Locked and loaded: Chartiers-Houston primed for another successful season
Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston’s Lauren Lober returns as the starting second baseman for the Bucs this season. Lober is one of four senior starters.
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston’s Lauren Lober is one of five juniors to help lead the Bucs’ lineup this season.
Chartiers-Houston third baseman Karlyn Bayer throws to first base for an out after fielding a ground ball.
Luke Campbell/Observer-Reporter
Chartiers-Houston’s Madyson Smith slides in safely to score during a game last season. Smith is one of several returning players for the Bucs this season.
So close yet so far.
That’s how many of the six upperclassmen for the Chartiers-Houston High School softball team might have felt when their WPIAL playoff runs have ended the past several seasons.
When some started as freshmen in 2016, the Bucs lost to West Greene in the WPIAL Class A championship game. The next two seasons produced losses in the semifinals – to South Side Beaver in 2017 and Laurel last season – that kept Chartiers-Houston from winning its first district title since repeating in 2011 and 2012.
Since winning back-to-back titles, the Bucs have been stopped shy in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs once, in the semifinals three times and have fallen in the district title game twice.
But starting this season with most of its roster intact, including returning its top seven hitters that catapulted Chartiers-Houston into having one of the best lineups in the WPIAL last year, it’s not about what happened in the past or what might happen in the future.
“We aren’t trying to focus on last year and the year before,” said coach Tricia Alderson. “We are just focused on one game at a time and taking care of business in the section. We feel we can be competitive in the section and in the WPIAL.”
The Bucs started the season 2-0 in section and 5-0 overall after a 2-1 win Saturday against section rival Frazier. They return Class 2A All-State Player of the Year Kaci Alderson and another all-state selection in Kasey Scears. Alderson batted .596 with 11 home runs, 35 RBI and scored 28 runs. Scears hit .507 with 22 RBI and scored a team-leading 30 runs last season.
Chartiers-Houston also brings back pitcher/first baseman Ella Brookman, third baseman Karlyn Bayer, center fielder Jaylese Lombardi and second baseman Lauren Lober.
All contributed to Chartiers-Houston being one of only four WPIAL teams – the others were West Allegheny, West Greene and Union – to score 10-plus runs in 11 or more games last season. The Bucs had at least 10 runs in 12 games, inflicted the mercy rule 11 times and averaged more than 10 runs per game.
“The group back has experience,” Tricia Alderson said. “We have 5 freshmen, so we feel pretty good about having a little more depth. That depth is better compared to the last several years. This team is really close. It seems like everyone is on the same page.”
Brookman will take over the primary pitching duties, replacing last year’s prominent starter Kaitlyn Dittrich, the only player to graduate. Brookman went 1-1 with a 1.39 ERA and seven saves in 35? innings as a junior.
The Bucs will have a similar challenge to years past with a difficult Class 2A schedule. They also are in a new-look section that no longer includes Burgettstown and Fort Cherry but added Charleroi, McGuffey and Carmichaels. They also are scheduled to play at West Greene in a non-section game April 18.
“Hopefully, that helps us down the line,” Tricia Alderson said. “We have traditionally played a tough schedule. It’s good for our kids to be put into those situations. You might lose some games but they only make you better. We just need to play better as we go. We can hit but sooner or later you come across a good pitcher. Class 2A is very tough. There are so many good teams.”