denny Little, who was out of town.

The Warriors added a run in the seventh thanks to an error.

Miller moved to 3-0, striking out seven and walking one. She scattered seven hits.

“We left seven on base,” Madison said. “That’s not a good thing. We need to be better offensively. Our defense is really strong right now, and that’s a good thing.”

Mitchell and Howard each finished 2 for 3 for the Spartans.

Both Ponko and Anthony had two hits for Penn-Trafford.

Freshman Allyson Paulone took the loss, allowing eight hits over six innings.

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

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