Westmoreland County softball notebook: Norwin eyes another playoff upset

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, May 19, 2025 | 3:48 PM

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Put the ball in play.

It sounds simple enough, and Norwin believes it is the key to overtaking Seneca Valley in the WPIAL 6A semifinals.

The Knights (10-11) will take on No. 2 seed Seneca Valley (15-3) and ace flamethrower Lexie Hames at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel for a spot in the championship game.

Last year, Norwin stunned No. 1 Hempfield, 5-2, in the semis before falling to Seneca Valley in the championship, 4-3, in eight innings.

Hames has struck out 19 in each of the last three wins against Norwin.

Norwin also lost a one-run game to the Raiders this year: 3-2. Hames struck out 19 and allowed three hits.

In their other meeting, Hames fanned 19 and pitched a one-hitter in a 6-0 win.

Last year, Norwin struck out 20 times and had one hit in a 3-0 loss to the Raiders.

Still, Norwin thinks it can scrape offense together against Hames.

“We have to work on ways to get the ball in play,” Norwin coach Brian Messich said. “Big ball, small ball, whatever it takes. And we have to play crisp. Clean games, we win. Keep it simple.”

Mesich often preaches about the value of fundamentals, and he thinks smart, sound softball could help the Knights get back to the finals.

But this upset would be massive, right?

“Absolutely,” Messich said. “Probably bigger than last year.”

The Knights are trying to treat it like just another game, although a cranked-up pitching machine and special drills designed to prepare for Hames, who has more than 900 career strikeouts and throws 70 mph, would say otherwise.

“If we hit and get on base, anything can happen,” junior pitcher Abbie Telli said.

Leadoff hitter Maddy Kugler, who went 4 for 5 with an RBI in a 2-1 nine-inning win over North Allegheny, said the pressure is on Seneca Valley.

“Coach Mesich kept telling us it’s hard to beat a team three times,” Kugler said after Norwin avenged two section losses to North Allegheny. “Hopefully, that carries over when we play Seneca Valley.”

Kugler likens her team’s low seed — No. 6 in a six-team tournament — to the expectations of being a freshman.

“You have to prove yourself as the lower one,” Kugler said. “I was a freshman last year, and I was fortunate to play. I am still proving myself.”

Can Norwin pull another stunner in the semis?

“One hundred percent,” Kugler said. “We did it once. We can do it again.”

Rematch time

Penn-Trafford beefed up its nonsection schedule so it could be sharper for the postseason. One of the teams it played was North Hills, which the Warriors will face in the WPIAL 5A semifinals.

The Warriors (19-2) overcame a tough out in the quarterfinals, holding back No. 9 Chartiers Valley, 14-11, in an exciting opener.

Now, North Hills (17-4) presents another dangerous challenge in the semifinals. Penn-Trafford beat the Indians in the third game of the season, 8-6, at North Hills.

The teams meet again at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Fox Chapel.

In the quarterfinal win, Giuliana Youngo went 4 for 4 with a double, a home run and six RBIs, and Kylie Anthony added two hits for the Warriors.

Coach Denny Little learned a lot about his team as the Indians punched back.

“I learned that we have some tough, gritty kids that pick up their teammates,” he said. “Allyson (Paulone) had her toughest start in the circle so far in her young career, and her teammates protected her until the final out when ‘G’ Youngo sold out and laid out her body to make that (game-ending) catch.”

Little had high praise for Youngo and his defense.

“It also proved that we are just as good defensively as we are offensively,” he said. “There were other key plays in the game that if they don’t happen, we don’t win. Cam Ponko locked down third base from the get-go. Her first play reminded me of Brooks Robinson.”

Scotties rally

Southmoreland trailed 4-1 and 5-3 before rallying to tie Hopewell in the bottom of the seventh.

They went to extra innings, and the Scotties kept fighting back.

Down 9-5 entering the bottom of the 10th, the Scotties erupted for five runs — all with no outs — and walked off the Vikings for a 10-9 victory in the WPIAL 3A first round.

Taryn Hollis singled, and the next three batters walked before Makayla Etling smacked a tying, two-run double.

That brought up Riley Puckey, who served up a walk-off RBI single.

Asked to describe the victory in three words, Southmoreland coach Todd Bunner said, “Never say die.”

Southmoreland (10-6) was set to play No. 2 Mohawk (13-5) at 3 p.m. Monday at Montour in the quarterfinals.

Big 5/6 honors

Hempfield led Class 6A with five first-teamers on the Big 5/6 Conference all-section list.

The Spartans’ picks were senior infielder Allie Cervola, junior infielder Lauren Howard, junior outfielder Claire Mitchell, senior pitcher Riley Miller and junior designated hitter Julia Varhola.

Senior Rachel Minteer and sophomore outfielder Diem Wardzinski of Norwin made the first team.

Hempfield had one second-team selection in junior catcher Ella Berkebile, while Norwin had three in junior pitcher Abbie Telli, freshman catcher Makenna Black and junior utility Miley Harrison.

Section 2-5A featured nine players from Westmoreland County, including senior infielder Toryn Fulton, junior outfielder Adrianna Martz and senior catcher Ciara Camacho of Franklin Regional; senior infielder Cam Ponko, senior outfielder Giuliana Youngo and sophomore pitcher Allyson Paulone of Penn-Trafford; and freshman Natalie Scekeres, junior outfielder Sara Blossey and senior pitcher Mya McHugh of Latrobe.

Fulton was named the section’s player of the year, while retiring Franklin Regional coach Jim Armstrong was named the section coach of the year.

Franklin Regional also had three on the second team: sophomore infielder Ceana Copeland, freshman outfielder Laurel Goldstrohm and junior pitcher Chloe Lancaster; while Penn-Trafford had three in senior infielder Kylie Anthony, senior outfielder Rilie Moors and junior catcher Mack Cox; and Kiski Area junior infielder Allysa Perona and freshman Kyla Hutcherson and Latrobe freshman DH Marissa Munchinski also made the second team.

State of mind

The number of WPIAL playoff teams that make the PIAA playoffs are as follows:

Class 6A: 1; Class 5A: 4; Class 4A: 3; Class 3A: 3; Class 2A: 4; Class A: 3.

The state tournaments begin June 2.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Hempfield, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland