Lehigh wins Patriot League crown; storylines for high school semis
Lehigh has won numerous Patriot League softball championships, but few were as improbable as the one the Mountain Hawks earned Saturday at No. 1 seed Boston University.
The Terriers had won three Patriot League titles in a row and four of the last five, and they defeated Lehigh 1-0 in Friday’s semifinals. That meant Boston had to win just one of two potential games to win another championship in the double-elimination tournament.
It didn’t happen.
Senior Gabriella Nori tossed a five-hit shutout in a 1-0 win in Game 1 and sophomore Katelyn Young blanked Boston through the first six innings of Game 2 as Lehigh won 4-1 and swept the Terriers to the program’s 15th Patriot League Tournament title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Seniors Jaelynn Chesson and Addie Kittel provided the Lehigh runs in Game 2. Chesson hit a three-run home run in the third inning and Kittel followed with a solo shot.
Nori was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and was joined on the all-tournament team by Young, Chesson, and Kittel. Young, from Saegertown, Crawford County, is one of just two Pennsylvania players on Lehigh’s roster.
“What a gritty performance in Game 1,” Lehigh coach Fran Troyan said, after winning his 12th league crown. “Gabi Nori battled 100 percent and we took advantage of the one mistake that they made. We felt like if we could get that first game, good things would happen in the next game. The momentum switched and the pressure turned to them a little bit. It sounds like a cliché but I could not be prouder of this team. They have fought so hard. They’re a resilient group.”
Lehigh will enter the NCAA Tournament at 30-18-1. The Mountain Hawks will be making their 11th NCAA Regional appearance. Parkland High grad and former Whitehall assistant Kyle Stinner is in his first year as a Lehigh assistant.
Eight storylines for eight teams
Eight teams are set to compete for two high school league titles this week, with all of the action scheduled for Allentown’s Patriots Park.
At 4 and 6 p.m. Monday, the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference takes center stage with No. 2 seed Parkland playing No. 3 Emmaus in the opener and No. 1 Northampton taking on No. 4 Bethlehem Catholic in the nightcap. On Tuesday, it’s the Colonial League’s turn with No. 3 seed Southern Lehigh battling No. 2 Bangor at 5 p.m. followed by No. 1 seed and defending champ Northwestern Lehigh facing No. 4 Palisades at 7.
The championship twin bill is set for Thursday night with the EPC final first at 5 p.m. followed by the Colonial League at approximately 7.
The storylines for each team:
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE
Bethlehem Catholic: With Rich Mazza sidelined for several weeks after suffering some major injuries in a car accident, Dave King has taken over the Golden Hawks and he will rely on experienced senior pitcher Emma Bond to keep the team in any postseason game. Jordan Merklin, Teighan Boyle, Hailey Pyle, Teighan Boyle, and Francesca Oberholzer are all hitting .419 or higher.
Emmaus: First-year coach Rich Giering is definitely in the hunt for coach of the year honors for instilling a new level of excitement and enthusiasm with the Green Hornets. Junior pitcher Danika Barthol has 93 strikeouts in 59 innings and junior Daria Krout has been an offensive catalyst.
Northampton: While the Konkrete Kids won the District 11 6A crown last year, they lost 10-0 to Freedom in the EPC title game and that has been a motivating factor all spring for a team that has the talent and experience to make it a clearcut favorite. Getting pitcher Kaira Zamadics back to full health is a key after she had an illness that sidelined her for a few weeks.
Parkland: The Trojans (15-5) had a six-season streak of winning a league championship last year and they’d like to start another one. They began the season 0-2 and were thumped by Northampton 12-2 on March 29 and they have been overshadowed by the Konkrete Kids ever since. But with Cassidy Sweeney, Jenna Piatkiewicz, and Shana Gugliandolo pacing the offense and Ashlyn Hillanbrand collecting 117 strikeouts in the pitching circle, the Trojans can’t be overlooked.
COLONIAL LEAGUE
Bangor: The Slaters won three league titles in a span of four years (2014-17), but lost the championship game in a heartbreaker last year to Northwestern Lehigh. Bangor was just 3-4 in its last seven games, Kristina Langdon and Lexi Bussenger lead an explosive offense.
Northwestern Lehigh: Brynn Balliet is an experienced pitcher and the Tigers have plenty of offensive weapons in their lineup. All three of their losses have been by one run, but Northwestern Lehigh knows what playoff pressure is all about and figures to be a clear-cut favorite to repeat as champs.
Palisades: The Pirates are the surprise team in the semifinals. They are looking for their first appearance in the finals since 2010 and first championship since 2009, Freshman Karlye Teman has been outstanding in the pitching circle and junior Ashley Amato, sophomore Bri Hunter, and freshman Brooklynn Lucas are among the many big bats for a team that has won nine a row.
Southern Lehigh: Legendary coach Brian Neefe is in his 51st season and is coming off a major health issue in the offseason. The Spartans have won 27 Colonial League titles but none since 2015. Morgan Benner is as solid as they come in the area at shortstop but it’s Mikaela Benner, a pitcher, who is probably the key to the Spartans chances. Benner tossed a four-shutout in a 7-0 quarterfinal-round win over Palmerton Friday night.
Player of the week JORDYN HEMINGWAY, Northern Lehigh
Northern Lehigh coach Kate Farber said that when the game is on the line, she’d like junior shortstop Jordyn Hemingway at the plate.
“She’s a solid hitter top to bottom,” Farber said. “She’s the girl you want up in key situations. Even if she’s down in the count, she finds a way.”
Hemingway has had a torrid stretch in helping the Bulldogs reach the Colonial League tournament. She was 4-for-4 with three doubles against Palmerton, 2-for-3 with four RBIs against Catasauqua and 4-for-5 with a home run, double and 4 RBIs against Southern Lehigh. Even in a loss to Palisades in the quarterfinals, she went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and a double.
She was set to be a starter as a freshman in 2020 when the team was coming off a district title season, but lost that season to COVID-19. She has been making up for lost time ever since.
Northern Lehigh went just 7-14 in 2021 and was quickly eliminated by Palmerton 15-1 in the District 11 3A tournament but looks to contend this time around. The Bulldogs will enter districts with a record of 13-8 and as winners in five of their last six.
“We’ve become more of a team and we’re trusting in each other more,” Hemingway said. “Our bats have come alive and our defense is really good. The pitching has been amazing and everybody works their butts off.”
Softball’s Top 10
Rank, Team, Record, Last time
1. Northampton, 20-1, 1
2. Parkland, 15-5, 2
3. Emmaus, 17-4, 4
4. Becahi, 16-3, 6
5. NW Lehigh, 15-3, 10
6. Whitehall, 14-7, 3
7. So. Lehigh, 16-5, 7
8. Palisades, 12-6, NR
9. Bangor, 13-7, NR
10. Stroudsburg, 15-5, 5 Dropped: Freedom (12-9), Pen Argyl (12-8).
Others to watch: Easton (10-10), Marian Catholic (15-5), Nazareth (13-8), Northern Lehigh (13-8), Palmerton (13-8).