Chartiers-Houston finishes as WPIAL runner-up
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Chartiers-Houston athletic director Kurt Kesneck comforts his daughter, Macie, after her team lost its bid for the WPIAL Class A softball title. The Buccaneers lost to West Greene, 12-3, in the final played June 3 at Cal. U.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Kayla Anderson gets ready to apply the tag on pinch runner Emily Goodwin but the umpire ruled save at the plate and West Greene went on to score four runs in the sixth inning on its way to a 12-3 victory against Chartiers-Houston in the WPIAL Class A softball final.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Brittany Blumen shags a fly ball in left field for an out during WPIAL softball championship action.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Jessica Ford, Macie Kesneck and Kaitlyn Dittrich look on dejected while West Greene is awarded the championship trophy after defeating Chartiers-Houston, 12-3, for the WPIAL Class A softball title.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Kaitlyn Dittrich fires a pitch to the plate while Lauren Lober(background) sets up to field a possible ball hit to second base.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Lauren Lober attempts to shag an errant throw as Madison Lampe reaches first base safely. West Greene took advantage of several errors and socked three homers en route to a 12-3 victory against Chartiers-Houston in the WPIAL Class A softball championship game.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Jessica Ford is caught in a rundown play as shortstop Madison Renner releases the ball to second baseman Kaitlyn Rizor. West Greene turned a double play as Macie Kesneck was unable to get back to first base.
BY ELEANOR BAILEY/STAFF Jessica Ford is caught in a rundown play after shortstop Madison Renner released the ball to second baseman Kaitlyn Rizor, who makes the tag. West Greene turned a double play as Macie Kesneck was unable to get back to first base.
When a team losses a championship, regardless of where it was seeded in the tournament, the experience does not lend itself to positive emotions.
Just ask the Chartiers-Houston softball team. Although the No. 7 seed in the playoffs, the Buccaneers lost their bid for a ninth WPIAL title when they dropped a 12-3 decision to West Greene on June 3 at Lilley Field on the California University of Pennsylvania campus.
“We’re really proud of getting here. There are 14 other teams who would love to be here,” said C-H manager Tricia Alderson. “(But losing) is not a good feeling.”
It is, however, a familiar one for the Bucs. They lost in last year’s final to Jefferson-Morgan, and they lost twice to West Greene this season. The Pioneers won the Section 1-A title with a perfect 10-0 record. The Bucs finished second at 8-2.
The Pioneers, who entered the tournament as the top seed and improved to 23-1 overall, won their first-ever WPIAL title thanks to the pitching of Madison Renner and strong hitting, particularly from McKenna Lampe.
In going the distance on the mound, Renner tossed a five-hitter. The sophomore struck out six and walked three. At the plate, Renner clubbed three hits, including a leadoff homer in the top of the third.
Lampe socked two homers. The freshman tagged two-run round trippers in the second and seventh stanzas.
The Bucs, who are 14-7 overall, scored single tallies in the first, third and fifth frames.
In the first, Macie Kesneck walked, swiped second and scored on an error. Brittany Blumen singled before Kaitlyn Dittrich and Lauren Lober walked to load the bases. Blumen then scored on an error. Dittrich and Jaylese Lombardi singled in the fifth to produce a run.
Meanwhile, the Pioneers pounded 12 hits against C-H pitching. In addition to the homers, Renner and Madison Lampe drilled doubles. A freshman, Lampe cleared the bases with her three-run two-bagger in a four-run sixth inning.
“Obviously, they are a great-hitting team, but we could have had a few better pitches here and there, and with the balls we hit, we had to try and keep it a low-scoring game in order to win. We don’t have the firepower like we have had in the past,” Alderson said.
The Buccaneers have little time to dwell on what they lack as they embark on PIAA tournament play June 6 against an opponent, time and site to be determined.
“We have to shake (the loss) off quickly and concentrate on our next game,” Alderson said. “We have to get ready for that.”