Warriors coach pulls the right switch
Then, his daughter comes to the rescue
With his team leading defending champion Lampeter-Strasburg by two runs in the PIAA Class 5A championship Friday and runners on first and second, PennTrafford softball coach Denny Little turned to his bullpen. But rather than bringing in a more experienced reliever, he decided to leave the fate of the game — and the entire season — in the hands of freshman Mia Smith.
Warriors fans collectively held their breath as Smith promptly served up a deep fly ball that carried to the right-field wall as Little’s daughter, Emma, attempted to run under it.
“I was very nervous, but I knew Emma was going to get it, because she’s a very good outfielder,” Smith said.
Little raced to the warning track, reached up at the last second and made the catch to end the inning, and the rest is history — literally. Smith retired the Pioneers (28-2) in order in each of the final two innings to close out the 5-3 win for Penn-Trafford (23-2) at Penn State’s Beard Field and bring the Warriors their first PIAA softball championship.
“We didn’t get the WPIAL [title], but state is better,” winning pitcher Morgan Hilty said.
First baseman Emma Armstrong had a double, a home run and three RBIs, while Little had two hits to go along with the game-saving catch in the win. Hilty allowed three runs in 4⅓ innings to earn the win, and Smith was perfect in 2⅔ innings of relief.
“I was just pitching out my nerves, really,” Smith said.
With the victory Friday coming on the heels of a 5-4 win against Donegal in the semifinals, Penn-Trafford ended its season by beating each of the past two PIAA Class 5A champions in consecutive games.
“I really believe in these kids. We’ve been working with them so long,” Denny Little said. “You could call us the giantkillers, but I think we’re so well matched up with these teams, and that’s why you saw two great ballgames.”
Despite the fact that the Warriors were making their first appearance in the state final, the team showed no signs of nerves.
Armstrong got the scoring started with a two-run double in the third after backto-back singles by catcher Carlee Lamacz and second baseman Madison Forsythe. After Lampeter-Strasburg answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, Penn-Trafford tacked on two more runs in the fourth when the throw home got away on Hilty’s squeeze-bunt attempt.
Pioneers third baseman Tayrn Hostetter smacked a two-run single in the fourth to make it 4-3, but Armstrong came right back with a solo home run to lead off the top of the fifth to give the Warriors some breathing room.
“It really is [like a dream],” Armstrong said after the game.
“I was just going up to the plate looking to do my job, and I was really happy with the outcome.”
Lampeter-Strasburg wouldn’t go away quietly, though, putting two runners on base in the fifth. That’s when Denny Little made the pitching change from Hilty to Smith, and his daughter made the play that saved his team’s season.
“I’m so proud of her,” Denny Little said of his daughter.
“I didn’t expect it out of her, but I knew she could do it … she does not fear the fence. She’s fearless.”