WEXFORD — Despite a deadlocked tie and pitchers’ duel throughout No. 5 McGuffey and No. 4 Ellwood City’s WPIAL Class 3A high school softball quarterfinal matchup at North Allegheny Senior High School, the Wolverines used a three-run sixth inning to get past McGuffey 3-0 and advance to the semifinals on Monday, May 18.
“It is the quarterfinals and when you get down to those final eight teams, it is going to be a battle,” Ellwood City head coach Gary Rozanski said. “Between both pitchers, we knew that whoever scored first would likely win the game.”
That moment for Ellwood City (10-5) came with one out in the sixth inning, breaking through against McGuffey (10-7) pitcher Miley Main.
Throughout the contest, the Wolverines worked into deep counts and that continued in the sixth, with Amber McQuistion working the count full and getting on base with a leadoff walk.
Two batters later, third baseman Kaylee Palombi roped a ball right through the shortstop’s legs and into the gap to score McQuistion from second for the game’s first run.
“I was just so happy to come up there with that hit,” Palombi said. “I have been struggling a little bit the past two games, so I was just excited that I was able to come up in that moment and cash in.”
This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Ellwood City shuts down McGuffey in WPIAL 3A softball quarterfinals