A-K Valley softball playoff capsules: Games for May 27, 2021

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | 4:01 PM

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Thursday’s games

Class A

Third-place consolation

2-Leechburg (12-5) vs. 4-South Side (12-4)

4 p.m. at Mars

Coaches: Debbie Fleming, Leechburg; Amy Pieto, South Side

What’s at stake: The winner qualifies for the PIAA playoffs, and the loser is done for the season.

Players to watch: Madison Hanan, Sr., INF, Leechburg; Ashley Trillow, Sr., SS, South Side

Extra bases: The Blue Devils are hoping to reach the state playoffs for the second time in as many seasons and seventh time overall since 2004. Leechburg suffered a 7-2 loss in Tuesday’s semifinal matchup with No. 3 Union at Mars. The Blue Devils are 3-1 after a loss this season. Emma Ritchie paced the Leechburg offense against Union with a double, a single and a run scored. Anna Cibik recorded an RBI double, and Karli Mazak singled and scored a run. Leechburg began the playoffs last week with a 9-3 quarterfinal victory over No. 7 Mapletown. … South Side hopes to reach to the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 2017 when it reached the Class 2A state championship game before falling to Minersville, 4-1. The Rams are playing their first season in Class A. They lost to West Greene, 5-3, in the semifinals Tuesday at Montour. Trillow doubled and drove in a pair of runs for South Side in the setback to the Pioneers. The Rams started the playoffs with a quarterfinal victory over No. 5 Springdale.

Class 5A

Third-place consolation

5-Chartiers Valley (13-8) vs. 14-Fox Chapel (13-7)

2 pm. at Mars

Coaches: Chris Lloyd, Chartiers Valley; Chris Olbrich, Fox Chapel

What’s at stake: The winner secures WPIAL third-place spot in PIAA playoffs. Loser lands in the fourth-place position.

Players to watch: Amelia Herzer, Jr., C, Fox Chapel; Madison Crump, So., SS/P, Chartiers Valley

Extra bases: Chartiers Valley qualified for the WPIAL playoffs after missing the postseason in 2018 and ’19. The Colts suffered a 3-0 loss to North Hills in Tuesday’s semifinals. Crump had two hits, and Jenna Bonneysteele struck out eight. Chartiers Valley defeated Thomas Jefferson, 9-5, in the first round, and Connellsville, 5-1, in the quarterfinals. The Colts finished tied with West Allegheny for the Section 4 title. … Fox Chapel played in the WPIAL semifinals for the first time in program history. The Foxes hope to bounce back from a 2-1 walk-off loss to No. 7 Armstrong on Tuesday. Herzer led the way for Fox Chapel with an RBI double, and she also singled. McKenzie Borkovich struck out 12 and walked three. The Foxes upended No. 3 Plum, 2-0, in the first round, and No. 11 Franklin Regional, 7-5, in a walk-off in the quarterfinals. Starting shortstop and cleanup hitter Hunter Taylor suffered a thumb injury against Franklin Regional. She was not cleared to play against Armstrong, and her status for Thursday’s game was undetermined Wednesday.

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.

Tags: Chartiers Valley, Fox Chapel, Leechburg, South Side