H.S. Softball: Pittston Area falls in eight innings in Class 5A state title game
Jun. 14—STATE COLLEGE — Pittston Area's method to victory in close games all season has been twofold.
Pitching ace Gianna Adams would keep opposing hitters at bay while the offense found ways to scratch out just enough runs.
Only the first half of the formula worked in Thursday's PIAA Class 5A softball championship game against Thomas Jefferson. The Patriots had opportunities to take the lead in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, but failed. Jefferson then finally pushed a run across in the eighth for a 2-1 win.
District 2 champion Pittston Area finished its season at 22-2. District 7 runner-up Jefferson finished 16-8, winning its first state title.
"You have to give her credit," Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said of Jefferson pitcher Aubrey Shaffer. "For a freshman to come in in a state final and pitch like she did. We struggled. We struggled offensively."
Adams finished with 14 strikeouts, giving her 834 for her career. She strung together six consecutive strikeouts after giving up a run in the first inning. She also worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.
The Patriots couldn't escape another bases-loaded situation in the eighth. Morgan Alisesky led off by rolling a single through the left side of the infield. She stole second and Alayna Grese was then intentionally walked. Both moved up a base on a passed ball, and Alison Chalovich was intentionally walked to create a force play at home.
Taylor Karpac then delivered an RBI single to left to send the Jaguars back to Pittsburgh as state champions.
"In my mind, I'm starting over completely knowing I had my timing down on the pitcher," Karpac said. "Before, I was in my head too much. I was just watching strikes go by."
Pittston Area got singles from Adams and Julia Mehal in the sixth but couldn't snap a 1-1 tie. The Patriots loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but a foul pop ended the threat.
Then in the eighth, a walk to Gabby Gorzkowski and a single by Tori Stephenson put runners on the corners with two outs. Again, Pittston Area couldn't push a run across.
Pittston Area scored its only run in the third when Julia Long doubled and scored on Sam Herbert's single to tie the score 1-1.
Jefferson's Olivia Stock opened the game with a line triple to center. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Drexel recruit Zoe Krizan.
"I honestly think that was a great start to the game," Jefferson coach Heidi Karcher said. "I'm originally from Old Forge and I knew the pitcher was getting a lot of press because when I go back to visit the news stations are giving her a lot of hype and she is an incredible pitcher.
"But I didn't want to stand in the way of the girls because we've faced very good pitchers our in western PA and knew we had the capability to put the bat on the ball."
Adams surrendered a pair of singles to start the second and then allowed two hits from the third through seventh innings.
"It's just an adjustment," Adams said. "Getting ready, getting more comfortable during the game and picking each other up when we're down. Little mistakes happen, but overall I think we all settled in pretty nicely."
Pittston Area stranded 10 runners, including six in scoring position.
PIAA Class 5A Championship
Thomas Jefferson 2, Pittston Area 1
Pittston Area'AB'R'H'BI
Hintze cf'4'0'1'0
Adams p'2'0'1'0
Ta. Stephenson cr'0'0'0'0
Herbert ss'4'0'1'1
Antal lf'4'0'0'0
Mehal dp'4'0'1'0
Gorzkowski 1b'3'0'1'0
To. Stephenson 3b'4'0'1'0
Haas ph'0'0'0'0
Roman rf'3'0'0'0
Long 2b'3'1'1'0
Totals'31'1'7'1
Thomas Jefferson'AB'R'H'BI
Stock 3b'3'1'1'0
Bracco ss'4'0'0'0
Krizan cf'3'0'0'1
Alisesky 2b'3'1'2'0
Grese dp'3'0'1'0
Chalovich c'3'0'1'0
Barringer pr'0'0'0'0
Karpac 1b'4'0'2'1
Janosko rf'2'0'0'0
Gruber ph'1'0'0'0
Alonso lf'3'0'1'0
Totals'29'2'8'2
Pittston Area'001'000'00 — 1
Thomas Jefferson'100'000'01 — 2
E — Pittston Area 1. LOB — Pittston Area 10, Jefferson 8. 2B — Long. 3B — Stock. SAC — Long, Janosko. SB — Antal, Haas, Alonzo, Stock, Alisesky.
Pittston Area'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO
Adams (L)'7+'8'2'2'4'14
Thomas Jefferson'IP'H'R'ER'BB'SO
Shaffer (W)'8'7'1'1'4'10
