Seneca Valley continues late surge
Raiders knock off No. 1 Hempfield for shot at Class 6A championship
Last Thursday, Lexie Hames and Maddie Gross combinedfor three home runs and 11 RBIs as Seneca Valley routed defending Class 6A champion Bethel Park in the WPIAL quarterfinals.
Facing No. 1 seed Hempfield (13-4) on Wednesday — winner of the previous five WPIAL titles in the largest classification prior to Bethel Park — Hames and Gross decided to prove last week’s performance was no fluke. The duo teamed up to lead the redhot Raiders (12-6) to a 7-2 upset win at Fox Chapel High School — their seventh win in a row — sending Seneca
Valley to the WPIAL championship game and clinching a spot in the PIAA tournament.
Seneca Valley will face No. 7 seed North Allegheny (13-9) in the Class 6A title game at California (Pa.) on June 1.
Hames pitched a complete game with 15 strikeouts and allowed no earned runs. Gross went 2 for 4 with a home run and 5 RBIs, giving her 3 home runs and 11 RBIs in her past two games.
“How the season is ending is pretty amazing,” Gross said. “I definitely did not see us coming this far, but it’s great to see it. We’re on a hot streak, so it’s fun.”
The Spartans had to play without freshman ace pitcher Riley Miller, who broke her foot sliding into second base in a first-round win vs. Norwin. Sophomore Hannah Uhrinek pitched in Miller’s place.
The loss brought a disappointing end to what had been a successful season for Hempfield under first-year coach Tina Madison. Still, Madison kept a positive outlook on what the team accomplished, especially with such a young group.
“I think what I’m most excited about is that I have seven returners next year,” Madison said. “When you lose your starting ace pitcher a week before the WPIAL semifinal game, it’s not the greatest thing. But I’m super proud of them. I thought we had a great run.”
After back-to-back singles by Kara Pasquale and Mia Ryan with one out in the top of the first, Gross stepped up to the plate and crushed a 3-run homer to left-center — her third consecutive at-bat with a home run in a span of only two innings, dating to last Thursday’s win vs. Bethel Park.
“[Gross] is a beast in our lineup. She has been clutch the whole year,” said Seneca Valley coach Marlesse Hames.
Little did the Raiders know, that one swing from Gross would be enough to hold up for the rest of the game, as Hames completely shut down the Spartans’ potent lineup.
“I think we’ve had something to prove the whole season,” Marlesse Hames said. “The talent we have on this team is unbelievable, and it’s come together. … I’m super excited for these girls.”