Softball playoff recap: Ella Richey, Meadow Ferri propel Chartiers-Houston past Carmichaels in Class 1A; Norwin stuns defending Class 6A champion Hempfield; Emma Paul completes comeback with homer for Armstrong in Class 5A

For a moment late in the WPIAL Class 1A semifinal grudge match between No. 2 Carmichaels and No. 3 Chartiers-Houston, it looked like another marathon game might be in the works.

Of course, those who have been paying attention will remember that the two fierce section rivals met in a memorable 15-inning game earlier this season that lasted more than two weeks – and their second meeting was another battle back and forth that arrived at the final throw. With each team winning a game each while sharing the Section 2 crown, many were looking forward to Wednesday’s rubber match at Montour for a spot in the WPIAL title game as soon as the playoff brackets were released.

Needless to say, the third part of the trilogy did not disappoint.

On a night when ace pitchers Meadow Ferri (Chartiers-Houston) and Bailey Barnyak (Carmichaels) largely silenced their respective foes’ explosive lineups, Buccaneers freshman Aubree Randolph came home to score. green on a wild pitch in the top of In the seventh inning, Ferri struck out Mighty Mikes star Carys McConnell to end the game and give Chartiers-Houston a 3-2 victory. The Bucs have won eight WPIAL titles, tied for third most in WPIAL history, but have not been to the Finals since 2016 and have not raised a WPIAL championship banner since winning titles consecutive in 2011-12.

“We’ve been working on this moment since June of last year,” said longtime Chartiers-Houston coach Tricia Alderson. “We are really happy to finally be back in the final.”

Ferri made headlines when she struck out 30 batters in that unforgettable 15-inning game earlier this season, and she was in top form again on Wednesday. The junior struck out nine while allowing two runs on four hits and two walks in a complete-game victory, and she also scored a crucial tying run with an RBI groundout in the top of the sixth inning – but she saved her best . for the end with the decisive withdrawal of McConnell.

“(McConnell) is such a great player,” Alderson said. “Meadow brought the best to him.”

Her batterymate, junior catcher Ella Richey, showcased her breathtaking power with a solo home run to open the game in the top of the first inning, and Richey then added a line drive double in the gap in the fifth. Richey led the WPIAL with 14 homers as a sophomore and now has nine this year as a junior.

“She’s the spark plug at the top of the lineup,” Alderson said. “She’s so focused. She works so hard. I can’t say enough about her. She is incredible.”

With the Bucs leading 1-0 in the top of the fifth inning, Carmichaels launched a would-be insurance run on a tight play at the plate after a great throw on Richey’s double into the gap. McConnell then hit a two-run double down the right field line in the bottom of the fifth to put the Mighty Mikes on top, 2-1 – but not for long.

After Lauren Rush singled and advanced to third base on an error in the top of the sixth, Ferri brought her home on a groundout to tie the score, 2-2. Then, with Richey batting with two outs and Randolph third in the top of the seventh, a wild pitch found its way to the backstop, and Randolph returned home safely for the winning run just before Barnyak cannot apply the tag.

“I told (Randolph) when she was third, ‘You’re going to score the winning point here,’” Alderson said. “And she said, ‘OK, coach.’ And she did. So I’m really happy for her.

The three meetings between the teams so far this year have been decided by a total of four runs, with the Bucs winning at Carmichaels on April 19, 6-5, and the Mighty Mikes emerging victorious in the 15-inning matchup at Chartiers-Houston. , 7-5. Of course, a fourth state playoff meeting is still possible, but the Bucs aren’t thinking about that at the moment. After all, they have a tough challenge ahead of them against two-time defending champions Union, who look stronger than ever in their quest for a WPIAL treble.

No matter what happens in next week’s title game, Alderson and his players are sure to cherish this moment after years of close calls and near misses on the road to Lilley Field. Don’t think for a second that they will just get there.

“Obviously we wanted to win this game, but we haven’t won anything yet,” Richey said. “We know we still have a lot of work to do. We are still hungry. We want to bring him home.

Another Class 1A semifinal

• Mia Preuhs pitched six shutout innings with six strikeouts and hit a home run for the two-time defending WPIAL champion. union in a 10-0 victory against No. 5 Greene West my turn. Freshman Irelyn Fisher hit a three-run homer to start the scoring for the No. 1 Scotties, and sophomore standout Olivia Williams drove in a pair to help tweak the mercy-rule victory .

Class 6A semifinals

• There will be a new champion in the biggest ranking, as #1 Hemp field saw its season end in style with a surprise 5-2 defeat against the No. 5. Norwin at the footbridge. Coming into the game with a 9-10 record, few could have expected the Knights to keep the game close against the Spartans, winners of 14 straight games and six WPIAL titles over the last eight seasons . But Norwin took an early lead on a two-run homer by Josey Michalski in the top of the first inning, then pitcher Brookelyn Kotch tacked on an RBI double before shutting down Hempfield’s powerful bats the rest of the way to get the score. First appearance of the Knights in the WPIAL championship.

• Clemson recruit Lexie Hames was at the peak of her abilities at No. 2 Seneca Valley in a 7-1 victory against No. 6 Canon-McMillan to North Allegheny, allowing one run on one hit with 18 strikeouts to send the Raiders to their third straight WPIAL championship game. Kara Pasquale went 3 for 4 with an RBI and Abby Kalkowski drove in a pair for Seneca Valley, while Hames went 1 for 2 with a pair of walks at the plate.

Class 5A semifinals

• Multi-sport star Emma Paul hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a furious comeback from No. 1. Armstrong with an 8-6 victory against No. 4 Penn Trafford at the footbridge. The River Hawks fell behind 6-1, before storming back to secure their fourth straight WPIAL championship appearance thanks to Paul’s heroics. Jessie Pugh had three of Armstrong’s 13 hits this afternoon, and Rachel Ban drove in three runs while earning the win with a courageous effort out of the bullpen.

• In a rare semifinal showdown between two double-digit seeds, 10th place Thomas Jefferson broadside No. 11 Latrobe4-2, to clinch her third WPIAL championship appearance and first since 2018. Aubrey Shaffer allowed two runs on four hits and struck out six to earn the win, while Adalina Bracco drove in two runs for the Jaguars .

Class 4A semifinals

• One of the area’s best two-way players, Shelby Telegdy struck out 10 while allowing two runs on four hits and two walks in six innings of work for the No. 1 seed. Elizabeth forward in a 7-2 victory against No. 4 Chartiers Valley in West Mifflin. Telegdy also had two hits while Addy Nigut went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and Carlee Soukup drove in three. Lily Duffill went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer that briefly tied the score for the Colts in the fourth inning, but the Warriors responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth to seal the victory.

• Marissa Snyder pitched a five-inning no-hitter with five strikeouts and went 2-for-3 with four RBIs to lead No. 2. Hampton to a convincing 10-0 victory against No. 11 Black Falcon. Albany freshman Charlotte Lomb added a solo homer for the Talbots, who are one win away from capturing their first WPIAL title.

Sheet music

Class 6A semifinals

Norwin 5, Hempfield 2

Seneca Valley 7, Canon-McMillan 1

Class 5A semifinals

Armstrong 8, Penn-Trafford 6

Thomas Jefferson 4, Latrobe 2

Class 4A semifinals

Elizabeth Forward 7, Vallée des Chartiers 2

Hampton 10, Blackhawk 0

Class 1A semifinals

Chartiers-Houston 3, Carmichaels 2

Union 10, West Greene 0