Trib HSSN Softball Team of the Week for May 24, 2021

By: Don Rebel
Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 12:07 AM

This winter, high school sports fans from across the WPIAL watched as the Ellwood City boys basketball team stunned the experts with a district championship run from the No. 11 seed in Class 3A.

Is there any of that Wolverines magic golden dust left over to sprinkle on the No. 11 seed EC softball team?

Ellwood City has two upset wins in its pocket as it plans for its semifinal game Tuesday.

“There is a lot of excitement,” Ellwood City coach Gary Rozanski said. “The excitement and belief continues to grow after each of the last two playoff wins. A lot of the girls were active supporters of the boys hoops team. After seeing their great run in the winter, these girls want to have the same success now.”

Upset No. 1 came in a first-round victory over No. 6 seed Deer Lakes.

The Wolverines trailed 5-4 heading into the top of the seventh inning before rallying for three runs and a 7-5 victory.

“The girls kept believing that they could win,” Rozanski said. “We kept the game close. Going into the seventh being down one, the girls knew they could get the win. Scoring three in the seventh was big. It put us up two runs.”

The thrilling opening-round victory moved the Wolverines into the quarterfinals against No. 4 Waynesburg, making its postseason debut after earning a first-round bye.

A quick start with three first-inning runs by Ellwood City got the ball rolling.

“Jumping out early was important,” Rozanski said. “It gave the team a positive belief that they could get the win. We kept putting the ball in play throughout the game and kept the pressure on their defense. We got the big hit in the fourth, with two outs, a two-run home run from Mollie Street.”

The Street homer was part of a four-run fourth inning that put the Wolverines up to stay in a 7-4 victory.

Ellwood City finished 11-4 overall in the regular season and in fourth place in the tough Section 2 that includes another semifinalist in Avonworth.

So were the Wolverines overlooked by the district steering committee when the brackets came out and had them No. 11 in a 12-team field?

“After losing our last section game, we kind of thought we would be seeded lower,” Rozanski said. “We look at it as a challenge and not so much as being overlooked. When it comes to the playoffs, every game is a challenge no matter where we are seeded. Our goal is to be playing our best softball at this time.”

Rozanski said the entire team has picked it up in the postseason, which has been a big part of the success Ellwood City has enjoyed through two rounds.

Some of the standouts from last week include junior first baseman Angie Nardone, sophomore third baseman Aliya Garroway and the EC battery of senior catcher Maria Ioanilli and freshman pitcher Julia Nardone.

The next challenge for Ellwood City is a 3A semifinal against Southmoreland on Tuesday.

“Southmoreland is a good team. They are a hitting team,” Rozanski said. “We will need to limit our mistakes and create opportunities.”

2021 Trib HSSN Softball Teams of the Week

Week 7 – Armstrong River Hawks

Week 6 – Laurel Spartans

Week 5 – Avonworth Antelopes

Week 4 – Montour Spartans

Week 3 – Central Valley Warriors

Week 2 – North Hills Indians

Week 1 – Norwin Knights

Tags: Ellwood City