Mt. Pleasant softball defeats rival Yough in WPIAL consolation
By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, May 29, 2018 | 7:36 PM
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Courtney Poullich (16), slides under the glove of Yough third basemanCorrin Parquette (20), after hitting a triple, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant pitcher Carolyn Alincic (13), finishes off Yough, with a 3-0 win, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University, in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's Hanna Bach (1), is out in a close contest with Mt. Pleasant's first baseman Courtney Poullich (16), during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Addy Kubasky (9), gets a base hit in the top of the seventh inning, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Yough, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough pitcher Kierra Waywood (8), during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Mt. Pleasant, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's third baseman tags out Mt. Pleasant's Christiana Czegan (19), during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant pitcher Meadow Uncapher (21), starts off the game against Yough, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's Nina Maroney (9), grabs a fly ball, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Mt. Pleasant, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's first baseman Courtney Poullich (16), finishes a double play, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant second baseman Alyssa Kesler (2), makes a hard catch near first for the second out in the bottom of the seventh inning, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Yough, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Mt. Pleasant's Courtney Poullich (16), slides under the glove of Yough third basemanCorrin Parquette (20), after hitting a triple, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant pitcher Carolyn Alincic (13), finishes off Yough, with a 3-0 win, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University, in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's Hanna Bach (1), is out in a close contest with Mt. Pleasant's first baseman Courtney Poullich (16), during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Addy Kubasky (9), gets a base hit in the top of the seventh inning, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Yough, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough pitcher Kierra Waywood (8), during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Mt. Pleasant, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's third baseman tags out Mt. Pleasant's Christiana Czegan (19), during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant pitcher Meadow Uncapher (21), starts off the game against Yough, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Yough's Nina Maroney (9), grabs a fly ball, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Mt. Pleasant, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's first baseman Courtney Poullich (16), finishes a double play, during the WPIAL softball consolation match at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Dan Speicher | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant second baseman Alyssa Kesler (2), makes a hard catch near first for the second out in the bottom of the seventh inning, during the WPIAL softball consolation match against Yough, at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.
Winning a state championship is a good reason to trust your instincts. So when Mt. Pleasant softball coach Lauren Armanious had a hunch senior Meadow Uncapher should be the Vikings' starting pitcher in the WPIAL Class 4A consolation game against neighboring rival Yough, she went with it.
And Uncapher, a Seton Hill recruit, delivered Tuesday at her future school.
Uncapher expertly mixed speeds for five innings, keeping Yough off-balance before junior Carolyn Alincic powered her way through the final two frames as Mt. Pleasant — the defending state champion — punched its ticket to the PIAA playoffs with a 3-0 win at Seton Hill.
“It was a gut feeling,” Armanious said of the decision to start Uncapher, who wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning. “We're very lucky to have two very capable, two college-recruited pitchers. The last two years, we've done a good job mixing the two.”
Mt. Pleasant (17-1), which won the third-place game last season, will play District 10 champion Slippery Rock on Monday at a site and time to be determined.
Who will start for the Vikings? It's too early to determine.
“Me and Carolyn, we have a good friendship on and off the field,” Uncapher said. “When it's hot like this, it's really important to have two pitchers, and we both can produce for each other.”
Uncapher got a little help in the first from her defense and designated player Mary Smithnosky.
In the top of the first, Smithnosky's two-out double to right field scored Courtney Poulich and Chloe Poulich for a 2-0 lead. It was all the offense Mt. Pleasant's pitching tandem needed, but Yough (16-5) threatened.
Hannah Bach, a Pitt recruit, led off the bottom of the first with a single, but she was thrown out at third trying to take an extra base on Nina Maroney's sacrifice bunt. A batter later, Kaylyn Odelli doubled.
Mt. Pleasant's third run came in the fourth on a fielder's choice when the Cougars' defense failed to recognize there were two outs and a play at first base would get them out of the inning.
“We made some mistakes that, for the most part, our teams haven't done the last couple years,” Yough coach Dutch Harvey said. “You can coach, but you can't play.”
The Cougars' Kierra Waywood matched the effectiveness of Uncapher and Alincic. She limited Mt. Pleasant's potent offense to five hits and struck out six, but Yough put only three runners in scoring position after the first inning thanks to Uncapher and Alincic, who struck out two and gave up two hits.
“My changeup was working good. I've been working on that pitch, and it helped me a lot,” said Uncapher, who struck out five and allowed four hits. “After we lost to Belle Vernon (in the WPIAL semifinal), everyone was upset, but we know we can still do it.”
Especially when the coach's game plan is executed.
“We actually planned on pitching (Uncapher) the first five innings and bring (Alincic) in for the last two,” Armanious said. “When it's hot, after about five innings, the starting pitcher starts to get fatigued. When you plan things, it doesn't always work out, but this time it did.”
Mike Kovak is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mkovak@tribweb.com or via Twitter at MKovak_Trib.
