Lady Trojans Softball Plans a Comeback This Season

With each forceful delivery from her powerful left arm, complete with clenched lips and a blonde ponytail that flops uncontrollably, Katie Ziegler wants to forget how last season ended.

She'd rather not remember when, in the Lady Trojans' first playoff game in five years last May, she scored the tying run in the top of the sixth inning, then watched as a downpour ended the day.

When bad weather the following day meant the game wouldn't resume, the score reverted to that of the end of previous inning, allowing opponent Downingtown East to advance in the District 1 tournament.

"We lost last year, and it was kind of a hoax," Ziegler said. "We were tied when we stopped playing, and we had momentum. Everyone wanted to finish. We're going to come back hard this year, so watch out."

Ziegler and her teammates have done plenty of finishing this season already by winning their first three games behind Ziegler's arm. They won the first two games by a combined score of 21-0, with their junior star pitcher allowing two hits total.

She no-hit Abington in the March 25 season-opener, an 11-0 road win, then followed up with a 10-0 victory over Central Bucks West at home. Both games were won by mercy rule, with Ziegler recording 14 strikeouts in 11 innings. They played a full seven innings March 30 at Quakertown and came out with a 4-2 win.

"It all starts with pitching, and Katie does a real nice job," Wissahickon head coach Jerry Hartman said. "She throws hard, moves the ball up and down, and has a nice change-up. She's starting off the season strong."

The Trojans rapped out 16 hits in five innings against Abington, with Karen Laksh smacking a three-run double in the first, and Gretchen Guaglianone adding a two-run triple in the third. Wissahickon scored five runs in each of those frames.

A similar scenario took place against CB West, as Wissahickon plated seven runs in the first inning, then evoked the mercy rule with a three-run sixth.

Rebecca Marinucci, Guaglianone and Ziegler each hit a triple, while Rachel Philbin added a double. Meghan Plunkett also had two hits.

Cassie Zanolini is responsible for the only two hits allowed the season by Ziegler, who threw a five- and seven-inning perfect games in last year.

"It's a great way to start the season, but we have a lot of work ahead of us," Hartman said. "There are a lot of great teams around, and we have to be ready for them."

Other teams must be ready for Wissahickon, too, as optimism has spilled over for a team heading the right direction. The Trojans had a one-win season when Ziegler was in eighth grade, then won seven and 10, respectively, during her freshman and sophomore seasons.

They finished second in the Suburban One League American Conference, and know they're better. The nucleus has returned, including Ziegler and Laksh, a senior. Gretchen Guaglianone, a first team All-League outfielder last season, and Marinucci, who batted .440 as a sophomore, return as more experienced juniors.

"We're really excited this year," Ziegler said. "We came in second in the league last year, so hopefully we can win boost up, come in first and win our first playoff game. We're ready."