Yough softball has plenty in reserve

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, May 9, 2018 | 9:06 PM

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Karlie Clark didn't flinch when Yough softball coach Dutch Harvey handed her the ball in a key Section 2-4A game Tuesday against rival Belle Vernon.

The senior knew there would be a chance she got the nod over junior Kierra Waywood, who was nursing a sore right elbow, and she accepted the challenge.

“I just had to do my job, and I trusted my defense,” Clark said after she blanked Belle Vernon, 2-0, to help the Cougars finish the section undefeated. “I knew I was going to pitch because it was based on how Kierra felt. I had to be ready no matter what. You just have to be mentally ready.”

Clark allowed five hits, struck out two and walked four — all intentional walks to Belle Vernon's best hitter: pitcher Bailey Parshall.

“This was huge for Karlie,” Harvey said. “This was a great deal for Karlie. You could see she was having a lot of fun.”

Senior shortstop Hannah Bach said she has confidence in Clark.

“I expected this from Karlie,” Bach said. “I knew she would kill it.”

Yough (12-0, 15-3) is ranked No. 2 in the Tribune-Review rankings behind No. 1 Mt. Pleasant (10-0, 15-0). Mt. Pleasant is the returning PIAA Class 4A champion, and Yough was PIAA champion in Class AAA in 2016.

Neither was a WPIAL champion when they won state titles. Belle Vernon won the WPIAL in 2017 — defeating Yough — and Mt. Pleasant won the district title in 2016.

Yough visits Mt. Pleasant on Thursday in a nonsection game.

Belle Vernon coach Tom Rodriguez said the game was important for Yough because it already clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming playoffs. It was bigger for the Leopards because they ended up in a second-place tie with Elizabeth Forward.

Harvey said his team wanted to win the section with an unbeaten record.

“I wanted that for them, especially the seniors,” Harvey said. “We hadn't done that for a couple years.”

The Cougar seniors are Bach, Nina Maroney, Kayley Westerman, Catherine Harris, Aubrie Mance, Heather Hyzy and Clark.

Bach said the win against Belle Vernon was big for multiple reasons.

“We finished undefeated in the section, and we beat Belle Vernon again,” Bach said. “I was proud of how everyone did. It's just not about how I did.

“This means a lot because Belle Vernon has been our rival since my freshman year. It's just cool that this was my last section game as a senior, and we finished undefeated.”

Now that they accomplished the section title, the Cougars can focus on getting Waywood healthy and the playoff grind.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Yough