Valley View’s Ally Stafursky (9) crosses the plate on a wild pitch fromPittstion Area pitcher Gianna Adams (16) as catcher Ava Callahan throws to third to stop the Cougars from advancing Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Cougars win battle of state title contenders
Pittston Area’s Gianna Adams went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Patriots in a 4-1 loss to Valley View on Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area shortstop Sam Herbert (2) fields a grounder as Valley View’s Natalie Boroski (8) attempts to get to third base.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
After juggling a long fly to the fence, Pittston Area center fielder Kallie Booth was able to make the catch for an out .
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Sam Herbert lays down a bunt to advance teammates Ava Callahan and Bella Giardina in the fourth inning Saturday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
HUGHESTOWN — Seeing value was certainly difficult immediately.
After all, Pittston Area softball isn’t used to losing. The defending PIAA Class 5A champion has been on the wrong end of a final score just once in the past two seasons.
So while Saturday afternoon’s 4-1 setback to Valley View — a team with state championship aspirations as well — hurt, it might have also helped.
“There is victory in defeat sometimes,” Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said. “Hopefully, the girls will remember this taste because it doesn’t taste good. I told them this tastes bad, and it will taste a lot worse down the road if it happens again.
“And I give (Valley View) a lot of credit. Really good offense one to nine.”
Saturday’s outcome had more impact for Valley View (16-1). The Cougars trailed Tunkhannock (15-1) by .023 in the District 2 Class 4A power rankings for the top seed entering Saturday’s games. Pittston Area (13-2) remained atop the D2-5A standings and will stay there once the regular season ends May 20 barring a series of far-fetched outcomes.
The Patriots’ downfall was twofold. First, they had a catastrophic fourth inning where Valley View scored all its runs. Secondly, the offense except for the top-three hitters didn’t produce as Valley View’s Taylor Cawley struck out 14.
Pittston Area would have escaped the fourth unscathed, but a misplayed flyball opened the door for the Cougars to score four times with two outs. Ally Stafursky started the damage by lining a two-run triple to deep center. She scored on a wild pitch on a ball-four to Kali Karwowski. Mogan McVicar, who had three of her team’s six hits, then launched a triple into the left-center gap to make it 4-0.
Pittston Area scored its only run in the bottom of the fourth. Gianna Adams and Ava Callahan led off with singles. Natalya Soto, who ran for Adams, and Callahan moved up a base on a wild pitch. Soto scored on an error on a grounder by Bella Giardina.
Cawley got out of the jam and finished off Pittston Area by retiring 12 of the next 13 batters, including eight via strikeouts. Kallie Booth’s two-out infield single in the fifth was the Patriots’ only baserunner after the fourth.
“Taylor pitched great,” said Valley View coach EJ Weston, who coached the Cougars to a state title in 2013. “She had them off-balance most of the game. Their top of the lineup is tough, but Taylor pitched a great game and I couldn’t ask anything more from her.”
Valley View made a little bit of noise over the final three innings, but a pair of line drive double plays quelled the possible threats.
PLAYOFF UPDATE
If Pittston Area and Tunkhannock finish tied atop Division 1, the teams will play for the title at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 21. Lake-Lehman and Wilkes University are possible sites.
Valley View 4, Pittston Area 1
Valley View`AB`R`H`BI
Karwowski 2b`2`1`0`0
McVicar ss`4`0`3`1
Borosky 2b`4`0`0`0
Cawley p`3`0`0`0
Call 1b`3`0`0`0
Cunningham cf`3`1`1`0
T.Stafursky lf`3`0`0`0
Krupovich rf`2`1`0`0
A.Stafursky c`3`1`2`2
Totals`27`4`6`3
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Booth cf`3`0`1`0
Adams p`3`0`2`0
Soto cr`0`1`0`0
Callahan c`3`0`1`0
Giardina 2b`3`0`0`0
Herbert ss`2`0`0`0
Gorzkowski 1b`3`0`0`0
Antal lf`3`0`0`0
M.Antal 3b`2`0`0`0
J.Antal ph`1`0`0`0
C.Hintze dp`2`0`0`0
L.Hintze rf`0`0`0`0
Totals`25`1`4`0
Valley View`000`400`0 — 4
Pittston Area`000`100`0 — 1
2B — McVicar. 3B — McVicar, A.Stafursky
Valley View`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Cawley (W)`7`4`1`0`0`14
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Adams (L)`7`6`4`0`3`7
