Montour Blanks EF For 2nd WPIAL AAA Softball Crown in 3 Years

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 1, 2012 | 12:30 AM

At the University of California of PA in the WPIAL girls AAA Softball Championships, the Montour Spartans defeat the Elizabeth Forward Warriors by a score of 7-0 to claim their second title in the last three years.

They put on a hitting display and kept the foot on the gas making sure the Warriors could not come back late in the game.

The scoring started for the Spartans in the 3rd inning as the number nine hitter, Junior Alyssa McMurtrie led off with a line drive home run to CF to make it 1-0. One out later Megan Vacco started a string of three straight singles, the other two by Kaitlyn Kutchman, and Alllison Hryadil and they led 2-0.

The score grew to 4-0 Spartans in the 5th as Tori Roman and Stephanie Seibert singled then Olivia Dixon reached on an error.

Montour tacked on single runs in the 6th on two singles and an error, and in the 7th on  2 singles and an error again to make the final score 7-0.

Montour head coach Bill Wills, in an interview after the game said,  "This was more like how we played all year, we are used to hitting the ball and scoring runs"

The Spartans had to come from behind in the semi finals in the last inning to squeeze into the finals. 

This game proved to be much easier even though the game seemed lopsided  the Warriors had their chances as they left two runners on in the 2nd, and 4th inning, and the bases loaded in the 5th. Each Time Spartan senior pitcher  Kutchman would pitch out of the Jam. "I went with my fastball when I needed the strikeout" said Kutchman immediately following the game. She ended 4 innings with a strikeout and got out of her most serious trouble in the 2nd and 5th innings with the strikeout. She gets the shut out going the distance, giving up 5 hits, 4 walks, and striking out 6.

The Spartans were not without their hitting stars as virtually the whole lineup reached base numerous times as Montour had 14 hits on the afternoon. Stacey Capp was 3 for 5 with 3 singles and 2 RBI. Kutchman was 2 for 5 with 2 singles,Hryadil was 2 for 4 with a double and single and an RBI, Tori Roman was 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI. Finally McMurtrie was 3 for 4 with three runs scored, 2 singles, an RBI and the home run.

Montour improves to 17-5 on the season and will head to the PIAA state playoffs as the number one team from district seven. 

The Warriors fall to 17-7 and will represent district seven as the number two team from the WPIAL. Elizabeth Forward has a very young team with only 4 seniors as they head to the state tournament. Junior pitcher Portia McBride took the loss for the Warriors going the distance, giving up 7 runs on 14 hits, 5 strikeouts 1 hit batter and no walks. For the Warriors, Courtney Hrabosky had 2 hits, both singles and Virginia Roche and McBride both reached base twice.

The hard hitting Spartans charge into the state tourney with a  veteran heavy lineup as only 2 starters are seniors. Both teams were members of MSA Sports initial Hometown Softball Program.

Montour Spartans : 0 – 0 – 2 – 1 – 2 – 1 – 1 = 7
Elizabeth Forward Warriors : 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 = 0 

Tags: Elizabeth Forward