Freshman Jorjah Ostrosky sparks Hempfield to victory over Norwin in varsity debut

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Friday, May 2, 2025 | 9:19 PM

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A freshman got a WPIAL call-up and looked like a grizzled veteran in her varsity debut.

Hempfield’s Jorjah Ostrosky was penciled into the starting lineup Friday at Norwin and acted like she had been there before, going a team-best 3 for 3 with two RBIs in a 6-0, weather-shortened victory for the top-ranked Spartans (18-1, 14-1), who followed senior pitcher Riley Miller’s lead to a one-hit shutout.

Jorjah was a peach in her first WPIAL action, sparking the Spartans to their first two runs.

“She was batting .682 in JVs,” Hempfield coach Tina Madison said. “We thought she could help us, and she did.”

Ostrosky was not necessarily expecting to see time this season for a program where the lineup is traditionally hard to crack — at most, freshmen are pegged as courtesy runners — but she was ready when her name was called.

When Ostrosky came off the bus for an interview after a short lightning delay that turned into the game getting called, her teammates chanted “She’s … a … freshman.”

“I am used to seeing that kind of pitching in travel ball,” said Ostrosky, the designated player. “I just wanted to show I wasn’t intimidated by them.”

The game was called in the top of the seventh because of lightning and rain. Hempfield was looking to do more damage with the bases loaded and no outs, but it settled for another Miller gem nonetheless.

Miller took a no-hitter into the sixth before sophomore Lia Holtzman’s two-out single.

Hempfield has nine shutouts, 11 if you count the pair of 7-0 forfeit wins over depleted Woodland Hills.

The Spartans continued to build toward a playoff run and a potential section title, which was knocked off course when they lost 2-1 to No. 2 Seneca Valley, the team they will finish section play against Tuesday at home.

The offense took some time to get warmed up against Norwin (8-11, 8-8), the upstart underdog that ended Hempfield’s season in last year’s semifinals.

The Knights, who were swept by Hempfield, also are playoff-bound.

With the top of the order quiet early, No. 8 hitter Ostrosky followed a bunt single by senior Morgan Walt with a hit to center for the Spartans’ first run in the second inning.

Senior Allie Cervola dropped a bunt and beat the throw to open the third, then stole second. But Norwin junior pitcher Abbie Telli struck out junior Lauren Howard and Miller to end the threat.

The Knights, though, could only limit the Spartans for so long. In the fourth, junior Raegan Reamer walked and moved to second on Walt’s sacrifice bunt.

Ostrosky followed with a sharp single down the first-base line for a 2-0 lead. That broke the ice.

Hempfield added three more runs in the fourth thanks to a two-run double by junior Claire Mitchell and a two-out RBI single by Howard to build a 5-0 advantage.

“We were hitting fly balls like we do against them, so our bunting today was huge,” Madison said. “Jorjah helped to get us going.”

Hempfield’s 7, 8 and 9 hitters were a combined 6 for 9 with one walk.

“It always takes us longer against Norwin,” Madison said. “It’s always a tough game, and the girls know that.”

Hempfield tacked on one more run in the sixth. Cervola led off with a double, and Howard was hit by a pitch. Both moved up on steals.

Junior Ella Berkebile flew out to center, and when an offline relay throw came in, Cervola raced home.

“It’s the same story time and again,” Norwin coach Brian Mesich said. “They hit the ball when they need to hit the ball. We have to be able to hit better.”

In the sixth, Reamer led off with a bunt single and went to second on a passed ball. Walt singled, and Ostrosky walked.

Before junior pinch-hitter Hailey Uhrinek could take a cut, play was halted.

Cervola and Walt each had two hits.

Telli struck out four and walked three while allowing 11 hits.

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

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin