Parshall’s no-hitter leads Belle Vernon softball past No. 1 Mt. Pleasant

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, May 23, 2018 | 9:30 PM

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For the second consecutive season and third time in four years, the Belle Vernon softball team will play for a WPIAL Class 4A championship.

And like they did last season, the Leopards earned the opportunity with a one-run win over the defending state champions.

Belle Vernon ace Bailey Parshall tossed a no-hitter and Jordan French drove in the game's lone run in the seventh inning as the fourth-seeded Leopards edged No. 1 Mt. Pleasant, 1-0, in a WPIAL semifinal Wednesday at Baldwin.

Parshall, who also posted a no-hitter against Ambridge in the WPIAL quarterfinals Monday, struck out 18 and walked none for Belle Vernon (20-3). She has allowed one hit in three starts this postseason.

The Penn State recruit outdueled Carolyn Alincic of Mt. Pleasant (16-1), who allowed one run on three hits while walking five and striking out 12.

“Those are my favorite type of games, going out there and having pressure on you,” Parshall said. “I feel like I compete better when there is more pressure.”

The Leopards, who didn't pick up their first hit off Alincic until the sixth inning, got their offense going in the seventh with a one-out walk to Vanessa Porter.

A fielder's choice allowed Porter to advance to second before French, who went down swinging in her first two at-bats, lined a first-pitch single past the outstretched glove of Vikings shortstop Christiana Czegan to drive in the eventual winning run.

“I was just trying to make contact with the ball instead of trying to kill it like my coaches tell me,” said French, who had two of Belle Vernon's three hits out of the leadoff spot. “(Alincic) gave me a good pitch, and I was able to put a good swing on it.

“I was pretty excited because I knew that Bailey could go out and finish the last inning.”

Parshall did just that as she maintained the one-run cushion in the bottom half of the inning by striking out the side, giving Belle Vernon the opportunity to defend its WPIAL crown.

“Bailey was out of sight today,” Belle Vernon coach Tom Rodriguez said. “It was just another day at the office. She is just a great ball player.”

The Vikings had just two base runners in the contest, both of whom reached on errors in the first two innings.

But Mt. Pleasant was set down in order by Parshall in each of the last five frames.

“You have to give (Bailey) all the credit. In a 1-0 game, it's obviously a pitching duel, and it could have gone either way,” Mt. Pleasant coach Lauren Armanious said. “Carolyn pitched fantastic, and our defense was outstanding. It was our bats that failed us today.”

History repeated itself as Belle Vernon also topped Mt. Pleasant in last year's WPIAL semifinals, 1-0.

While the Leopards went on to win the WPIAL, the Vikings got their revenge over Belle Vernon in a 5-4 PIAA quarterfinal victory.

Mt. Pleasant went on the claim the state title.

“One of our biggest goals was to beat Mt. Pleasant since they were the defending state champs,” Parshall said. “I think this gives us the push forward going into states and the WPIAL game, knowing that we can beat the competition that is here against us.”

The Leopards will face a familiar foe in the title game as No. 6 Elizabeth Forward upset second-seeded Yough, 7-2, in the other semifinal contest Wednesday.

Belle Vernon split its season series with the Warriors, falling 2-0 on April 5 and winning 3-2 on April 26.

“We have seen them twice and they have seen us twice, so we are both going to be pretty prepared,” Parshall said. “I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty tight game again.”

Jose Negron is a Mon Valley Independent staff writer.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Mt. Pleasant