Seneca Valley fights off Norwin upset bid to win 4th WPIAL softball championship
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Friday, May 31, 2024 | 5:27 PM
Seneca Valley celebrates with the trophy after beating Norwin in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Seneca Valley’s Julia Valasek scores the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning behind Norwin catcher Lily Holtzman in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Seneca Valley’s Olivia Herrem (right) celebrates with Julia Valasek after Valasek scored the winning run to beat Norwin in the eighth inning during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Runner-up Norwin after the WPIAL 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Norwin coach Brian Mesich hugs senior Bailey Snowberger after a loss to Seneca Valley in the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Norwin’s Josey Michalski gets hit by a pitch against Seneca Valley’s during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Seneca Valley starting pitcher Lexie Hames throws against Norwin during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Norwin’s Bailey Snowberger tags out Seneca Valley’s Emry Rice on a steal attempt during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Norwin starting pitcher Brookelyn Kotch throws against Seneca Valley during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Seneca Valley’s Kara Pasquale can’t hold on to a ball hit by Norwin’s Madelyn Kugler during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
Seneca Valley starting pitcher Lexie Hames throws against Norwin during the WPIAL Class 6A softball championship game Friday at Lilley Field.
CALIFORNIA — Caught in the throes of a surprising three-run deficit against the underdog of these playoffs, Seneca Valley sprang to life late and reprised its role as the top dog in WPIAL 6A softball.
Senior right fielder Kylie Staudt capped a 4-for-4 day with a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning, and ace junior pitcher Lexie Hames returned to dominant form after a shaky start as No. 2 seed Seneca Valley rang up a 4-3 victory over No. 5 Norwin in the district championship Friday at Cal (Pa.)’s Lilley Field.
Staudt’s one-out single to right scored freshman courtesy runner Julia Valasek from second, and the Raiders (21-2) celebrated their second title in three years — and fourth overall.
The low liner stuck a pin in Norwin’s title hopes after the Knights (10-11) took early command against Hames, who found her rhythm and retired 14 of Norwin’s final 15 hitters. She threw 144 pitches in the complete game, any remnants of midseason muscle tightness in her shoulder gone.
The junior Clemson commit struck out 19, walked four — one was intentional to senior Bailey Snowberger — and gave up four hits, none after the fourth inning.
Staudt, who hits seventh in the Raiders’ order, was on her game from the start, delivering a pair of singles and an RBI triple and also scoring a run.
“I was hoping to poke one to the outfield,” Staudt said. “I got an 0-1 pitch low and outside. Our energy kept us going. We were kind of down early, but we knew we could hit more. This is so amazing.”
The winning hit came off of Norwin reliever Abbie Telli, a sophomore left-hander who faced the Raiders twice during the season in losses of 3-0 and 2-0.
“She’s been pounding the ball,” Raiders coach Marlesse Hames said of Staudt. “With her, it’s get up and go. She was on fire.”
Norwin never had been to the WPIAL finals but advanced after pulling a major upset in the semifinals, a 5-2 win over perennial power and No. 1 seed Hempfield, the defending WPIAL champion.
Another upset was a tall task, but one Norwin accepted.
“It sucks to not get over that last hurdle,” Snowberger said. “I couldn’t ask for much more … other than a gold medal.”
Telli replaced senior starter Brookelyn Kotch, who had not pitched against the Raiders before, in the bottom of the seventh.
“I told Abbie she might come in to close it today,” Norwin coach Brian Mesich said. “I didn’t want to add pressure there, so we changed it up. We wouldn’t be where we are without Brookelyn. That was the hardest decision I had to make. I wanted to extend the game.”
On the subject of intentional walks, Hames saw four of them and never got to swing the bat. There was nobody on base when Norwin put her on in the seventh.
“I don’t like to do that,” Mesich said. “But I didn’t want to get beat on a home run.
“This was an entertaining games for the fans who came out to see good 6A softball. It wasn’t decided until the end.”
Norwin did not choose to walk Staudt in the eighth after senior Anna Kalkowski doubled.
“I think they got so wrapped up in walking Lexie, they didn’t think about walking anyone else,” Marlesse Hames said. “We have worked really hard on our offense because we know teams are going to walk Lexie. We had some nerves early, but once we settled in, we were fine. Norwin was a tough out.”
Senior Kara Pasquale was 2 for 4 with a triple and an RBI for the Raiders.
Norwin started the scoring early, plating the first run with one out in the opening inning.
Snowberger, a Holy Cross commit, led off with a double to deep center, moved to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.
Snowberger scored two runs in her final prep game.
The Knights raised eyebrows when they made it 3-0 in the second.
Sophomore Addison Grimes led off with a single and went to second on a passed ball. After Snowberger was intentionally walked, she and Grimes moved up to second and third on a wild pitch. Freshman Diem Wardzinski cashed in with a line-drive single to right to score a pair.
Hames threw three wild pitches in the first two innings before settling down considerably.
“Lexie was a little nervous getting back here,” coach Hames said. “I just told her to settle down and pitch. Once she gets settled in, it’s hard to get a hit off of her.”
In the third, senior Rylee Kratochvil singled and Pasquale followed with a stand-up triple to make it 3-1.
The Raiders rallied to tie it in the pivotal sixth.
Staudt knocked in a run with a triple, then freshman Olivia Herrem delivered an RBI single to right for a 3-3 score.
“I thought we could have squeezed out one more (run),” Mesich said. “Three was good, but I would have been more comfortable with four. All the pressure was on them. For us, it was all gravy.”
The Raiders return to the PIAA playoffs and will play Monday at District 10 champion McDowell (13-9).
“The girls are calling this our revenge tour 2024,” Marlesse Hames said. “We’re checking games off. This was on the list. This was the game that mattered.”
Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.
Tags: Norwin, Seneca Valley
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