Lady Leps top West Greene in battle of champions
Belle Vernon's Bailey Parshall (22) delivers a pitch to West Greene's McKenna Lampe in a match-up between two of the top players in the WPIAL during Monday's game at Washington Township. Parshall held the Lady Pioneers to three hits, none from Lampe, but had to pitch out of a bases-loaded and one out jam in the seventh inning to secure a 2-1 win by the Lady Leopards in the non-section match-up of WPIAL champions from last year, West Greene in Class A and Belle Vernon in Class AAAA.
Belle Vernon second baseman Natalie French blocks the bag while tagging out West Greene's Madison Lampe on a play at second base during Monday's game in Washington Township.
Edward K.Thompson
Belle Vernon pitcher Bailey Parshall goes into her wind-up as she faces West Greene蘑菇视频 Linzee Stover with the bases loaded in the seventh inning during Monday蘑菇视频 game in Washington Township. Parshall, after catching a line drive that hit off her body for the second out of the inning, retired Stover on a game-ending pop out as the Lady Leopards held on for a 2-1 victory.
Edward K.Thompson
West Greene蘑菇视频 Lexie Mooney makes a valiant attempt at catching a foul ball against Belle Vernon on May 7 in Washington Township. Mooney was named to the All-Greene County Messenger Softball Diamond Cutters team. (Photo by Edward K. Thompson)
Belle Vernon's Jordan French sprints home to score the game's first run against West Greene during the second inning of Monday's game in Washington Township. Lady Leopards coach Tom Rodriguez looks on in the background. French singled, advanced on Alex Sokol's single and scored on Mekenzie Sokol's single. Belle Vernon won, 2-1.
Edward K.Thompson
West Greene second baseman Kaitlyn Rizor prepares to throw to first for the out after fielding a ground ball as Belle Vernon蘑菇视频 Sophie Godzak runs by during their game in Washington Township on May 7. Rizor was named to the All-Greene County Messenger Softball Diamond Cutters team. (Photo by Edward K. Thompson)
WASHINGTON TWP. 鈥� In a playoff tune-up between a pair of defending WPIAL softball champions, Belle Vernon Area edged visiting West Greene Monday, 2-1.
鈥淏efore the game I said (to the team) that this would be a 2-1 game but didn鈥檛 say (who would win),鈥� said Lady Leopards coach Tom Rodriguez. 鈥淲e still aren鈥檛 getting timely hitting and we have to clean up some things (defensively) because you can鈥檛 win playoff games like this.
鈥淲est Greene is a great team and they are talented.鈥�
鈥淭his was a fun game and we came down here to play a game like that,鈥� said West Greene coach Bill Simms. 鈥淲e would have preferred it be 3-2 our way.
鈥淏ut I will never be afraid of a loss and I will put our kids up against 6- or 5-A or whatever it is.鈥�
The storyline heading into the game was BVA ace Bailey Parshall, who will pitch at Penn State next year, against the potent West Greene offense.
Parshall paid West Greene (14-4) a huge compliment after the game.
鈥淭hat is one of the better teams we have faced,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey are probably a better hitting team than any team in our section that we have seen all year and they have a good pitcher too.
鈥淭his will prepare us for the playoffs.鈥�
Parshall struck out 12 Pioneers and limited them to three singles, two by Jade Renner, but West Greene threatened to win the game in the seventh.
Madison Lampe walked to lead off the inning before stealing second and after Parshall struck out Madison Renner, Rodriguez chose to intentionally walk Jade Renner.
Kaitlyn Rizor followed by grounding to Parshall, but the lefty蘑菇视频 attempt at the force out on third backfired because of Lampe蘑菇视频 speed.
With the bases loaded and one out, the defending PIAA Class A champions had a comeback win in their sight, but it was Parshall蘑菇视频 glove, or actually her right rib cage, that got in the way.
Lexi Mooney drilled a ball off of Parshall, but the ball fell from her ribs into her glove for the second out.
Then on a 3-2 pitch, Parshall got Linzee Stover to pop out to first baseman Mekenzie Sokol to end the game.
The Lady Leopards (15-2) took a 1-0 lead in the second.
Jordan French led the inning off with a single off of Jade Renner.
Alex Sokol singled to advance French two batters later, and then Mekenzie Sokol brought French in with an RBI single.
In the third, Belle Vernon scored its second run but was inches away from adding another.
Natalie French led off with a single and Kourtney Gavatorta doubled high off of the left field fence to give Belle Vernon runners on second and third with no outs.
Two outs later, Sophie Godzak singled in French on a ball off of Jade Renner蘑菇视频 glove on the mound.
鈥淚n a game of inches, this is a cruel defeat where the game plays tricks on you,鈥� Simms said. 鈥淛ade has the ball go off of her glove and they score while we tear the cover off of the ball (in the seventh) and line out and don鈥檛 score.鈥�
Jade Renner limited Belle Vernon to eight hits while adding her two singles.
Gavatorta (two doubles) and Alex Sokol (two singles) paced the Lady Leopards offensively.
Both teams close out section play today as West Greene is at Jefferson-Morgan looking to clinch at least a share of the Section 1-AA crown while BVA is at Section 2-AAAA champion and heated rival Yough.
Rodriguez spoke about the game at Yough.
鈥滸ood old Yough,鈥� he said with a respectful smile. 鈥淗opefully Bailey and Kourtney (Gavatorta) are alright.鈥�