West Greene comes out swinging, handles Monessen
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
West Greene pitcher Jade Renner threw a five-hitter as the Pioneers got the win against Monessen Friday afternoon.
Monessen’s Dana Vatakis pitches against West Greene
West Greene’s McKenna Lampe gets a hit in a game against Monessen
Holly Tonini/Observer-Reporter
West Greene’s McKenna Lampe slides safely into second base in front of Monessen’s Destiny Habeck during a Section 2-A game Friday afternoon at Monessen.
Monessen’s Hannah Yorty drives in the only run scored on a single against West Greene
West Greene’s Mackenzie Carpenter makes the catch for an out against Monessen
MONESSEN – In a rematch of the 2017 WPIAL Class A softball championship, West Greene downed Monessen Friday in a Section 2-A game, 8-1.
Defending WPIAL and state champion West Greene had three two-run innings and built a 5-0 lead as the Pioneers improved to 2-0 in the section and 5-1 overall.
West Greene had 14 hits off Monessen ace Dana Vatakis, a Robert Morris recruit, as the top of the Pioneers’ lineup, which included McKenna Lampe (three singles, a double and three runs), Madison Lampe (two singles, a double and three runs), and Madison Renner (two singles), did most of the damage.
“It is always huge to start fast against (Vatakis) and our hitters at the top of the lineup did that,” said West Greene coach Billy Simms of the Lampe sisters, who joined the Army Reserves last week.
“We wanted to get them away from the momentum, and I have said for years that any time she is in the circle (Monessen) has a chance to win. The score does not indicate how close this game was, but on the flipside I have some good kids in my lineup and we did well.”
Monessen coach Bo Teets is fully aware of why West Greene has two straight WPIAL softball title and the 2017 PIAA championship.
“They are a heck of a team and I think they graduated one player from last year,” he said. “But when you talk about the majority and the meat of their lineup, they’re all back. “(The Lampes) are the catalysts for that team and really make them go because they are tough outs.”
The Lampe sisters each singled in the first inning and Renner singled home McKenna Lampe for the game’s initial run.
One out later, Jade Renner grounded out and Madison Lampe scored on the play to make it 2-0.
“When we can put pressure on them and take away the hope for momentum, it is huge,” Simms said.
West Greene’s lead doubled to 4-0 in the third with the help of three errors by Monessen.
After West Greene added another unearned run in the fourth, Monessen (0-1, 1-1) scored its lone run in the bottom of the inning.
“Against a team this good, you can’t give them unearned runs,” Teets said. “Hopefully, we can get on the field soon to practice, if the weather cooperates.”
Maddie Guzzie singled to lead off the bottom of the inning and Vatakis followed with a single. Two batters later, Hannah Yorty’s single drove in Guzzie to make the score 4-1.
The Pioneers scored two more runs in the sixth as Madison Lampe and Jade Renner each had RBI singles.
In the seventh, the Lampe sisters closed out the scoring. With two outs, McKenna Lampe doubled and Madison Lampe drove her in with a double of her own.
Vatakis struck out 11 batters and helped her cause at the plate with two singles. Jade Renner held the Greyhounds to five hits and struck out three. She had two singles.
“Jade pitched well. Although they put the ball in play, we played solid defense behind her,” Simms said. “We will see them again and it will be tough.”
“We put the ball in play, and that is something positive that we will take out of this,” Teets said, “but we have a lot of work to do.”