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Onward

Bazzoli stars as Lady Rockets advance to final four

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Jefferson-Morgan蘑菇视频 Brooklynne Snyder jumps into the arms of third baseman Addie Larkin in celebration after the final out of the Rockets鈥� 5-0 win over Sewickley Academy in Monday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class A quarterfinal game at Borland Manor Elementary School in Canonsburg.

Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频

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Jefferson-Morgan蘑菇视频 Emilee Bazzoli pitches against Sewickley Academy during Monday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class A quarterfinal game at Borland Manor Elementary School in Canonsburg. Bazzoli tossed a three-hit shutout in the Rockets鈥� 5-0 victory.

Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频

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Jefferson-Morgan third baseman Addie Larkin throws to first base for the out after fielding a ground ball during Monday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class A quarterfinal game against Sewickley Academy at Borland Manor Elementary School in Canonsburg.

Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频

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Jefferson-Morgan蘑菇视频 Emilee Bazzoli releases the final pitch during Monday蘑菇视频 WPIAL Class A quarterfinal game against Sewickley Academy at Borland Manor Elementary School in Canonsburg. Bazzoli threw a three-hit shutout as the Rockets advanced to the semifinals with a 5-0 victory.

Rob Burchianti | 蘑菇视频

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CANONSBURG 鈥� All season long, Jefferson-Morgan head softball coach Rick Rush stressed his belief in his softball team.

Monday afternoon, his fifth-seeded Lady Rockets shut out fourth-seeded Sewickley Academy 5-0 to advance to the WPIAL Class A semifinals.

鈥淚鈥檓 happy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t started off rough and we weren鈥檛 putting the ball in play with runners in scoring position. I think Em蘑菇视频 (Emilee Bazzoli) home run kind of broke it open for us.

鈥淪he started pitching better. She got her one-, two-run lead and was a lot more comfortable on the mound and started dominating more than she was earlier.鈥�

With the game scoreless in the top of the third, Bazzoli ripped a solo home run to give the Lady Rockets the only run they would need.

The sophomore pitcher also delivered on the mound as she struck out 10 Lady Panthers.

鈥淚 feel like it was an inside pitch,鈥� she said of the home run. 鈥淚 felt like we needed something and it was a great start.鈥�

Bazzoli quickly transitioned to her teammates.

鈥淚 feel like we all did a great job today, and we all contributed and had all our own hits that helped us out,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t蘑菇视频 great to have a great team behind me that can make great plays, especially in a game like that. It蘑菇视频 really important.鈥�

When asked what pitches she had working for her, she didn鈥檛 hesitate to share what helped her limit the Lady Panthers (11-5) to a pair of singles.

鈥淢y screwball was working really well for me and my fastball,鈥� she said.

Bazzoli蘑菇视频 homer was the first hit of the game for the Lady Rockets, and Rush said it got things going.

鈥淥ur bats started coming alive,鈥� he said before sharing what he told the team. 鈥淢ake them make plays, you don鈥檛 have to defend a strikeout, and good things happen.鈥�

Ava Wood led off the fourth with a single, and with two outs, ninth-hitter Kallyn Novak singled her in to make the score 2-0.

鈥淭hat was a huge hit, when Kallyn came through,鈥� Rush said. 鈥淵ou go up two runs and it makes a big difference.鈥�

Addie Larkin gave JM a 3-0 lead in the fifth with an RBI double, and the Lady Rockets took advantage of two errors and a wild pitch in the seventh to score their last two runs.

Ashlynn Snyder recorded three singles to pace the Lady Rockets鈥� nine-hit attack.

Rush hopes the win fuels his team.

鈥淭his is a big win for us,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 kept telling them all year, you are this good. Hopefully this game sinks in and proves it.鈥�

The Lady Rockets were scheduled to take on top-seeded Union (16-2) in the semifinals Wednesday, weather-permitting.