Wissahickon Softball Exits Tournament with 7-0 Upset

Though exit from the PIAA District One Class AAAA softball tournament was absent the controversy from a year ago, the result couldn't have felt any better.

With the rain staying away for the afternoon, 20th-seeded West Chester East recorded a 7-0 upset win over the Lady Trojans, who entered the district playoffs as the No. 13 seed.

A year ago, Wissahickon lost to Downingtown East in a game that began in poor weather conditions. The Trojans tied the game at 3 in the top of the sixth, but the game was suspended due to rain, and the incomplete game was later ruled official and the score reverted back to the end of the fifth inning. The Trojans lost 3-2.

"I wish the result was different [on Monday], but at least they get the game in," Hartman told The Montgomery News. "That's kind of a sore spot for me, last year. But [West Chester East] was the better team. There's nothing else you can say. They hit the ball better than we did and if you don't hit the ball you're not going to win."

Trojans ace Katie Ziegler took the loss. After a scoreless first inning, the lefty allowed two runs in the second on RBI doubles by Sarah McDade and Taylor Judge. She gave up another run in the third on a RBI single by opposing pitcher Brianna Andraos.

WC East moves on to play with fourth-seeded Neshaminy on Wednesday.

Wissahickon (13-5) didn't have a base runner until the third, Marina Mellor reached first on an error. The Trojans first hit -- one of two allowed by Andraos -- came in the fourth.

Andraos, a sophomore, struck out eight with no walks and didn't allow a runner to reach third. Gretchen Guaglianone and Alex Comonnitski accounted for Wissahickon's offense.

"In a playoff game you've got to hit the ball better than we did," Hartman said. "They were really tentative the first couple innings and we got down a couple runs. [East] hit two big doubles on us. Then we started chasing some pitches there in that third, fourth and fifth inning. If you don't hit the ball, you're not going to win many games."

Andraos hurt Wissahickon at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI against Ziegler, who surrendered seven runs -- five earned -- on six hits, five walks and one error. She struck out five.

Andraos may have provided a scouting report on the Trojans ace, who she had faced in travel ball. Andraos plays for the East Norriton Heartbreakers, while Ziegler pitches for the East Norriton Avalanche.

"We kind of knew Ziggy," Andraos told the paper. "It felt like she liked to work it up and out and so we knew that from the beginning and we jumped on the first pitch. I was swinging at the first pitch almost every bat and I just tried to take it to right field."

Though Wissahickon loses seniors Hope Daniel and Karen Laksh, they return a core that starts with Ziegler, Guaglianone, Alex Comonnitski, Rebecca Marinucci, Rachel Philbin and Meghan Plunkett.

"We're still young," Hartman said. "We'll be back again next year, hopefully, and continue to work hard with it."