Blackhawk falls in second consecutive WPIAL softball championship game
· Yahoo Sports
CALIFORNIA — For the second consecutive season, Blackhawk found itself in a familiar position in the WPIAL Class 4A high school softball championship, holding a three-run lead.
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However, for the second-straight year, No. 3 Blackhawk found itself on the losing end in the title game after a pair of fifth-inning errors helped Elizabeth Forward to a 5-3 win on Thursday, May 29.
“It is hard to win in this sport and when you get a special group like this and run them the way that we have the past two years, it is emotional because you would like to get a championship when you have the chance,” Blackhawk head coach Jim Riggio said. “We just couldn’t finish again today and hats off to Elizabeth Forward, they played a great game.”
After giving up a pair of runs off a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth, in the fifth, Blackhawk (12-5) aimed to put together a scoreless frame to regain control. However, a pair of tough errors proved to be the difference in the game.
To begin the frame, Elizabeth Forward (20-2) designated player Claire Ballint reached base on an error by the Blackhawk center fielder, who lost the ball in the sun.
Two batters later with a runner on second and two out, Blackhawk committed its second error of the inning, allowing Julia Resnik to reach base, which brought home the run.
Following a single by Addy Nigut, center fielder Hannah Evans delivered for Elizabeth Forward, driving in a pair on a triple to right field.
“We talk all the time that the team that does the most little things right will win the game,” Riggio said. “It is not the adversity that kills you, it is how you respond to it and we just didn’t make the plays we needed to make. We have been defensively solid all year. It just didn’t go our way today.”
While Blackhawk could not avenge its championship loss from last season, it still had Elizabeth Forward on the ropes, scoring three runs across the third and fourth innings respectively.
Shortstop Brynn Hysong got the scoring started for the Cougars, driving in third baseman Chloe Franitti on a sacrifice fly to left field. Addy Ramer also helped the cause, driving in a run on an RBI double to center field. Eva Parris drove in the final run of the game for Blackhawk on a single to the Elizabeth Forward third baseman.
“In these types of games, you have to score early and hope to hold on,” Riggio said. “I don’t think there is a better order 1-9 than us, but today, some of those hits didn’t fall.”
Blackhawk will now enter the PIAA Class 4A playoffs as the No. 2 seed from the WPIAL. It will face the top-seeded team out of District V or District IX at a site and time to be determined on Monday, June 1.
Ethan Morrison is the sports reporter for the Beaver County Times. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him at EthanMorrison26 on X.
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Blackhawk falls to Elizabeth Forward in WPIAL 4A softball championship