Playoff party
LH softball clinches postseason berth for first time since 2013
Pat Livingston didn’t want to know the score of the Belle Vernon-Elizabeth Forward game, as he guided Laurel Highlands to a 6-0 victory over West Mifflin in Section 2-4A action on Monday at West Mifflin’s softball field.
The Mustangs knew the scenarios for qualifying for the WPIAL playoffs for the first time since 2013: Livingston’s squad needed one more win in their three remaining games in the regular season to clinch, or Laurel Highlands could also qualify for the district postseason if the Warriors took down the Leopards.
As the Mustangs were in the midst of defeating the Titans, the word in the stands was that Elizabeth Forward had defeated Belle Vernon, 13-5, to help Laurel Highlands clinch.
“We told the parents not to let us know what was going on in the Belle Vernon-Elizabeth Forward game,” Livingston said. “We weren’t checking our phones. We wanted to do this on our own.”
The Mustangs (6-4, 6-4) scored two runs in the third inning, and that was more than enough offense for Payton Senge, who threw a four-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and three walks over seven innings.
Senge helped her own cause with two 2-run home runs, four RBIs and one walk. Senge hit her round trippers in the third and seventh innings.
“Payton Senge did it on both sides tonight,” Livingston said. “She did what she has been doing all season long on the mound and hit two bombs tonight. For a sophomore to do that on the big stage like that when we really needed her was awesome.”
Harlie Dirda had two doubles and drove in one run while scoring twice. Teammate Kayla Howell hit a run-scoring double in a four-run seventh. Dirda followed Howell’s double with one of her own to score Laurel Highlands’ fourth run before touching home plate on Senge’s blast to left field.
“Harlie and Kayla came up big tonight,” Livingston said.
Emme Cavaliere and Lyla McClellan had two singles apiece for the Mustangs.
Aubrey Jaskulski had two doubles for West Mifflin (7-3, 11-3). Teammate Brianna Wills added two singles.
Following today’s showdown with cross-town rival Uniontown, who also clinched a playoff spot on Monday, Laurel Highlands will host the Titans on Friday at 4 p.m. to close out section play. The Mustangs could climb as high as second place in the section if they win out.
“It is going to be a big game on Wednesday for a number of reasons,” Livingston said. “It is the cross-town rivalry game with Uniontown, but at our house this time. It would be nice to pull that win off, then roll into Friday and get West Mifflin at our house again to close out section play. To win both of those games would be awesome.”
Livingston believes his team received a wakeup call on April 10 when Laurel Highlands was upset, 14-4, in five innings, by Oakland Catholic.
“Payton Senge had pitched three days in a row during that week and was feeling sore on Friday, so we were hoping we could get through it without her, and obviously, it went south,” Livingston said. “However, it was an off-night for us. We didn’t hit and just had a bad game, but I truly believe where we are at now is because of that game. The girls took that loss personally, and after we lost 1-0 to Elizabeth Forward, we beat Belle Vernon, 11-1, before tonight’s big win. It was a good time for us to have a wakeup call.”