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Legazza, Belle Vernon walk it off in Class AAAA first round

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ALLISON PARK – Hannah Legazza knows firsthand what it is like to be a part of Bailey Parshall’s dominance in the pitching circle by being Belle Vernon High School’s catcher.

Legazza had her own moment in the spotlight Tuesday afternoon as she delivered the biggest hit of her career, a walkoff single on a 3-2 pitch that scored Natalie French in the bottom of the seventh inning of Belle Vernon’s thrilling 1-0 win over previously undefeated Punxsutawney (20-1), the District 9 champion, in a PIAA Class AAAA first-round softball game.

“It was nerve-wracking and my adrenaline was going,” said the junior catcher before admitting that she missed a squeeze bunt sign on the previous pitch. “But I work well with more pressure.”

Belle Vernon coach Tom Rodriguez said that he considered putting in a pinch-hitter for Legazza, who has been struggling at the plate, but he decided to leave her in.

“That was an exciting finish,” Rodriguez said. “Hannah had been struggling with the bat, but she was the best option we had.

“I would rather be up 2-0 early, but this was a great game and I feel bad for the other team as they were 20-0. If they seeded the states, this game would have been in a later round.”

French, a freshman, entered the game as a pinch-runner for junior Alex Sokol, who produced a one-out, opposite field triple to right field.

After Punxsutawney pitcher Kylee Lingenfelter struck out sophomore Jordan French for the second out of the inning, Legazza drove in the younger French to send their teammates racing onto the field to celebrate.

Heading into the contest, the hype was focused on Parshall and Lingenfelter, and rightfully so.

The aces, who play on the same travel team, the Ohio Outlaws, and have verbally committed to Penn State, dominated the game and stymied the opposing offense.

Belle Vernon (20-1), the WPIAL champion, finished with four hits off of Lingenfelter with three coming in the last two innings. Parshall, who had a fourth-inning single, limited Punxsutawney to a pair of singles.

The only other two batters to get on base against Parshall reached on an error and a fielder’s choice.

Lingenfelter finished with 10 strikeouts and two walks while Parshall had seven strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

“I prefer being in a game like this, the nail-biting games,” said Parshall who struck out Lingenfelter three times. “It is a friendly rivalry, but I am glad we won.”

Belle Vernon plays Mt. Pleasant, the third-place team from the WPIAL, in a quarterfinal game Thursday at a site and time to be determined today.

Two weeks ago, Belle Vernon defeated Mt. Pleasant, 1-0, in the WPIAL semifinals when Sokol doubled home Kourtney Gavatorta with the lone run of the game. Each team was limited to two hits.

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