Hempfield in title game again
In what probably sounds like a broken record, Hempfield is headed back to the WPIAL final.
Laura Fox hit a three-run home run in the top of the ninth Wednesday to give fourtime defending champion Hempfield a 3-0 win against Seneca Valley in a Class 6A semifinal at Fox Chapel.
Hempfield (15-6), also the three-time defending PIAA champion, will attempt to become the first team since StoRox (2000-04) to win five consecutive WPIAL titles when it takes on top seed North Allegheny (15-6) next week.
Winning pitcher Callie Sowers struck out 12 for Hempfield, the No. 3 seed. Sowers gave up just four hits.
Seneca Valley (15-6), the No. 7 seed, had upset No. 2 Canon-McMillan in the quarterfinals. Losing pitcher Claire Zimmerman allowed six hits and had five strikeouts.
Class 5A
West Allegheny 4, Franklin Regional 2: Two-time defending champion West Allegheny (11-7), the No. 10 seed, advanced to its fourth final in a row by beating Franklin Regional (13-8) at Gateway. Sophomores Kaley Joseph and Megan Pollinger each had two RBIs.
Connellsville 10, PennTrafford 4: After falling
Roundup
behind, 4-0, Connellsville (16-6) scored four in the fifth and six in the sixth to upset No. 1 Penn-Trafford (18-2) at Seton Hill. Abby King, Kaybree Benton and Kara Hoover all drove in two runs. Connellsville last reached the final in 1998.
Class 4A
Mount Pleasant 2, Thomas Jefferson 0: Top-seed Mount Pleasant (17-0), the only remaining unbeaten softball or baseball team in the WPIAL, blanked Thomas Jefferson (15-4) at Seton Hill. Winning pitcher Carolyn Alincic struck out five and Haylie Brunson homered.
Elizabeth Forward 4, Knoch 0: Elizabeth Forward (16-3) used a four-run fourth to eliminate Knoch (17-2) at Gateway. Brianna Sersevic hit a two-run single and Brooke Markland a two-run double. Winning pitcher Kailey Larcinese had eight strikeouts. Elizabeth Forward was the runner-up last season.
Class 3A
Keystone Oaks 7, Ellwood City 4: Keystone Oaks (13-5), the No. 6 seed, used a sixrun first to move on to its first final after edging Ellwood City (13-7) at Hampton. Grace Taylor had two hits and two RBIs and Sophie Piatt added two hits and an RBI.
Avonworth 5, South Park 3: Top-seed Avonworth (19-2) topped South Park (14-5) at North Allegheny. South Park took a 3-0 lead in the top of the third, but Avonworth scored four in the bottom of the inning. Meghan Fissore went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Class 2A
Frazier 10, Chartiers-Houston 3: Frazier (17-3), the runner-up last season, qualified for its third consecutive final by upsetting No. 1 ChartiersHouston (17-4) at Trinity. Winning pitcher Logan Hartman knocked in two runs and Emi Curcio homered.
Laurel 12, Freedom 2: Kayla Ruperto pitched a fourhitter and added three hits and three RBIs to spark Laurel (19-2) to the five-inning win against Freedom (16-6) at North Allegheny. Brooke Atkins had four RBIs.
Class 1A
West Greene 15, Jefferson-Morgan 0: Three-time defending champion West Greene (18-4) used a 19-hit attack to throttle JeffersonMorgan (11-7) in four innings at Trinity. Jade Renner and Kaitlyn Rizor each had four RBIs. Renner had a one-hitter.
Union 5, Leechburg 3: Union (12-5) will play for a title for the first time after edging No. 2 Leechburg (16-2) at Hampton. Julia Williams had two hits and three RBIs.