Highlands mounts comeback, shocks No. 1 Elizabeth Forward in Class 4A semifinals

By: Jeremy Sellew
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | 7:37 PM

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Down by three runs and down to its last three outs, the Highlands softball team mounted an epic comeback against the top-seeded defending WPIAL champs Wednesday afternoon.

The Golden Rams scored three runs in the top of the seventh and added two more in the top of the eighth to upset Elizabeth Forward, 6-4, earning a spot in next week’s Class 4A championship game.

The rally started in the seventh when Kassidy Cambal, who hit a solo home run in the first inning, struck out, but catcher Bri Sersevic couldn’t find the ball in the dirt, allowing Cambal to reach base. Abbie Deiseroth roped a hard single to right that Lauren Vay booted around the warning track. Cambal scored easily and Deiseroth pulled into second. Jaycee Haidze singled to score Deiseroth and make it 4-3.

“Good teams take advantage of the other team’s mistakes,” Highlands coach Jennifer Koprivnikar said. “We had all the faith in the world in our girls and we never quit.”

The Rams (16-4) tied the game when Kylie Zourelias sent a liner right at left fielder Carlee Soukop, but the freshman couldn’t make the catch.

“I’m sure there were some nerves there, but we have to catch the balls that are hit right at us,” Elizabeth Forward coach Harry Rutherford said.

After setting down the bottom of the EF lineup in order, the momentum stayed in Highlands’ favor in the top of the eighth.

Joie Beacom led off with a fly ball down the line that Soukop got a late start on and it dropped for a double. Riley Pointkowski switched places with Beacom with a double of her own to give her team a 5-4 lead.

After moving to third on a passed ball, Pointkowski scored when Anna Resnik booted a ground ball by Cambal.

“Anna makes that play 98 percent of the time,” Rutherford said. “We started making mistakes, and it just rolled downhill on us.”

Resnik turned a hard liner into a double play and Larcinese got Haidze to fly out to left to end the inning.

The Warriors (16-3) got the tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the inning after a Sersevic walk, but Grace Smith struck out and Telegdy grounded out to third to send the Rams to the championship game.

Koprivnikar lauded the pitching of Haidze in the circle.

She struck out 10 while scattering seven hits.

“She just gets stronger and stronger as the game goes on. She knew what their lineup can do and she continued to pound the zone,” Koprivnikar said. “Our defense has been great behind her, and while we made some mistakes of our own, we shook them off and moved on to the next play. That’s what we preach.”

Up until the seventh, EF pitcher Kailey Larcinese was on cruise control.

She allowed a solo homer in the top of the first inning to Cambal, then only allowed one hit through the next five innings.

Larcinese allowed only one earned one as her defense committed five errors behind her. She struck out 11.

“I don’t know if she got tired,” EF head coach Harry Rutherford said. “She’s been battling a back injury and has been getting treatments, so I don’t know if that played a role in it or not. She hasn’t been as sharp with her command as we’re used to seeing.”

Highlands will meet Beaver, the undefeated second seed, in the WPIAL finals June 2 or 3 at Cal U.

Elizabeth Forward will take on West Mifflin in Tuesday’s consolation game.

Tags: Elizabeth Forward, Highlands