Albert Gallatin beats South Fayette, 2-0
Albert Gallatin’s Maddy Hershberger won a pitchers’ duel over South Fayette’s Mara Iagnemma, as the Colonials advanced to the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 5A Softball Championships with a 2-0 victory on Tuesday at Trinity’s Hiller Field.
Hershberger had eight strikeouts and walked one in pitching a four-hit shutout over seven innings.
Iagnemma, a senior, surrendered two runs (one earned) on five hits in seven with three strikeouts and one walk.
“Both pitchers had an excellent game,” South Fayette coach Olet Stasko said. “They both hit their spots well and it was a battle of the defense pretty much. She (Hershberger) is a good pitcher.”
The Lions (11-8) had the opportunity to take the lead in the bottom of the third after the Colonials (11-7) scored twice in the top of the frame when Lauren Bernett came up to bat with runners on first and second with one out.
Bernett hit a shot down the right-field line that went just foul from being a home run. Hershberger was able to buckle down and get out of the jam, and only allowed two baserunners from that point on.
Madison Potteiger doubled and Lexi Yates walked to put the tying runners aboard in the third.
“One hit is not going to define the entire game,” Stasko said. “We have to do our job in the field and at the plate and hit, which we were unable to do tonight.”
The Lions loaded the bases with two outs in the first when Yates singled, Bernett reached on an error and Ashley Micholas reached on an infield single, but Hershberger recorded a strikeout to get out of the jam.
“When she’s (Hershberger) on like that, I know,” Albert Gallatin coach Larry Flowers said. “I’m calling the pitches and I know when she’s hitting it. She pitched a heck of a game today. She was hitting her spots and we kept them off-balance today.
“We had two runs in that inning and it held up. I’m proud of these girls. I also take my hat off to South Fayette. She (Iagnemma) pitched a great game.”
Albert Gallatin took the only lead it would need with two outs when Maria Sutton doubled, Rylea Hlatky walked and Sutton scored on Maddie Flowers’ single to right field. Hlatky scored when Annalia Paoli reached on an error. Sutton also singled and Paoli had a base hit in the sixth.
Hershberger doubled for the Colonials’ other extra-base hit.
Stasko, who is in her fourth year as head coach, is proud of what her team accomplished this season despite the loss.
“What we accomplished this year was great,” Stasko said. “We had a difficult year last year. We were in a hard section with Elizabeth Forward, Belle Vernon and Yough, and we come up to 5A and got put in a good section. The girls never backed down.
“We kind of started off rough with an 0-2 count in the section, but we made the tournament and won five out of our last six games to come back and seed section in our section. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”
Albert Gallatin plays top-seed Penn-Trafford (17-1) on Monday in the quarterfinals at a site and time to be determined. The Warriors won two one-run games over the Colonials in the regular season.
“We have a lot of work to do this week because we have P-T on Monday,” Flowers said.