Pioneers top C-H, head into uncharted territory
West Greene Bailey Bennington, Lexie Mooney and Kaitlyn Rizor celebrate after getting the last out in the fourth inning during the game against Chartiers-Houston.
West Greene softball coach Bill Simms hands over the WPIAL softball trophy to Bailey Bennington first after the pioneers beat Chartiers-Houston 12-3.
West GreeneþÄôs Emily Goodwin slides safely into home on a single by Madison Lampe while Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Kayla Alderson tries to tag her out in the sixthin inning.
West Greene pitcher Madison Renner gives a hug to catcher Shelby Morris after the Pioneers win the first softball championship in their schoolþÄôs history. West Greene defeated Chartiers-Houston 12-3 on Friday, June 3.
West GreeneþÄôs Madison Lampe hit bypasses first base and lands safely on second when Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Lauren Lober misses the catch to tag out Lampe.
West GreeneþÄôs Mackenzie Carpenter is out at first after Chartiers-HoustonþÄôs Macie Kesneck makes the save in the top of the fourth inning.
West Greene pitcher Madison Renner gives a hug to catcher Shelby Morris after the Pioneers win the first softball championship in their schoolþÄôs history. West Greene defeated Chartiers-Houston 12-3 on Friday, June 3.
West GreeneþÄôs Bailey Bennington watches her hit soar earning her a double in the first inning against Chartiers-Houston on Friday, June 3.
CALIFORNIA – They waited 33 years – and a day – for another chance to make history.
The softball team at West Greene High School earned the first WPIAL title in the program’s history and only the second district championship of any type in school history Friday by overwhelming Chartiers-Houston for the third time this season with a 12-hit attack that produced a 12-3 victory in the Class A finals at California University’s Lilley Field.
“Look at all the gold shirts,” said a teary-eyed West Greene head coach Bill Simms, pointing to the huge fan base that arrived sporting school colors. “I’ve been in this a long time with both baseball and softball and this is a real emotional (time) for us.”
The game was originally scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday but was switched to 10 a.m. Friday because of expected inclement weather.
It was worth the wait. The only other team to qualify for the state tournament from West Greene was in 1983 but none had won a district title.
“I didn’t sleep all night,” said Madison Renner, who hurt the Bucs with her arm and bat. Renner gave up one earned run in seven innings and hit one of the Pioneers’ three home runs in the game.
“I thought (the delay) had no bearing on the girls, ” said Simms, in his 11th season as softball coach. “We had a great practice (Thursday). The only thing was that as many people as we had here (for this game), we would have had even more (Thursday). We had buses planned and people rearranged work schedules, but I don’t think it affected the game at all.”
The only other sport to win a WPIAL title was wrestling, which captured the Class AA championship with a win over Southmoreland in 1994. The only softball team made it to the WPIAL finals was the 1983 team, more than three decades ago.
“There is a whole bunch of mixed emotions: happiness, craziness; it’s just amazing,” said Renner, who raised her record to 13-1. “Our offense is what really surprises me. I didn’t expect everyone would hit from 1-9 but they did. The defense is great so it’s hard to pick. It’s so comfortable to know that if a ball does get hit, someone is going to be there to get it.”
West Greene raised its record to 23-1 – extending its winning streak to 20 – and will play a PIAA playoff game against District 9 runner-up Clarion Monday at Cal’s Lilley Field at 2 p.m. Chartiers-Houston (14-8), which was making its second straight appearance in the Class A finals, will travel to Penn State to play District 6 champion Conemaugh Valley Monday at 4:30 p.m.
The box score from this game is sure to concern Clarion’s players and coaches.
Center fielder McKenna Lampe led the 12-hit attack by blasting a pair of two-run home runs; Renner had a 3-for-5 day and another freshman, Mackenzie Carpenter, went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
“When we started, we knew the road (to the title) went through Chartiers-Houston,” said Simms. “We were fortunate to have beaten them three times: two times in the regular season and once here. I haven’t slept in a month … I have the utmost respect for them.”
The other wins for West Greene over its Section 1 rival were 11-1 April 5 and 12-2 April 21.
The closest this game got was a 1-1 tie in the first inning. Then, West Greene’s offense blossomed, scoring two runs in the second and two more in the third to make it 5-2. The crushing blow came in the top of the sixth, when first baseman Lexie Mooney smacked a bases-loaded double that cleared the bases and made it 10-3.
”We had to keep it close because we don’t have the offense to score with them,” said Chartiers-Houston Tricia Alderson, who had the Bucs in the finals for the eighth time in her 12 years as head coach. “We needed some better pitches at times, and it just didn’t happen.”
The Bucs entered the game without a senior on the roster and needing to keep the run production of West Greene in check. The Pioneers are hitting a collective .423 and have 29 home runs.
“A single-digit, lower-scoring game would have been to our favor,” said Alderson, “but that didn’t happen.”
Many would not be surprised if these two teams met again in the PIAA playoffs. It would be the last time that could happen for at least two years. The new six-classifications will separate the two teams – West Greene to remain in Class A and Chartiers-Houston moving up to Class AA.
“That is a quality, quality program,” Simms said of the Bucs. “We’re expecting great things from our group, but you have to play all the games. There are a lot of talented players coming through the school now.”
And a WPIAL trophy stands as testament to that.