Blackhawk takes down defending champion Lady Leopards
Belle Vernon’s hopes to repeat as WPIAL Class AAAA softball champions ended with a 7-5 first-round loss to Blackhawk at Peterswood Park on Monday.
The sixth-seeded Lady Leopards, who battled through injuries to two top players at key positions in pitcher Talia Ross and shortstop Ava Zubovic, end their season at 13-7.
Karma Malcolm homered and Kylie Prisuta had two hits and an RBI to lead the 11th-seeded Lady Cougars (9-7) who also got two hits apiece from Zoey Lindner and Keira Rodu.
Lauren VanDivner had two hits, including a three-run homer, and Belle Williams hit a two-run single to pace Belle Vernon.
Winning pitcher Peyton Kimberlin allowed five earned runs on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. Prisuta pitched two scoreless innings of relief to earn the save.
Losing pitcher Maddie Grisnik gave up three earned runs on 10 hits with three walks and one strikeout in 5 1/3 innings. Lily Crawford relieved in the sixth inning and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
The Lady Cougars got on the board first with two unearned runs in the third inning.
Blackhawk increased its lead to 5-0 with a three-run rally in the fourth keyed by singles from Prisuta and Lindner.
Coach Tom Rodriguez’ Lady Leopards cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth on Williams’ two-run single.
The Lady Cougars got both of those runs back on Malcolm’s solo home run in the fifth and Lindner’s RBI single in the sixth to make it 7-2.
Belle Vernon didn’t go quietly.
Katie Sokol singled and Gracie Sokol walked before VanDivner blasted her home run off Kimberlin to slice the gap to two.
Prisuta relieved Kimberlin at that point and kept the Lady Leopards at bay the rest of the way.
Blackhawk advances to Wednesday’s quarterfinals where they will play third-seeded Indiana which received a first-round bye.