Jun 16, 2017 4 min read

By any coaching standard, it was a daring move.

But Bill Simms believed it was the right move, easing in freshman Jade Renner to be the starting pitcher of a West Greene team that not only won a WPIAL title but made it to the PIAA Class A finals. Especially when it meant moving a returning starter and Jade’s sister, Madison Renner, to shortstop.

Judging by where the Pioneers are now – their second straight PIAA Class A final – it has to be judged a success.

Jade Renner enters today’s 11 a.m. game against Williams Valley at Nittany Lion Park on the campus of Penn State University with an 18-1 record and a 1.47 ERA.

And Simms believes the stats don’t tell the whole story.

“We look at it as what makes us best 1 through 9,” said Simms. “Jade is a tremendous pitcher in her own right but Maddy is totally different from her.”

Jade Renner has a different pitching style than her sister, depending on the defense behind her to get the outs. She has power but is more of a pitch-to-contact person. Her ratio of strikeouts to innings pitched – 82 to 109 1/3 – is respectable, but not reminiscent of a power pitcher, yet. Madison Renner has a 6-0 record and is a reliable reliever if need be.

“When we bring Madison in, then I have to take my second baseman (Kaitlyn Rizor) and move her to shortstop, I have to bring my left fielder (Linzee Stover) to second base and I have to substitute a left fielder into the game. I have to change the lineup three ways to get Madison on the mound, which we’re not afraid of at all. She is a stud pitcher. This is not a Jade vs. Madison thing. We just feel the lineup 1 through 9 is better with Jade on the mound.”

The Renners are an emotional pair. Madison is the emotional leader from her shortstop position and the players feed off that energy. The fact she has hit some of the most impressive home runs Pioneer fans have seen certainly helps.

In a 3-1 win over Claysburg-Kimmel in the quarterfinals, Jade Renner had her moments when she let her frustration show and that caused a trip to the mound by Simms. Simms told her that she needed to “grow up on me a little,” the right words to settle her down and complete the victory.

That same type of maturity will be required today.

West Greene is making its second trip to the state finals in as many years and is the fifth area team to get this far since 1975.

Teams from the Washington-Greene County area have played in a combined 10 softball finals but have won only three times.

Chartiers-Houston leads all area schools with six trips to the finals but did not win its first title until 2010, a 4-1 win over Montgomery of District 4 in Class A.

Prior to that, the Bucs had runner-up finishes four times in Class A (1999, 2000, 2003 and 2005) and once in Class AA (1987).

Canon-McMillan was the last local champion, winning the Class AAAA title in 2013 with a 4-3 victory over Neshaminy of District 1 in 12 innings.

Carmichaels was the third local champion, winning the Class AA title in 1998 with a 5-2 decision over South Williamsport.

Trinity was a runner-up in Class AAA in 2015.

Williams Valley is looking to go 3-for-3 in state final games, winning last year and in 2013, both in Class A.

Simms believes catcher Shelby Morris and first baseman Lexie Mooney tend to go unnoticed by opposing players and coaches. Morris has been the flex player recently and Mooney hits in the bottom half of the lineup.

“It’s hard to beat Shelby Morris behind the plate. It’s not that she is not a good hitter. Marisa Rode was on a hot streak and we wanted get her in there,” Simms said. “Shelby provides senior leadership. She’s picked runners off and is just a tremendous player.”

Morris rarely allows a passed ball, owns a .258 batting average, has a home run and eight RBI in eight games in the lineup. Mooney has a .250 average and had four unassisted putouts in the semifinal win over Dubois Central Catholic.

“She is steady, steady, steady out there,” said Simms of Mooney. “She has a knack to get a hit, when you need a hit. She has really come into her own.”