Trib HSSN high school softball team of the week for May 1, 2025

By: Don Rebel
Friday, May 2, 2025 | 12:00 AM

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Trib HSSN softball team of the week – West Allegheny Indians

Coach: Mindi McFate (22nd year)

Record: West Allegheny has clinched the Section 3-5A championship with a 9-1 record. The Indians have won seven straight games and 10 of their last 11 for an overall record of 13-4 with two nonsection games remaining.

#Earned: Going back to last Friday, April 25, West Allegheny has earned its top spot in the section by knocking off the two teams it has battled with all spring for first place in Section 3-5A. After beating South Fayette four days earlier, West Allegheny defeated the Lions again at home, 9-4. That victory moved West A into a tie for first place with the team it squared off with Monday at home, Chartiers Valley. The Indians jumped out to a quick lead on the Colts with three runs in the bottom of the first inning and then held on for the win, 3-2. West Allegheny used the same big inning recipe Wednesday at home against Moon. The Indians exploded for four runs in the second inning for the quick start, which held up as they blanked the Tigers, 4-0, to clinch at least a share of the section championship. The crown was theirs alone following a victory at Montour on Thursday. Another big inning was the difference for West A. Leading 5-4 after four innings, the Indians struck for six runs in the top of the fifth and rolled to victory, 14-7.

Standout performers: It was a big week for West Allegheny pitcher Autumn Bielecki. The senior limited an explosive Chartiers Valley offense to only two runs Monday to lift West A into first place in the section. She allowed two runs two weeks after the Colts scored 10 runs, thanks to some defensive miscues, in handing the Indians their lone section loss of the season. Two days later, Beilecki blanked Moon as she scattered seven hits. On offense for West Allegheny, it began last Friday in a win over South Fayette as seniors Ava Henke and Savanna Benish each had three hits with Henke smashing two home runs and driving in four while Benish had two doubles and two RBIs. Sophomore Alexis Santucci and freshman Irena Santora each had two hits and combined for three RBIs. Two freshmen led the way for the Indians on Monday as Santora had a hit and two RBIs and Katelyn Cook had a hit and drove in a run. On Wednesday, Henke blasted a two-run homer and senior Alaina Pass singled and scored a run in the West A win over Moon. On Thursday, freshman Maylee Rider had three hits and three RBIs and Henke clubbed two more home runs in drove in four in the section-sealing victory for the Indians.

Last year: West Allegheny began the 2024 season with a very successful southern trip. The Indians went 5-1, scoring double-digit runs in four of those victories at the Ripken Experience in Pigeon Forge, Tenn. The team continued that success when it returned north as it captured the Section 3-5A championship with a 9-1 section record, finishing two games up on second-place South Fayette. The team entered the postseason as one of the favorites in Class 5A in an effort to win its first district crown in five years. As the bracket’s No. 3 seed, West A rolled to a first-round victory over Fox Chapel, 12-1 in five innings. However, the season came to an abrupt end in the quarterfinals when West A was stunned by No. 11 seed Latrobe, 5-4, ending the Indians’ season with an overall record of 18-4.

Remember when: West Allegheny ended the previous decade on top of the WPIAL softball world having won the first three WPIAL Class 5A championships. The Indians defeated Moon in the 2017 finals, 12-2 in six innings, repeated in 2018 with a win over Thomas Jefferson, 4-2, then made it a sweet three-peat by edging Connellsville in the 2019 title game. What stood out about the championship run six years ago was unlike the ’17 and ’18 title runs when the Indians were one of the favorites in the 5A postseason, the expectations were not great as a young, inexperienced West A team finished the regular season 8-7 and was the No. 10 seed in the 14-team 5A tournament. In the playoffs, the Indians upset No. 7 Shaler, No 2 Plum and No. 6 Franklin Regional to face No. 4 Connellsville in the title game at Peters Township. Catcher Brittney Wilson, now an assistant coach, scored twice and sophomore Megan Pollinger homered in support of winning pitcher Angela Costa as the Indians edged the Falcons, 3-2.

2025 Trib HSSN Softball Teams of the Week

Week 3: Jeannette Jayhawks

Week 2: Pine-Richland Rams

Week 1: West Mifflin Titans

Tags: West Allegheny