Shaler softball’s ‘unique team’ roars into WPIAL playoffs in fine form

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Shaler softball team is prepared for whatever may happen in the postseason. The Titans had to win their final three Section 1-5A games to hold off North Hills for first place.

Shaler was without junior pitcher Bria Bosilejevac, an Indiana commit, for two of those games. The Titans delivered, including a 10-9 win over desperate New Castle to ensure a high seed for the WPIAL playoffs.

“This is a unique team,” Titans coach Tom Sorce said. “It doesn’t come along that often. This is the most cohesive unit that I’ve had in the seven years that I’ve been here.”

The second-seeded Titans (15-4) opened the playoffs by beating Connellsville, 8-0. Shaler was scheduled to face Trinity in the quarterfinals May 14 at West Mifflin. Results from that game were too late for this edition.

The Titans are a program used to adjusting. One of Shaler’s best hitters, Jayla Antomachi, is the No. 1-ranked shot putter in the WPIAL. Because of a rain delay at the WPIAL meet at Slippery Rock University last season, Antomachi missed Shaler’s playoff game at Plum.

Antomachi will again head to The Rock to compete at WPIALs this season before driving to West Mifflin for the game with Trinity. Antomahi drove in seven runs during Shaler’s win over Connellsville.

Sorce said the team understands everyone’s schedule.

“There’s no cliques,” Sorce said. “Everyone actually likes everybody.”

Shaler has spent a lot of time working on building the program since Sorce took over for the successful Skip Palmer, who led Shaler to the PIAA Class 4A title in 2006. Palmer retired in 2017 after finishing with a 199-58 record.

Sorce’s teams are 97-34, but the Titans were 17-18 during his first two seasons.

“We built up from middle school,” Sorce said. “My brother is the man down there. They run the same stuff down there that we do up here. When the player gets up here, they are ready.”

Shaler’s section shone during the first round of the WPIAL playoffs. In addition to the Titans, Fox Chapel and North Hills advanced, and Plum only lost by one run to Chartiers Valley.

Sorce said the schedule played a big role in this team’s success.

“One of the teams that was playing better at the end of the season, New Castle, didn’t make the playoffs,” Sorce said. “In our nonsection schedule, we played Hempfield, Seneca Valley and Penn-Trafford. We also played Knoch and North Allegheny. I’m proud we only have four losses.”

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