More WPIAL softball championships on tap in Thursday’s 3 things to watch in high school sports

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 | 4:06 PM

The final day of May features three more district softball championships up for grabs.

It's appropriate that another Monessen vs. West Greene softball title game is set for high noon. Like the movie, it's a showdown a lot of people are looking forward to.

Although the first take was not a memorable one for the Greyhounds. After losing to the defending-champion Pioneers, 6-2 and 1-0, in the regular season, Monessen got whacked 10-0 in the 2017 title game at Cal (Pa.)'s Lilly Field.

Maybe a change of venue will help change the outcome for Monessen as all of the district softball finals are being played on the turf at Seton Hill University.

Plus, there was no sweep in the season series this year. West Greene won in early April, 8-1, but Monessen picked up a win against the Pioneers in late April, 2-1.

While West Greene has plenty of weapons, led by the Lampe sisters and the Renner sisters, Monessen will lean on one of the hottest pitchers in the district in Dana Vatakis. She has given up two runs in two wins this postseason and has struck out 31 in victories over Riverview and Leechburg.

In the semifinals, freshman Hannah Yorty belted a three-run home run that broke a 2-2 tie to lift Monessen past Leechburg, 5-2.

Senior Madison Renner smacked two homers and drove in four in the Pioneers' 8-2 triumph over Union.

Battle of south

Both South Park and Southmoreland have had very good softball programs over the years, especially recently.

The big difference between the two finalists in this year's WPIAL Class 3A title game is the gold.

Southmoreland has never won a district or state softball championship. The Scotties finally cleared the semifinals hurdle that has stopped them in two of the previous three years when they beat previously-undefeated Freeport last week 6-4, thanks in part to a Lexi Klatt home run.

The Scotties lost to Belle Vernon, 3-2, in the 2015 WPIAL semifinals and fell to eventual champion Ellwood City, 3-1, in the 2017 semifinals.

South Park does have some gold to show for its softball success.

The Eagles beat Center, 1-0, in eighth innings in 2003 for its only WPIAL softball crown.

Then, after losing to Deer Lakes in the semifinals last year, South Park won the Class 3A consolation game and beat Titusville, Ellwood City, Philipsburg-Osceola and Pine Grove to capture the program's first state championship.

By the way, the team South Park beat in the WPIAL consolation game a year ago? It was a 4-3 victory over Southmoreland.

Another surprise softball title run?

In 2014, Thomas Jefferson finished the regular season 11-6 and was seeded No. 13 in an 18-team Class AAA playoff field.

Then the upsets began.

First, the Jaguars surprised No. 4 Knoch, 3-2. Then, it was No. 5 Trinity in the quarterfinals 3-1. Then, they stunned top-seed Greensburg Salem in the semifinals 4-3.

They had reached the finals where they capped off a shocking title run with a 5-3 win over Mars in nine innings.

Fast forward four years to the 2018 postseason where once again the Jaguars are raising eye-brows.

TJ was the No. 11 seed in a 12-team Class 5A bracket, but have upset No. 6 Moon, 3-2; No. 3 Penn-Trafford, 7-4; and No. 2 Albert Gallatin, 2-0 in eight innings.

Standing in the Jaguars' way of another surprise gold rush is defending champion West Allegheny.

The Indians have been near perfect in their title defense with a 19-1 record; their only blemish being a 6-3 loss in March to St. Francis (Ill.) on their trip south to Myrtle Beach.

West Allegheny owns playoff wins over Trinity, 4-3, and Connellsville, 7-2, on its way to a third straight title game appearance.

All three WPIAL softball title games on Thursday can be heard on the TribLive High School Sports Network .

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Monessen, South Park, Southmoreland, Thomas Jefferson, West Allegheny