May 26, 2021 5 min read

WEST MIFFLIN – It was worth the wait.

Canon-McMillan coach Michele Moeller says Taylor Eckles is one of her best hitters. This season, a torn tendon in Eckles’ knee put her out of action for six weeks.

She finally got cleared to play last Friday, but Moeller liked how Grace Higgins was playing and decided to stick with her at shortstop.

When Eckles’ teammates took the field for Wednesday’s WPIAL semifinal matchup with Norwin – the type of game athletes breathe for- Eckles remained in the dugout.

Over the first 5½ innings and change, Eckles watched her team take the lead, give it up, and then take it again. In the top of the sixth, she got her chance to make something happen. The Big Macs were ahead 4-2 and had runners on first and second with nobody out, just six outs away from a trip to the WPIAL championship game.

Canon-Mac badly wanted an insurance run or three.

“We wanted to get her into this hitting lineup…,” Moeller said. “I felt good with Taylor in there.”

Eckles hit a ball to centerfield that might have been, could have been… but wasn’t, instead dying in the glove of Olivia Mastrilli.

With it being so late in the game, there was no guarantee that Eckles would have another shot.

Fast forward. The Knights tied the game at four on a two-run single by Liz Waszkiewicz in the bottom half of the sixth. The Big Macs’ offense loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, putting Eckles into an even more important situation. Now, she had a chance not just to add insurance, but for a game-winning hit in this the biggest at-bat of her life.

Again, she drove her pitch near that 200-foot sign. Mastrilli ran into the outfield fence trying to make a great play, and the ball dropped in, clearing the bases and putting the Big Macs ahead, 7-4, which stood for the game’s final score.

“I don’t even know what kind of pitch it was,” Eckles said. “I just knew it looked good, and I just went for it.”

Within 15 minutes, the Big Macs were going to the championship game, and Eckles was the hero.

“I just wanted to help them out whenever they needed me and however I could,” Eckles said.

Boy, did she.

It’s fitting that the game took place less than a mile from Kennywood Park because it went up and down like the Jackrabbit. The Big Macs (9-9) struck first with two runs on one hit and some good fortune in the top of the first inning.

The first run of the game came in on an error by Norwin (14-3) first baseman Mallory Wensel. The second came in on an even bigger break for the Big Macs. With Elli Kotar batting, a simple toss back to starting pitcher Sydney Lokay went awry, and Higgins came in to score and double the Big Macs’ advantage.

The Knights offense, which averaged 10 runs over its previous four games, wasn’t going to stay silent forever. The top of Norwin’s order flexed its muscles in the bottom of the third. Leadoff hitter Bailee Bertani and No. 3 hitter Madie Kessler each hit solo home runs- both no doubters over the leftfield wall- to tie the game at two.

In the top of the fifth, it was Abby Allen’s turn to go deep. The Big Macs’ designated player smacked a two-run shot for what looked like might be the winning runs. But the game had several turns in the last inning and a half, and it was Eckles who got the last big hit.

It wasn’t supposed to end this way for Norwin. Most expected the No. 2 seed in 6A to meet top-seeded and 17-0 Bethel Park in the WPIAL championship game. Instead, the Knights were on the wrong end of an upset, and what was supposed to be a joyous afternoon turned into one of sorrow.

“We’re a pretty emotional group, and I’m included in that,” coach Brian Mesich said, choking back tears. “You can’t play any harder than they do… that’s all you can ask for.”

On the other side, there is joy in Canonsburg.

Moeller had high expectations for this year’s squad, but the Big Macs limped into the playoffs with a 7-9 record and three straight losses to end the regular season.

Canon-Mac wasn’t supposed to beat Hempfield in the quarterfinal or Norwin in the semis. But here they are.

“I’m not sure I can put it into words,” an emotionally exhausted Moeller said. “We knew through the whole season we weren’t really playing the way we’re indicative of playing. Conversations with some of my team leaders, they were a little shocked too. They couldn’t believe we just couldn’t put it together.”

The Big Macs are putting it together now, and it just might get them WPIAL gold.