May 19, 2021 4 min read

Perhaps the hottest local team in the WPIAL softball playoffs is Chartiers-Houston.

Maddie Smith and Hannah Richey each drove in three runs as the Buccaneers had no trouble advancing, rolling over Apollo-Ridge 12-2 in five innings in a Clas 2A first-round game at Mars.

The win was the seventh in a row for C-H (13-5), which advances to the quarterfinals Monday against Frazier.

The Bucs scored in each of the first three innings, building a commanding 9-2 lead.

Winning pitcher Nicolette Kloes retired the first six A-R hitters, gave up four hits in a five-batter stretch in the third inning, then held the Vikings hitless the rest of the way. Kloes finished with six strikeouts.

Kloes, Richey and Smith each doubled. Bella Hess and Richey both went 3-for-3. Hess and Smith scored scored three runs apeice.

Burgettstown 7, Carmichaels 1: Julia Jastrezebski tossed a seven-hitter and Burgettstown used a pair of three-run innings to oust Carmichaels 7-1 in a Class 2A game at Montour.

The win sends Burgettstown (11-7) into the quarterfinals Monday.

Madison Kozares had a two-run single that capped Burgettstown’s three-run third inning and that was all the support Jastrezebski needed as she finished with seven strikeouts.

Burgettstown pushed its lead to 6-0 in the fourth before Carmichaels (11-8) scored its only run in the sixth on losing pitcher Emma Holaren’s double. Holaren struck out five but walked nine.

Aubry Krivak had a triple for the Blue Devils and Mia Ranieri doubled for the Mikes.

Canon-McMillan 2, Hempfield 1: Canon-McMillan scored two runs in the top of the sixth inning, the second on a sacrifice fly by Grace Higgins, to beat Hempfield 2-1 in a Class 6A quarterfinal game.

Winning pitcher Lauren Duke allowed one run and five hits over five innings, and Brooke Perri got the final six outs (four on strikeouts) for a save.

Olivia Ulam had a key double C-M’s sixth inning. It was one of only four hits for the Big Macs.

C-M will play second-seeded Norwin in the semifinals.

Neshannock 6, Charleroi 4: Kaylee Smith hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the top of the eight inning and Jadyn Malizia hit a solo homer two batters later as Neshannock outlasted Charleroi 6-4 in a Class 2A game at Sewickley Academy.

Charleroi (9-6) forced extra innings by scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh as Riley Jones, who went 2-for-4, scored on a passed ball that made the score 4-4.

Neshannock (10-5) led 4-0 before Jones and Mckenna DeUnger hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning. The Cougars made it 4-3 in the fourth on an RBI single by Rece Eddy.

Shenango 3, Fort Cherry 0: Mia Edwards fired a shutout and Shenango made the most of only three hits to beat Fort Cherry 3-0 in Class 2A at Sewickley Academy.

Edwards struck out 12, walked only one and held Fort Cherry (10-8) to hits, a double by Annika Rinehart and a single by losing pitcher Macey Roble. Shenango (14-4) scored twice in the second inning and one run in the third. None of the three Shenango runs were earned.

Burrell 3, Belle Vernon 2: One of the best games of the day was played at Plum, where Burrell scored in the bottom of the eighth to edge Belle Vernon 3-2 in Class 4A.

It was a pitchers’ duel throughout bet6ween Burrell’s Katie Armstrong and Belle Vernon’s Sophia Godzak. Armstrong struck out 12 and limited Belle Vernon (10-10) to three hits, including solo home runs by Maren Metikosh and Abby Fabin.

Godzak threw a four-hitter and allowed only one earned run. Burrell (8-6) got a walkoff single from Caroline Dynka.

Ligonier Valley 12, California 0: Madison Griffith fired a five-inning perfect game and top-seeded Ligonier Valley defeated California 12-0 in a Class 2A game at Gateway.

Griffith struck out 14 of the 15 California batters. The lone Trojans player to put the ball in play was Makayla Boda, who grounded out to third base to start the game.

Ligonier Valley (17-1) led 3-0 before scoring seven times in the third inning. Haley Boyd was 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBI.

California finishes the season with a 6-14 record and a playoff victory over Bentworth.