West Greene, CM two wins away from titles
It’s interesting that out of the two area softball teams remaining in the PIAA playoffs, one has one of the best records and the other has one of the least impressive.
No matter.
West Greene and Canon-McMillan are in the same position: two wins away from a state title.
Both teams will try to cut that number needed in half with semifinal wins. West Greene will play Dubois Central Catholic at noon at Slippery Rock for the PIAA Class A West Region title and Canon-McMillan takes on North Penn for the PIAA Class 6A West Region title at 2 p.m. at Mechanicsburg High School.
The Pioneers, who have won state titles in 2017 and 2018, got to this point with two nerve-racking, ulcer inducing victories: 5-4 over Shade in which West Greene had to wriggle out of a bases-loaded, two-out situation in the top of the seventh; and a 6-5 victory over Cambridge Springs in 10 innings in which pitcher Kiley Meek cracked a two-run home run in the 10th for the game-winning hit.
Canon-McMillan, which came into the state playoffs with a 7-9 record, has won four of five. The last two wins were against Mifflin County, 7-4, and Neshaminy, 5-3.
West Greene comes into its game against Dubois Central Catholic on a 12-game winning streak and with a 20-2 record.
“We don’t really know much about them,” said West Greene head coach Bill Simms of Dubois Central Catholic. “We don’t think they have a Jenny Finch (in the circle). Leechburg scored some runs on them.”
Dubois Central Catholic defeated Leechburg, 14-9, in the first round then stopped Glendale, 9-2, in the quarterfinals.
West Greene and Dubois Central Catholic have played four times in the last five state tournaments.
“Back in 2016, when this thing started rolling for us, we had parents going ahead to scout the next team,” said Simms. “I tend to want to be concerned about how we play than what the other team has. At this point, everyone’s good.”
But no one might be better than Meek, whose two clutch home runs have been game-savers.
Also, almost lost in the discussion of Meek is the outstanding defense of catcher London Whipkey, who has to catch Meek’s most effective pitch, the change.
“Meek gets all the love in the press but when you have your catcher back there, the game is on her glove, too,” said Simms. “With a runner on third the other day, and we throw a drop pitch and change up two times in an at-bat, you have to have confidence in your catcher that she is going to knock that ball down. You give up a passed ball and that runner scores, the ballgame is over.”
For Canon-McMillan, the players live in the now, not the past. For head coach Michele Moeller and the girls, the only record that matters is whether you won or lost the previous game.
“The girls are excited,” said Moeller. “It’s been nice to shock some of the teams we’ve played lately. I still wish we had played better against Bethel Park (a 9-2 loss in the District 7 championship game). We didn’t play our best game. Other than that, I’m tickled pink with what they are doing.”
North Penn is led by Mady Volpe, who has not allowed a run in two state playoff games.
Canon-McMillan’s arguably best player is Olivia Ulam, a St. Francis recruit. She was on base five times in a win over Mifflin County and once against Neshaminy.