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Big Macs gain share of another softball section title

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CANONSBURG – It does not matter how many players are gone from the previous year or who is returning, Canon-McMillan High School softball coach Michele Moeller never knows what to expect out of each season.

The question marks were magnified this spring with the graduation of two Division I players – Olivia Lorusso, who has started 38 games for Robert Morris as a freshman, and Giorgiana Zeremenko, who has appeared in 41 games for Pitt.

The program had historic run production last season, but errors cost the Big Macs in the WPIAL title game. Pitching and timely hitting helped them win the PIAA championships in 2013.

Moeller is still not sure how to describe the 2015 team, which has found every possible way to win, but its two losses have been followed the same trend – one-inning meltdowns.

They avoided a downward spiral Tuesday afternoon.

The Big Macs overcame two errors, took advantage of several illegal pitches by Peters Township and used a five-run fourth inning to defeat the Indians, 9-4, at North Strabane Intermediate School to force a three-way tie for the Section 4-AAAA title.

The section championship is the fourth consecutive for Canon-McMillan (10-2, 12-3).

“I’m always trying to figure out each team every year. Each one is different and I still don’t know about this one,” Moeller said. “I’ve never had one that has the same mentality or makeup. When you lose people it’s different, but that’s four section titles in a row for this program and that’s definitely an accolade in this section.”

The run of section championships looked like it was all but finished when the Big Macs lost to Baldwin, 7-5, last Thursday, but the Highlanders’ victory over Bethel Park Monday opened the door for a three-way tie.

Canon-McMillan took advantage behind senior pitcher Tara Fowler, who tossed a complete game with four strikeouts and had a no-hitter through four innings.

The Big Macs took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when sophomore Kayla Hopkins scored from third base on an illegal pitch by Peters Township (5-7, 10-8) senior Kellyn Perich. Canon-McMillan scored its first run in the fourth inning in the same manner.

“I know the umps were calling Kelyn with a crow hop, so that had an impact on what we did,” Peters Township head coach Bob Bowers said. “Some runners advanced and I think at least two runs scored because of that. That hurt us at least two times, but she still pitched well.”

The Big Macs took a 2-0 advantage in the third inning when senior center fielder Abby McCartney, who went 1-for-1 with two runs, an RBI and three walks, scored on a throwing error. Her RBI double in the fourth gave C-M its seventh run. Jada Kemp, Hopkins and Crawford also contributed RBI in the inning.

“This is four years in a row so it’s definitely a good way to keep our season going,” McCartney said of the section title. “I’m looking forward to playoffs and what’s to come.”

Trailing 5-0, Peters Township opened the fifth inning with back-to-back singles to snap Fowler’s no-hitter and sophomore Cassandra Peterson hit an RBI single to spoil the shutout, but Fowler got Carly Konopka to groundout to end the threat.

“We made a couple of mistakes, but we didn’t fall apart this time,” Moeller said. “The two games that we lost, that was a factor – snowballing. Both of those losses came with a one-inning breakdown.

“I think that’s our biggest thing right now. When something happens in the field, we need to recover quicker. If we can recover, I think we’ll be better off. “

The Big Macs added two runs in the sixth inning . Taylor Bruno’s double drove in McCartney, and Fowler followed with an RBI single for a seven-run lead. Indians senior first baseman Molly Cambell hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh, but Fowler recorded the last two outs to end the game and secure the section title. The next step is the WPIAL playoffs, which begin next week.

“I told the team that it’s still a section title. You did what you had to do,” Moeller said. “They just really need to find energy together as a team.”

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