Seton-La Salle loss does not dampen softball future
Jada Simon winds up and delivers a pitch to the plate during Seton-La Salle’s 7-2 loss to South Side Beaver in a PIAA Class AA softball playoff game.
Brie Hottenfeller gets hit by her own batted ball during PIAA Class AA quarterfinal playoff action against South Side Beaver.
Seton-La Salle manager Cindy Beauregard discusses a call with the first-base umpire during PIAA Class AA qaurterfinal playoff action. The Rebels ended their season with a loss to South Side Beaver, 7-2.
As difficult as it was to walk off the North Allegheny field after losing to South Side Beaver, 7-2, in the PIAA softball quarterfinals, Seton-La Salle didn’t leave totally discouraged.
The Rebels just wrapped up a 13-6 season, complete with a section banner. Plus they return a nucleus of players to contend for the 2018 district and state titles.
“My coaching staff and I are very proud of our girls and the team’s accomplishments this season,” said SLS manager Cindy Beauregard. “We returned a very young team. So our future is promising.”
This season, the Rebels started two true freshmen, Hadley Horensky and Marissa Schuckman in left and center fields, respectively, as well as three sophomores: Emily Farley in right, Brie Hottenfeller at second and Skylar Moore behind the plate. Moore filled in for Emilee Mazza, who was lost with a season-ending broken finger early in the campaign.
Mazza, who also played first base, was also one of two seniors lost to graduation. The other was Julie Curry, who served a key role on the squad as a pitcher and first baseman.
In addition to Curry, the Rebels relied heavily upon Jada Simon for the pitching details. The junior posted a 9-4 record with 78 strikeouts in 87.67 innings. She owned a 2.95 ERA. Simon started the contest against South Side but yielded to Curry after the Rams had scored their sixth run in the bottom of the third inning.
Lexi Wagner, who provides the Rebels a strong infield presence along with fellow junior Sarah Conrell at third base, were the other bright spots in the loss to the Rams. In addition to making outstanding defensive plays at shortstop, Wagner homered, sending the ball more than 35 feet beyond the fence that measured 225 feet from the plate.
“Lexi played exceptional,” said Beauregard. “She works extremely hard and will give 110 percent every play. Her defense during the game showed true determination and a never give up attitude. Her hitting is expected, but she got a hold of a pitch she could drive, and it was still rising as it cleared the fence. One of her best hits all season long,” Beauregard added.
During the season, Wagner ranked among the leading hitters in the WPIAL. She batted .467 with a .566 on-base and 1.050 slugging percentage. She drove in 32 and scored 32 runs.
Simon also provided a big stick for the Rebels. She tagged a single against the Rams. Simon finished with a .500 batting average, complete with 10 doubles, two triples and two homers. She drove in 22 runs and scored 18.
“Our team captains,” Beauregard said of Simon, Wagner and Curry, “gave the girls positive reinforcement throughout each and every game and led our team by example at all times.
“Whether Jada or Julie Curry are on the mound, both give their teammates confidence. Lexi motivates her team by always being in the moment. All year long she made outstanding plays at short, ending innings at critical times, and at the plate, Lexi has confidence that she can get a rally started with a solid hit, which in turn gives positive reinforcement to her teammates.”
Beauregard is positive about the future, too, because Horensky, who accounted for the two hits against the Rams, Schuckman and Farley “took charge” of the outfield. Schuckman and Horensky both had perfect fielding percentages throughout the playoffs and Farley made “clutch catches” all season.
Additionally, Hottenfeller finished off the infield at second, “making plays” when needed. She also had a walk-off providing a win against Serra Catholic. Behind the plate, Beauregard also cited Moore’s improvement: “She adjusted to both our pitches and they throw a complement of pitches.”
As a result, the Rebels developed unity and faith.
“These young girls started to believe in themselves, in each other and every day played with more confidence,” Beauregard said. “They accepted the importance of their role on this Rebel team.
“My coaching staff and I are very proud and excited for the upcoming season(s) with these talented young ladies.”
C-H falls to SSB
Despite upsetting the No. 1 seed in the opening round of the PIAA softball playoffs, Chartiers-Houston ended its season one win away from competing in the state championship game set for June 16 at Penn State. The Buccaneers ended their season with a 7-2 loss to South Side Beaver on June 12 at Lilley Field on the California University of Pennsylvania campus.
C-H fell one game short of its objective because it surrendered five runs in the top of the first. Instead, the Bucs finished the season at 18-5.
“They came out hitting the ball and scored five runs,” said C-H manager Tricia Alderson. “That was the difference in the game. The first inning killed us. Five runs in that first inning were just too much to overcome.”
The Rams used two pitchers to shut down the Bucs. McKenna Smith started and Regan Hozak relieved after Smith struggled with illegal-pitch calls. The Bucs scored their initial run off illegal pitches. Kayla Alderson started the C-H offensive with a single and scored on three illegal pitches.
An RBI double from Kaci Alderson drove home Kasey Scears for the Bucs’ other tally in the bottom of the fifth. Otherwise Hozak was solid on the mound, scattering five hits and striking out five.
“We had some opportunities but couldn’t get a clutch hit when we needed to chip away at the lead,” Alderson said.
C-H received its opportunity to compete in the state playoffs after finishing fourth in the WPIAL.
In their PIAA opener, the Bucs upset District 9 champion Moniteau (21-1), 1-0.
The Bucs scored the winning run in the top of the sixth. Macie Kesneck singled to drive home Kayla Alderson with the lone tally. Alderson had walked and swiped third to set up the run.
Kaitlyn Dittrich earned the win on the mound. She had strong support from the defense, which recorded 13 ground outs and shagged six fly balls.
In the quarterfinals, the Bucs edged Frazier, 4-3. The Bucs had lost to Frazier twice during the regular season.
Dittrich again was the winning pitcher.
The Bucs scored three runs in the fourth. Kasey Scears doubled and Kaci Alderson singled before Jessica Ford’s ground ball to second was misplayed. Lauren Lober and Karlyn Bayer drove in additional runs with base hits.
Though the Commodores responded with a three-run fourth frame, the Bucs tacked on the winning tally in the fifth when Kaci Alderson knocked in Kayla Anderson, who had singled to lead off the inning.