Tornado
save their best for last
BUTLER TWP— Well-timed hitting, well-timed pitching changes and a well-timed
send-off for four seniors and a coach.
Butler experienced all of the above Tuesday, closing its season with a
surprising 6-4 girls softball victory over Seneca Valley, denying the Raiders
an outright Section 3-AAAA title.
Four teams — SV, North Hills, North Allegheny and Shaler — finished tied atop
the section standings at 8-4.
The game marked the end of Lindsay Millea's coaching career at Butler, as her
family is relocating to California.
"This is the kind of ball I felt we were capable of playing all
year,"Millea said. "Whoever comes in here and takes over is going to
be working with some very talented girls."
And some very young ones.
Freshman second baseman Sadie Marak delivered a two-run double to right field
in the first inning, then a two-out, two-run single to center in the second
frame.
The latter hit gave the Golden Tornado a 4-3 lead — an advantage they never
lost.
"She (SV's Courtney Grootegoed) was pitching me fastballs on the outside
and I just hit the balls where they were pitched,"Marak said.
"I think this is the start of something big for us. I wantplayoffs next
year. I think we have the team."
Senior Stacy Reges started on the mound for Butler and pitched the first two
innings. Freshman Amanda Skidmore took over in the third inning and retired the
first eight batters she faced, striking out four of them.
When Erin Mullen doubled with two outs in the fifth, freshman Angie Reddick
took over mound duties for Butler and induced Jackie Mangola to ground out to
shortstop on the first pitch.
"Our strategy coming into this game was to use all of our pitchers and
keep showing their hitters different looks,"Millea said. "Seneca
Valley's hitters will beat the heck out of any pitcher once they feel comfortable.
"Mangola was the first batter Amanda faced. When her turn came around
again, our plan was to switch to Angie."
The Tornado added key insurance runs after Marak's early productivity. Skidmore
led off the fourth with a double to right, was bunted to third by Karen
Cumberledge and scored on Jenna Geibel's double to left.
In the sixth, Cumberledge beat out an infield single, moved to second on a wild
pitch, stole third and scored when the throw caromed into left field.
"We made too many mistakes today,"Raiders coach George Trew said.
"Fielding mistakes, baserunning mistakes, pitching mistakes ... mistakes
we don't normally make."
The Raiders trailed 6-3 entering the seventh. Dana Hughes led off with an
infield single and with one out, Mangola's fly ball to right hit the top of the
fence and stayed in play for a run-scoring double.
Reddick got Grootegoed and McCormick to pop out to shortstop, ending the game.
Mangola had an apparent RBIsingle in the first inning for SV, but Erin Mullen
hesitated while rounding third and was thrown out at the plate.
The Raiders loaded the bases on a single, walk and error with one out in the
sixth, but Reddick struck out Caitlin McGill and Alyssa DiMaria grounded out to
first.
"We were flat today,"Trew said. "We missed our chances."
Butler seniors Karra White, Brenna McPherson, Trisha Hollerman and Reges were
honored before and after the game.
"It was important for us to get this win for the seniors,"Marak said.
"They deserved this."
Butler also honored Seneca Valley seniors Mangola, Grootegoed, McCormick,
Ashley Watkins, Kelsey Gray and McGill.
Seneca Valley 120 000 1—4 9 3
Butler 220 101 x—6 8 3
Courtney Grootegoed (L, 9K, 3BB)and Megan McCormick. Stacy Reges (0K, 0BB,
Amanda Skidmore (3, W, 4K, 0BB), Angie Reddick (5, SV, 3K, 1BB) and Karra
White.
Seneca Valley (13-5, 8-4): Dana Hughes 2-1B 2-RBI, Erin Mullen 2B 1B,
Jackie Mangola 2B 1BRBI, Courtney Grootegoed 1BRBI, Megan McCormick 1B, Ashley
Watkins 1B
Butler (8-10, 4-8): Jenna Geibel 2BRBI, Karra White 2-1B, Sadie Marak 2B
1B 4-RBI, Amanda Skidmore 2B, Karen Cumberledge 2-1B 2-R