DISTRICT 2 SOFTBALL: Championship game previews
May 30—Tickets for Tuesday's and Wednesday's championship games are available online only at piaad2.org, with the link in the large black square at the upper right corner below the banner. Spectators over 65 and pre-school children do not require a ticket. Seniors must show proof of age for free admission. Tickets are $6, which does not include the HomeTown Ticketing processing fee.
CLASS 6A DISTRICT 2-4 SUBREGIONAL
2-Williamsport (13-8) vs. 1-Hazleton Area (13-7)
When: Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Wilkes University
How they got here: Williamsport topped Wilkes-Barre Area, 11-1. Hazleton Area handled Wyoming Valley West, 16-4.
Players to watch:
Williamsport: Abby Robertson, .353, 24 H, 14 RBIs, 7 2B; Taryn Reed, .352, 25 H, 11 RBIs, 6 2B; Kendall McAnally, .348, 23 H, 16 RBIs; Alexandria Chilson, .344, 21 H, 15 RBIs, 7 2B
Hazleton: Madison Forsythe, .530, 35 H, 22 RBIs, 13 2B; Kelsey Peters, .514, 38 H, 22 RBIs, 16 XBH, 4 HR; Makenna Balay, .486, 36 H, 39 RBIs, 13 XBH, 5 HR; Marissa Hoffman, .471, 24 H, 19 RBIs
The buzz: Hazleton Area had a 13-day layoff before beating Wyoming Valley West in the semifinals. Tuesday's title game will be just the second in 19 days for the Cougars. That layoff didn't seem to hurt Hazleton Area, which jumped out to a quick lead, thanks to Balay's three-run homer. ... Williamsport ended Hazleton Area's eight-year stranglehold on the subregional title with an 8-2 win in last year's final. The teams have met for the championship 10 times in the last 12 seasons. ... Common opponents for the teams are Wilkes-Barre Area, each swamping the Wolfpack, Hazleton by 12-0 and 22-1 scores, and Williamsport, 11-1. Williamsport also lost to Tunkhannock, 5-3, a team that beat Hazleton Area by scores of 12-5 and 12-0 in Wyoming Valley Conference action. ... Williamsport has just eight homers this season.
What's next: The winner advances to the first round of the state playoffs June 5 to face the fourth-place finisher, yet to be determined, from District 1.
CLASS 5A DISTRICT 2-4 SUBREGIONAL
2-Abington Heights (16-6) vs. 1-Pittston Area (16-2)
When: Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Wilkes University
How they got here: Abington Heights beat West Scranton in the semifinals, 7-1. Pittston Area dominated Shikellamy, 14-5.
Players to watch:
Abington Heights: Lauren Stalica, .429, 24 H, 31 RBIs, 7 HR, 11-5. 4.41, 11-5, 4.41 ERA, 126 K; Isabella Wilmont .409, 18 H, 13 RBIs; Riley Knott, .403, 25 H, 23 RBIs, 7 XBH; Marley Sarafinko, .355, 22 H, 12 RBIs, 6 2B; Bryn Stiles, .350, 21 H, 17 RBIs, 10 2B.
Pittston Area: Kallie Booth, .500, 29 H, 26 R, 15 RBIs, 8 2B; Ava Callahan, .474, 27 H, 18 RBIs, 7 2B; Gianna Adams, .407, 22 H, 23 RBIs, 5 HRs, 15-3 record, 1.14 ERA, 223 K in 111 innings; Bella Giardina, .393, 22 H, 21 RBIs, 11 2B
The buzz: Ace Gianna Adams and the rest of the Lady Patriots will be looking to add a second straight PIAA title to their résumé, but a familiar postseason rival stands in their way. Pittston Area has played Abington Heights five times in the last six seasons, winning the last three, including District 2 titles in 2018-19. The Lady Comets won the two previous meetings. Pittston Area won last year's semifinal matchup, 5-3. ... Adams averages two strikeouts per inning and has eight shutouts. Stalica has been solid of late, posting a 1.24 ERA over her last three starts. ... Common opponent: Valley View. Abington Heights split with the Cougars, while Pittston Area dropped a 4-1 decision.
What's next: The winner moves on to the first round of the state tournament June 5, facing the District 12 runner-up, to be determined Thursday.
CLASS 4A
2-Valley View (21-1) vs. 1-Tunkhannock Area (20-1)
When: Wednesday, 2:30 p.m.
Where: Wilkes University
How they got here: Valley View nipped North Pocono, 6-5. Tunkhannock got past Berwick, 10-4, in the semifinals.
Players to watch:
Valley View: Riley Cunningham, .534, 31 H, 29 RBIs, 7 2B, 7 HR; Natalie Borosky, .522, 36 H, 38 RBIs, 7 2B, 6 HR; Ally Stafursky, .500, 27H, 12 XBH; Taylor Cawley, .441, 30 H, 21 RBIs, 5 HR, 12-0 record, 1.22 ERA; Kalli Karwoski, .431, 31 H, 22 RBIs, 11 2B, 17 SB; Morgan McVicar, .415, 27 H, 25 RBIs, 11 XBH
Tunkhannock Area: Ella McNeff, .618, 42 H, 37 R, 26 RBIs; Paige Maribell, .547, 29 H, 40 RBIs, 9 HR; Erin Van Ness, .580, 33 H, 22 RBIs; Sydney Huff, .482, 27 H, 25 RBIs; Kaya Hannon, .432, 11 XBH, 18-1 record, 1.09 ERA, 152 K; McKenzie Hannon, .414, 26 RBIs
The buzz: Tunkhannock is on the prowl for its third straight berth in the PIAA championship game, losing to Clearfield, 3-2, last season, and Beaver, 5-4, in 2021. ... Valley View is looking to avenge last year's 8-2 loss to the Lady Tigers in the district final, a game Cawley and Cunningham missed with knee injuries. ... Both teams can hit the long ball and both have 50-plus doubles on the season. ... Tunkhannock has outscored opponents by an average of 9.6 runs per game. ... Rallies carried both to the title game. Tunkhannock found itself trailing Berwick, 4-2, before a pair of three-run innings sealed its win. Valley View needed three in the bottom of the sixth to edge North Pocono.
What's next: The loser of the District 11 final, Blue Mountain or Northwestern, squares off with the District 2 champ in the first round of the PIAA playoffs June 5.
CLASS 3A
3-Holy Redeemer (15-7) vs. 1-Mid Valley (18-2)
When: Wednesday, 2 p.m.
Where: Marywood University
How they got here: Holy Redeemer knocked off Lake-Lehman, 6-5, in eight innings. Mid Valley also needed an extra inning to edge Riverside, 2-1, in its semifinal.
Players to watch:
Holy Redeemer: Abby Williams, .500, 35 H, 26 RBIs, 9 2B; Bella Boylan, .414, 24 H, 19 RBIs; Payton Parker, .403, 25 H, 18 RBIs, 5 2B; Kendra Santuk, .392, 29 H, 28 R, 24 RBIs, 8 2B, 4 HR; Anne Carter, .375, 21 H, 19 RBIs, 8-7 record, 1.84 ERA
Mid Valley: Maranda Runco, .646, 32 H, 46 RBI, 15 HR, 18-2 record, 0.54 ERA with 14 shutouts, 185 K; Katrina Davis, .493, 33 H, 35 R, 22 RBIs; Courtney Rebar, .456, 26 H, 28 R, 24 RBIs; Chiara Zavislak, .421, 29 H, 18 RBIs, 11 XBH; Madison Kizer, .385, 25 H, 27 RBIs, 14 XBH, 9 2B
The buzz: If these two teams facing each other in the postseason sounds familiar, it is. They've squared off six of the last seven district tournaments, but Holy Redeemer's last win was in the 2018 semifinals, also the last season Mid Valley didn't end the year hoisting the winner's plaque. ... Intentional walks, and pitching Riverside's Lexi Kostoff, have been the only way to slow Runco, who was 2 for 8 off Kostoff, but 29 for 40 (.725) against everyone else. ... Kizer (game-winning hit vs. Riverside), Rebar, Zavislak and Davis make it tough to pitch around Runco. ... Underclassmen Williams and Boylan have had superb seasons, and the Royals come in full of confidence. It's the only final that doesn't have the top two seeds meeting.
What's next: The winner will face the loser of the District 4 championship game, either North Penn-Liberty or Warrior Run, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs June 5.
CLASS 2A
2-Holy Cross (14-8) vs. 1-Elk Lake (18-2)
When: Tuesday, 4:30 p.m.
Where: University of Scranton's Magis Field
How they got here: Holy Cross outslugged Lakeland, 11-8, in its semifinal. Elk Lake slipped past Dunmore, 6-4.
Players to watch:
Elk Lake: Leah Traver, .531, 34 H, 37 R, 33 RBIs, 18 XBH, 7 HR; Layla Weaver, .522, 35 H, 29 RBIs, 15 XBH; Hannah Howell, .519; 27 H, 26 R; Mati Lord, .507, 34 H, 31 RBIs, 11 2B; Amanda Voll, .492, 30 H, 26 RBIs, 18-2 record, 2.03 ERA. 134 K
Holy Cross: Mia Galella, .490, 24 H, 29 RBIs, 8 HR, 5 2B, 29 R; Allison Ross, .486, 16 H, 13 R; Katie Wywoda, .385, 25 H, 28 R, 16 RBIs; Ava Schmidt, .379, 25 H, 20 RBIs; Mia Scalese, .302, 19 H, 25 RBIs, 11-6 record, 141 K
The buzz: Never mind the records. Expect a fight to the finish, just like the last two seasons, when Elk Lake won, 2-1, in 2021, then had to survive a four-run seventh to eke out a 13-12 win last season. ... Holy Cross is no stranger to the postseason, losing the last two but winning three in a row from 2017-19. ... The Lady Crusaders have a 6-2 record away from home, but could be without second baseman Alison Ross (.486), who is still nursing a late-season ankle injury. ... Traver leads Elk Lake in runs, RBIs and slugging. ... Galella gets enormous respect, walked 36 times in 81 plate appearances.
What's next: The winner meets the District 11 champion, Northern Lehigh or Minersville, in the first round of the PIAA playoffs June 5.
CLASS 1A DISTRICT 2-3 SUBREGIONAL
2-1 Old Forge (16-5) vs. 3-1 Halifax (6-15)
When: Wednesday, time and location TBA
Players to watch:
Halifax: Brianna Frederick, .500, 13 H, 7 RBIs; Chloe Mace, .490, 24 H, 20 RBIs, 8 2B; Paige Miller, .456, 20 H, 21 R; Madison Roland, .429, 15 H, 11 RBI; Brooke Barcavage, .377 14 RBIs, 9 XBH
Old Forge: Talia Piragas, .459, 34 H, 19 RBIs, 3 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR; Ava Arnold, .357, 15 H, 14 R; Mazzie Musgrave, .300, 18 H, 18 RBIs; Meaghan Marianelli, .323, 21 H, 15 RBIs, 3 HR; Juliette DeStefano, .346, 9 H, 4 2B; Karen Sickle, 16-5 record, 2.33 ERA, 252 K in 135 innings
The buzz: Who has the hottest stick in the Old Forge lineup? How about Sickle, who is 4 for her last 5 after batting just twice previously. She also averages 13.1 strikeouts per seven innings. ... Marianellli had a three-hit game and drove in two in the 3-1 win over Forest City, raising her average 40 points. .. Halifax pitcher Mace has surrendered 143 hits in 49.2 innings. ... Of its six wins, three came against Greenwood, two versus St. Joseph's Catholic Academy. ... The Wildcats have hit just two home runs. ... Old Forge has won the last four District 2 titles. It's last loss in the postseason in D-2 came against Holy Cross, 5-3, in 2018, in the Class 2A final.
What's next: The winner moves on to play the District 4 champion, Bucktail or Canton, on June 5 in the first round of the PIAA playoffs.
— MARTY MYERS
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