It’s never over until it’s over: Cal rallies from 11 down to win
CANONSBURG – A mixture of steady batting and consistent outfield and infield play were the perfect ingredients for California High School’s softball comeback recipe in its 19-15 upset of Union in 11 innings during the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs Tuesday at the North Strabane Intermediate School field.
“This is real big for us,” California coach Tom Glawinski said. “Real big. When was the last time we reached the playoffs, maybe 2012 or something? This is big for California. My girls, I believe in them, and I kept after them. I tried to get their confidence up, and they came through for me.”
It didn’t look like an upset was in the cards in the early going, as Union (12-4) jumped out to an 11-0 lead through the first three innings and seemed to be well on its way to victory.
“We’ve never been in a game like this before,” Glawinski said. “After that second inning, when they came in, I just told them to calm down and relax. Just play ball like you do in practice. Finally, they listened to me.”
Right-hander Sarah Seamans was the catalyst for Union in the early going. She was throwing strikeouts, and then opened the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning. During her next at-bat in the second inning, she blasted a grand slam that made the score 7-0.
“What can I say?” Glawinski said. “Their pitcher was tough through those first two innings. She had me stumped. I kept talking to the girls: ‘What do you see? What are you seeing out there?’ I told them we’re going to shake things up. Just make contact, and next thing you know, we open it up.”
The Trojans (6-11) finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning, thanks to a three-run home run by Karen Watkins.
By the seventh inning, Union had built a 12-4 lead and was only three outs from the victory, but California had other plans.
Eight hits led to eight runs in the seventh, and California tied the score at 12-12. Union then had the chance for a walkoff victory, but the Trojans’ outfield play ensured that there would be extra innings.
“It’s never over until it’s over,” Glawinski said. “That’s what I kept telling them.”
After neither team was able to score in the eighth and ninth innings, California seized control in the 10th.
The international tiebreaker rule was enacted in the 10th – the last batter from the previous inning starts on second base.
Ashley Gush opened up the inning for the Trojans with a two-run home run, and was followed up by Kristina Luko who added an RBI double to make it 15-12. Luko finished the game with two doubles and a triple in her seven at-bats.
For Gush, it was just her second home run of the season, and it came at the perfect time.
“It boosted us up, and really hyped us up,” Gush said. “I try to at least get a base hit, and try harder every time I get a ball. If I strikeout, then i just try harder next time.”
Union, however, was able to match California’s three runs to force an 11th inning.
A series of singles, followed by a three-run triple by Kylie Trusler in the top of the 11th, gave the Trojans a 19-15 lead they would not relinquish.
Next up for California is No. 4 seed Leechburg, which had a first-round bye.
For Union, it was a disappointing and almost unbelievable end to a promising season and game.
“California’s a really good team,” Union coach Anthony Conforti said. “They put the ball in play, but nothing that we didn’t expect. We need to field the ball better. We had missed plays in the infield and missed plays in the outfield, otherwise it might have been a different game, but it didn’t happen that way.”