Trinity’s offense can’t get going in loss to Shaler
MONROEVILLE – During its run to the WPIAL championship and Monday’s state playoff game against Solanco, the Trinity softball team jumped out to big leads in the first few innings, but the opposite happened Thursday afternoon against Shaler in the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 5A tournament at Gateway High School.
The Titans scored three runs in the first inning after Bethany Rodman hit a three-run home run, and added runs in the second and third on solo homers from Maja Sumonivic and Ella Nash for a 5-0 lead.
That was more than enough offense for Shaler freshman pitcher Bria Boslijevac, who allowed one run on two hits over seven. She struck out 10 and didn’t walk a batter in the Titans’ 5-1 victory.
The Titans (21-1) will play WPIAL runner-up Armstrong in the semifinals of the state tournament.
“We had to be prepared to hit what she threw,” Trinity coach Shawn Gray said. “She didn’t change anything from what we saw the last game, and unfortunately, she had a better day than we did.”
Boslijevac, who has a fastball that has been clocked at 64 mph, had 16 strikeouts when the teams met in the WPIAL semifinals, a 5-4 triumph for the Hillers (20-3) in nine innings, but gave up two home runs to Hanna Suhoski in the first three innings, as Trinity built a 4-0 lead.
“I think we had some incentive this game,” Shaler coach Tom Sorce said. “Our plan was to win the section and WPIAL. They took the WPIAL title away from us, and they played very well. If we’re on and she’s (Boslijevac) on, we’re tough to beat. Kudos to them (Trinity). They are WPIAL champions. We have a tough rode ahead.
“She (Boslijevac) didn’t really throw that many fastballs today. It was a lot of breaking balls, but she, and all of our kids, did well. They have worked really hard to get to this point.”
The Hillers had a 7-0 advantage after two innings against Armstrong in the WPIAL title game, and had a 5-0 lead over Solanco after two on Monday, but couldn’t duplicate that on Thursday.
“They had the momentum from the beginning, and they carried the momentum,” Gray said. “Their pitcher was on tonight, and kudos to her. She pitched a great game, and I hope they do well. I really do.”
Trinity’s Ryleigh Hoy hit a solo home run to right field in the seventh with two outs. Hoy, who was one of seven seniors in the Hillers’ starting lineup, had six home runs this season.
Suhoski broke up Boslijevac’s perfect game in the fourth with one out when she blasted a line drive that hit off the glove of first baseman Eloise Facher and bounced to second baseman Abby Lydon, who fired the ball to Facher at first but Suhoski beat the ball to the bag.
Taylor Dunn pitched her final high school game, but the Washington & Jefferson recruit threw well after allowing five runs on four hits in the first three innings. Dunn allowed two hits after the third. She struck out one and walked two.
Trinity’s other five seniors that started Thursday were Amber Morgan, Addison Agnew, Madison Argo, Kristina Bozek and Mirranda Rinehart.
Suhoski, Finley Hohn and Riley Venick will return to the Hillers’ lineup next year.
“Down the road, when these girls have their own kids, they can look back and say they were a pretty good team,” Gray said. “We won the first WPIAL title in program history and made it to the quarterfinals of the state tournament.”