Southmoreland softball quietly one win from WPIAL title

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, May 26, 2018 | 7:51 PM

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Coach Todd Bunner can attest: This is no mirage.

That really is Southmoreland preparing to play for a WPIAL softball championship.

That's the Scotties who finally broke through after poking their heads through the fence to watch other teams run the bases and win titles — after a number of close calls the past three years, including two fruitless trips to the semifinals.

That's the Scotties who seemed to surrender so much to graduation but sneakily brought back seven letterwinners and a quiet confidence they could find their way among the top-tier teams in Class 3A.

“We lost very good players from last year, but the senior leadership, younger players and key freshmen just stepped up into leading roles,” Bunner said. “This team ticks because they are a unified group. All the girls get along and push each other to be better. Their work ethic is tremendous. These attributes have got us this far.”

Southmoreland doesn't have the panache of other championship-caliber teams. Its uniforms are Plain Jane red, black and gray; one set includes sleeveless jerseys. The Scotties look harmless enough with their 9-7 record and a freshman pitcher, yet they have been one of the toughest outs in the WPIAL postseason.

A No. 3 seeding that began as somewhat of a surprise when the brackets were revealed suddenly suits this group that will try to put the pressure on top-seeded South Park (16-1) starting about 2:15 p.m. Thursday at Seton Hill.

South Park beat the Scotties twice in Section 3 play, 12-7 and 9-4.

“Yes, we did lose some good players, but we have a lot of hard-working, talented players who are always excited to practice and get better,” sophomore Abby Fullem said. “Most of the players are very versatile. We can step up when needed and play different positions. We are all are very passionate about the sport and this team, and we all just want to win and play the sport we love.”

Maybe it was a demanding nonsection schedule that toughened the Scotties for playoff time. They lost their final four regular-season games, but three defeats came against playoff heavyweights in District 6-3A's Ligonier Valley, 4A top seed Mt. Pleasant and Class A No. 2 Monessen.

Ligonier Valley and Mt. Pleasant were dumped in the semifinals, but Southmoreland is still standing and ready to pay back South Park, the team that started that four-game skid. Will there be nerves? Surely. But don't expect the Scotties to take themselves too seriously.

“These girls are a fun-loving bunch who work hard every day and have stayed focused on the goals we set at the start of our season,” Bunner said. “Our slogan after every game or practice is, ‘Let's work.' ”

A product of the travel ball generation, Southmoreland has a young team with only three seniors.

Sophomore Bethany Bunner, junior Lexi Klatt and junior Maegan Shetterly are the captains who, as coach Bunner said, “See to it that we do exactly that (work) each time we are on the field.”

Southmoreland, which has secured its first PIAA playoff berth, faced South Park last year in the WPIAL third-place game. South Park won 4-3 and went on to win the PIAA title.

The Scotties didn't win more than two games in a row all season, but if they can scratch out their third consecutive playoff win, they will be WPIAL champions. After an opening bye, they held off No. 6 Steel Valley, 6-5, in the quarterfinals, then No. 2 Freeport, 6-4, in the semis.

Shetterly delivered a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning to top Steel Valley. In the upset of previously unbeaten Freeport, Klatt homered, doubled and drove in two runs, Fullem doubled and sophomore Faith Miller drove in a pair.

Freshman pitcher Jessica Matheny, a left-hander, struck out seven.

No Southmoreland girls team previously made the state playoffs in any sport.

“This means a lot to our school and the community to have this opportunity at a WPIAL title and a chance to play in the state playoffs,” Bunner said. “The players and coaches are a little bit excited about this, too.”

Bill Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at bbeckner@tribweb.com or via Twitter @BillBeckner.

Tags: Southmoreland