Kiski Area softball looks to build on playoff appearance

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, March 16, 2018 | 5:27 PM

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After several years away from the WPIAL softball postseason, Kiski Area qualified for the playoffs last season with a 10-4 record and a third-place tie with Plum in Section 1-5A.

The season didn't end as the Cavaliers would have liked — a 10-3 loss to North Allegheny in the playoffs — but coach Maggie Jones thinks last year could be a building block for future success.

It was the team's first playoff appearance since 2010.

“In our fifth- and sixth-grade building and in our seventh- and eighth-grade building, there's an excitement for softball right now,” Jones said. “That is so huge in helping us succeed in the years to come with a long-lasting program.”

But for this year, Kiski Area looks to again be in playoff contention.

“We have a lot of good, offensive weapons,” Jones said. “So many girls can hit the ball so hard. I was talking with my coaches, we don't know a batting order yet because we have so many girls who can hit in the 3, 4 and 5 spots. We feel we can hopefully put the ball in play a lot with some solid pitching and reliable defense.”

This will be a busy spring for Jones as she tries to keep her team in the playoff mix, and she will be inducted into the Armstrong County Sports Hall of Fame on April 29 for her outstanding career at Leechburg, where she was a factor on four of the 31 consecutive WPIAL playoff teams and as a four-year letterwinner at Seton Hill.

“I was fortunate to grow up in a community where you learn the fundamentals of softball very young,” Jones said. “When you have success at the varsity level, the girls in the younger grades want to play for that team. That's huge.”

The Cavaliers return offensive standout Courtney Moyer, who was all-section as a freshman last season when she batted .567 with 16 RBIs.

Kiski Area lost three starters to graduation, but three more senior starters will be ready to take the mantle of leadership.

One is pitcher Erin Weaver, who struck out 36 last season.

“We want to go back to the players and get a higher seed this time,” Weaver said. “When we beat Penn-Trafford, 7-2, last season, it was the sweetest win.”

Outfielder Kelsey Sofaly had a taste of the playoffs in 2017 after seeing the team struggle for several seasons.

“We want to go farther in the playoffs than one game,” said Sofaly, who will be headed to Duquesne in the fall to study pharmacy. “I've been playing softball since sixth grade.”

Jesse Simiendinger is ready to make the switch from outfield to the infield.

“The transition is going OK,” Simiendinger said. “I prefer outfield, but I'll do whatever I'm needed to do so we can make the playoffs.”

Junior Alexa Nagy had a breakout season last year with a .481 batting average, a slugging percentage of .645 and 19 RBIs.

Pitcher Megan Andree had 59 strikeouts to go with a 1.59 ERA. The Cavaliers also have a promising freshman catcher in Alayna Mintz.

George Guido is a freelance writer.

Tags: Kiski School