Ellwood City claims title

Wolverines beat Deer Lakes, 10-0, for second consecutive championship

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After winning the Class 2A WPIAL softball championship last season, Ellwood City knew it would face tougher competition this season, making the move to Class 3A.

The Wolverines punctuated a season-long statement to their new class Wednesday at California University’s Lilley Field, run-ruling Deer Lakes, 10-0, winning their second consecutive WPIAL championship.

“Coming into this season we had the same goal as always,” head coach Gary Rozanski said. “We knew 4-0 is the only way to finish this thing. It feels awesome to repeat.”

Not only has Ellwood City (19-0) now won two consecutive WPIAL championships — the Wolverines haven’t lost a WPIAL game in either season, only losing in the PIAA playoffs last season.

Ellwood City wasted no time Wednesday, greeting Deer Lakes starter Kristen Rudy with a leadoff double in the top of the first. Ariana Garroway, who doubled, stole third base and scored the game’s first run on a Zoe Kalantzis groundball to the right side of the infield.

That run proved to be all Ellwood City would need.

Their starter, an ampedup Skyla Greco, tossed five scoreless innings, allowing no hits and striking out nine of the 15 Lancers she retired.

“There was definitely a ton of adrenaline,” Greco said. “I was so nervous, but once we got ahead it was much easier to just pitch.”

A relentless Ellwood City offensive attack added plenty of insurance, scoring five times in the third and four more times in the fourth.

The third-inning rally saw eight Wolverines come to the plate. After a pop-out began the inning, Ellwood City strung together three singles in a row to score a run and take a 2-0 lead.

Kalantzis then popped up a seemingly harmless blooper that dropped when Deer Lakes (16-2) shortstop Danielle Huffman and second baseman Becca Hoffman bumped into each other, loading the bases.

A Reagan Mittler sacrifice fly, Natalia Greco walk and Breonna Streit 3-run single followed the error, making the score 6-0 and blowing open the game

Just as they did in the third inning, the Wolverines sent eight batters to the plate in the fourth, scoring four more runs on five base hits, including a two-run triple to deep center field off the bat of Kalantzis.

“When you put the ball in play, you're going to find success,” Rozanski said. “We found some holes tonight and got rewarded.”

Up 10-0 and needing just six outs to secure a run-rule victory, Greco struck out the first two Lancers she faced in the fourth before allowing her first hit of the game, a double to Huffman that hit off the left-center-field wall. But Greco retired the next four batters she faced in order, ending the game after five innings. Kalp as a freshman, fired up from missing the playoffs, saying she promises the Spartans will win the next two, maybe three, WPIAL championships. And they did.

Kalp has reminded her of that message ever since.

But the win wasn’t a sure thing. Latrobe started strong and led, 2-0, after the third inning. But that was the last time the Wildcats scored. Thanks to a six-run inning, Hempfield was on top after the fourth.

“I was confident that we were going to put some points on the board,” Kalp said, with a chuckle. “There were too many kids that were committed to getting this done. It was a priority for them.”

After the top of the fifth, still leading by four runs, Hempfield’s Jenna Osikowicz and Stacey Walling gave each other a high five before returning to their respective bases, second and third. It was almost as if they already knew their fate.

But before they could learn it, a rain delay interrupted the game for approximately an hour and a half.

After the game resumed at 6:50 p.m. with Hempfield leading, 6-2, the Spartans went on a 7-0 run to seal the championship with the help of Jordan Bernard, Kelsey Tobin, Laura Fox, Osikowicz, Olivia Persin and Ryan.

Last year, Kalp said his team was regarded as the best in Hempfield’s history. But this team might have been betteer.

“Well, they won a WPIAL and a state championship, so you can start with that,” the coach said. “If you can do that, you can be in the conversation.”