Canon-McMillan softball outlasts Upper St. Clair in 10 innings

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, April 26, 2018 | 11:18 PM

One team has been a traditional power in the WPIAL’s highest classification and is trying to win a seventh straight section crown.

The other is a program trying to turn things around and make the playoffs for the first time in nearly two decades.

For nine innings Thursday, these teams were dead even.

A day after beating Upper St. Clair, 12-2, in five innings, Canon-McMillan needed 10 innings to beat the Panthers, 11-6.

The Big Macs looked to be in good shape early as they built a 3-1 lead. Lindsay Schmidt singled home Grace Higgins in the first. Higgins then singled home Kenzie Hollie and scored on a sac fly by Katelyn Greaves in the second.

In their half of the second, Kelly Dawson’s sac fly scored Bess Gillece to get the Panthers on the board.

Canon-McMillan’s Sydney Senay was hit by a pitch with one out in the third. Her courtesy runner, Hailey Freeman, stole second and scored on a two-out single by Kylah Kubiczki.

But Upper St. Clair greeted Canon-McMillan freshman Lauren Duke, in relief of Elika Mowry, with three runs in its half of the third. Kari Albertini led off with a triple and scored on a sac fly by Zoe Malone. With two outs, Alex Wunderlich singled and Grace Swigart doubled her to third. Both scored on a single by Gillece that tied the game 4-4.

The Big Macs’ Duke and USC starting pitcher Danielle Orendi settled in and kept the game even until the eighth inning.

After Senay singled and Kubiczki doubled with two outs, Higgins reached on an error that gave Canon-McMillan a 5-4 lead.

Upper St. Clair missed a golden opportunity to win it in the bottom of the eighth when Gillece and Maddie Swigart singled to chase Duke as the Big Macs brought in Abi Michelucci. A wild pitch moved both runners up, and pinch runner Sophia Prees scored the tying run on a ground ball to third baseman Erica Haught when her throw home arrived late. But Haught redeemed herself. With runners at first and third, Haley Beardsley lined out to Haught, who tagged out Swigart for an unassisted double play.

The Big Macs blew it open with six runs in the top of the 10th on RBI singles by Haught and Olivia Ulam and two-run singles by Greaves and Carrera Sutherland. The Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the inning to make the final 11-6.

“This is a tough loss because we had chances,” Upper St. Clair coach Bill Aguglia said. “We made a lot of mistakes and yet still had a chance to beat a great team like Canon-McMillan. But I’m so proud of this team to rebound after losing big yesterday.”

Canon-McMillan (6-2) is tied for first place in Section 1-6A with Baldwin (5-1). Upper St. Clair (3-5) is trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999 as it fell a game and a half out of fourth place.

Don Rebel is a TribLive High School Sports Network broadcaster and staff writer. Reach him at drebel@tribweb.com.

Tags: Canon-McMillan, Upper St. Clair