Chartiers-Houston runner-up in WPIAL softball
Brittany Blumen (left), Sabrina Stankus (holding trophy) and Kayla Elliott (right) watch dejectly as Jefferson-Morgan is awarded for capturing the WPIAL Class A softball championship. The Rockets edged Chartiers-Houston, 3-2, in the final played at Lilley Field on the California University of Pennsylvania campus.
Kassie Kesneck celebrates after scoring the first run in the WPIAL Class A softball championship game. The tally and one added in the third inning were not enough as Chartiers-Houston dropped a 3-2 decision to Jefferson-Morgan.
A lack of run production resulted in a runner-up finish for Chartiers-Houston during the WPIAL Class A softball championships.
The Buccaneers took advantage of several fielding miscues by their opponent but Jefferson-Morgan recovered and recorded a come-from-behind victory, 3-2, to capture its first district title in the sport.
“We knew it would be a close game,” C-H head coach Tricia Alderson said. “We just didn’t hit the ball well enough to score enough runs.”
While the Bucs picked up single tallies in the second and third innings, the Rockets scored all the runs they needed in the top of the fifth frame and relied on the arm of Madison Ludrosky the rest of the way to capture the school’s first WPIAL championship for a spring sport and first since 1995. A senior, Ludrosky struck out 12, including the side after surrendering the first run of the game in the second stanza.
Kassie Kesneck initiated CH’s scoring when she reached second base on a misplayed fly ball to center. Kesneck scored when Casey Craig’s bunt turned into a two-base error. The Bucs tacked on another run in the third. They constructed their two-run cushion when Brittany Blumen reached base on another J-M error and scored on Megan Kraushaar’s double. With none out, Kraushaar was stranded when Ludrosky got the next three outs on a sacrifice, strikeout and a pop-up to second base.
Though Kudrosky surrendered a hit to Macie Kesneck in the bottom of the fourth, she struck out the side, setting the stage for J-M’s fifth-frame rally.
After back-to-back singles by Jessica Taylor and Brooke Diamond, the runners advanced a base on Autumn Tedrow’s sacrifice. Morgan Gamble and Reagan Rush singled before the Bucs recorded their first out of the inning. Morgan Simkovic’s double, however, snapped the brief deadlock, 2-2, and launched the Rockets into the lead for good.
The win overshadowed an otherwise respectable outing for Kaitlyn Dittrich. The freshman walked none and held the Rockets to two hits until the fifth inning. She retired the final seven batters in a row.
“I thought my pitcher pitched a really good game and we played pretty good defense behind her, but two runs was not enough,” sighed Alderson.
The Bucs get the opportunity to redeem themselves as they are qualified for the PIAA tournament. C-H (19-3) was scheduled to play West Branch, the District 6 champion, June 1 in the first round of the state playoffs.