Westmoreland softball notebook: Double-digit run totals becomes more common

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, April 6, 2022 | 6:13 PM

Yes, scoring is up in Westmoreland County softball.

There have been only seven shutouts by county teams so far in this hitters’ delight of a season, while teams scored 10 or more runs a head-turning 16 times through Tuesday.

The question is, who hasn’t been in a game involving double-figure runs?

Franklin Regional has racked up 80 runs in seven games (11.4 per game), managing 13 in its lone loss, 18-13 against Armstrong.

Kiski Area trounced Woodland Hills, 21-0, Southmoreland beat McGuffey, 14-0, and Hempfield blanked Greensburg Salem, 11-0.

Greensburg Salem and Belle Vernon played to a 13-13 tie, and the Golden Lions clipped Mt. Pleasant, 14-13.

Coaches say the big numbers are a result of better hitting, lesser pitching, cold weather and timing that is yet to click.

There’s more:

Belle Vernon toppled Laurel Highlands, 15-2.

Penn-Trafford beat Norwin, 12-3, but Norwin plunked Butler, 12-1.

Greensburg Central Catholic put up 15 runs in one win and reached 12 runs two other times.

Derry lost to Apollo-Ridge, 17-10.

Griffin’s encore

It’s quite early, and the best pitchers tend to find a higher gear and stay there, but are teams starting to get the bats around more on Ligonier Valley star Maddie Griffin?

The senior and Youngstown State commit — any player, for that matter — would be hard-pressed to top her junior season when Griffin produced 11 no-hitters and five perfect games, 16 shutouts, 316 strikeouts, eight earned runs, a 0.39 ERA and a 0.47 WHIP.

Griffin is 1-2 after going 19-3 last season. She has been dealing with an ankle injury she sustained Monday. She has been playing shortstop when she isn’t pitching.

Through 19¹⁄₃ innings this season, Griffin has allowed six hits — she gave up 28 in 25 games last year — and five runs (12 last year).

She has 35 K’s and six walks for the Rams (2-2), who dropped a 2-1 decision to Class 3A Southmoreland and lost 3-0 to 6A Pine-Richland. Griffin threw a five-inning no-hitter against Apollo-Ridge.

Griffin could really start bringing the heat once section play gets going.

Pulling rank

An impressive eight county teams hold spots in the latest Trib HSSN rankings.

Hempfield moved to a familiar No. 1 spot in Class 6A, with Norwin close behind at No. 3.

Penn-Trafford is No. 3 in 5A, while Yough is No. 4 in 4A, Southmoreland is No. 3 and Mt. Pleasant No. 5 in 3A, Ligonier Valley is No. 3 in 2A, and Greensburg Central Catholic is No. 3 in 3A.

The other top-ranked teams are: Shaler (5A), Beaver (4A), Avonworth (3A), Laurel (2A) and West Greene (A).

Big Wednesday

The local schedule is jam-packed with games to watch Wednesday.

Hempfield visits Norwin in Section 2-6A, Franklin Regional is at Kiski Area in 1-5A, Latrobe heads to Penn-Trafford (2-5A), Belle Vernon visits Yough (2-4A), Southmoreland goes to Mt. Pleasant (3-3A), and Greensburg Central Catholic heads to Mapletown (2-A).

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

Tags: Belle Vernon, Franklin Regional, Greensburg C.C., Greensburg Salem, Hempfield, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland