Shenango softball holds on for win over Burgettstown
May 15—MARS — The Shenango High softball team had just enough offense to pull out a win Tuesday afternoon.
The seventh-seeded Lady Wildcats scratched out a crucial insurance run in the bottom of the sixth and hung on for a 5-4 WPIAL Class 2A first-round win over 10th-seeded Burgettstown at Mars High.
"We knew it was a close game," Shenango coach Amy Delaney said. "At that point we were looking to get one run. We knew it was getting late in the game.
"I couldn't be happier for them. They worked so hard. They show up day in and day out."
Shenango (11-7) advances to play second-seeded Bentworth (15-2) on Thursday at a time and site to be determined. The Lady Bearcats recorded 11 shutouts this season, including eight in a row at one point.
"Bentworth has a very good pitcher; one of the top pitchers in the WPIAL," Delaney said. "We'll be battle tested with the pitching we see routinely in our section from Neshannock and Laurel. That experience will put us in a good position."
The Lady Wildcats recorded 11 hits, led by Zoe Offie with three.
Emma Herb and Brianna Aluisia added two each.
"I thought the offense was swinging a nice bat," Delaney said. "We put up a lot of hits.
"Kennedi (Lynn) had a great bunt. They misplayed it. Nobody covered first and that put runners at first and second. Bri (Aluisia) got a key hit. We tried to play the percentages and get a runner in scoring position and let someone drive them in."
Kennedi Lynn went the distance to pick up the win. Lynn allowed three hits and one earned run with two walks and eight strikeouts.
"Kennedi pitched a good game today. She's a workhorse," Delaney said. "She's very reliable in the circle. We know we can count on her."
Lynn threw 128 pitches, 88 of which went for strikeouts.
"This was a higher pitch count for her," Delaney said of Lynn. "They had one inning where they batted around a little bit. We mixed up pitches to keep their hitters off balance."
Burgettstown loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. The Lady Blue Devils scored a run on a one-out groundout to cut the deficit to 5-4.
Lynn got the final out on a swinging strikeout on a full count with runners at second and third.
Shenango scored three runs in the first, one in the fifth and one more in the sixth.
Burgettstown tallied two markers in the third, one in the fourth and one in the seventh.