Mar 30, 2015 4 min read

Gusts of wind swept across Hiller Field, causing players to bundle up and carrying fly balls deep into foul territory. The atmosphere was a far cry from the one Trinity’s softball team thrived in last week at the Cal Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

With temperatures hovering in the high-40s Monday afternoon and a left-handed Division I recruit on the mound for Belle Vernon, the Hillers – one of the best offensive softball teams in the WPIAL – decided to use small ball to continue their perfect start to the season.

They also benefitted from a breakthrough performance by junior pitcher Paige Galentine.

The Hillers bunted four times in the final two innings, three times for singles, and senior shortstop Olivia Gray hit an inside-the-park grand slam in the sixth inning to back Galentine as Trinity defeated Belle Vernon, 7-0, in a Section 3-AAA game.

Galentine pitched a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts, while Leopards freshman lefty Bailey Parshall, who committed to Penn State last fall before ever playing a varsity game, struck out 12 over six innings.

Gray’s third home run of the season came with two outs in the sixth inning and the Hillers (2-0, 4-0) leading 3-0. Her line drive sailed over the head of Belle Vernon right fielder Megan Christner.

The clutch hit came after Trinity senior left fielder Brooke Beck’s two-out, two-run single in the third inning broke up the pitchers’ duel between Galentine and Parshall.

“I thought the team executed when we needed them to and that was important,” Trinity head coach Shawn Gray said. “They came through when we put runners on base. When we had the opportunity to score, we scored.”

Trinity was held hitless through two innings and Belle Vernon (1-1, 3-2) was in position to take the lead in the top of the second, when it led off the inning with a walk and an infield single.

Galentine responded by striking out three consecutive batters. The Leopards were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and were held to just four hits, including only one through five innings. They stranded seven runners on base.

“We couldn’t hit. That’s been the problem all season,” Belle Vernon head coach Tom Rodriguez said. “Bailey pitched well, but we can’t expect to not score any runs and have a chance to win a game.”

It didn’t help Belle Vernon’s offensive woes that Galentine pitched one of her best all-around games at the varsity level, mixing a fastball, a screwball and a changeup.

“She’s a lot more mature on the mound, she understands what she has to do as a team and she’s not up there to strike everyone out,” Gray said. “She’s starting to learn that she can trust her defense.”

Facing a crafty left-handed pitcher does not require a thorough scouting report. Traditionally, lefties stick to the outside of the strike zone early before making a hitter chase a pitch high and inside.

Beck studied Parshall’s approach during her first at-bat. When she came to the plate in the bottom of the third inning with two outs and the bases loaded, Beck fought off an inside fastball and dropped it into right field on a 2-1 count to give the Hillers a 2-0 lead.

“I got up there and I knew I had to drive one to right field,” Beck said. “I wanted to win so bad and I knew I just needed to make contact with the ball.”

Trinity senior designated hitter Hali Justice led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple that skipped past the right fielder and she scored on a throwing error before Gray capped the inning with her third grand slam in the past week.

Galentine struggled with her command a year ago, often attempting to make the perfect pitch during every at-bat. Through four games this spring, that has changed drastically.

“I learned a lot more to trust the defense. I’m throwing more strikes and walking less people,” Galentine said. “I’m pitching more toward contact instead of trying to strike everyone out.”

Her work in the circle and the continued success of one of the best offenses in the WPIAL has Trinity thinking big in 2015.

“We were hoping for it to be a little warmer today, but I think the team’s bats will stay hot,” Gray said. “They’re excited for the season. We’re looking very strong.”