H.S. Softball: Pittston Area’s long journey leads to Class 5A state title game

HUGHESTOWN — Pittston Area’s road to the PIAA Class 5A state softball championship game today started at the end of the 2023 season.

That final game — a 2-1 loss to Abington Heights in the District 2 title contest — didn’t sit well with the returning players. Not only did it cost the Patriots a district title, it cost them a chance to repeat as state champions.

“We had a good team last year,” said sophomore center fielder Lili Hintze, one of six players back who started in last year’s district championship game. “Losing that game was really heartbreaking so this year meant a lot, especially since it’s our seniors last year.”

District 2 champion Pittston Area (21-1) will return to Penn State’s Beard Field today, playing District 7 runner-up Thomas Jefferson (15-8) for the PIAA Class 5A state title. First pitch will be just after 4 p.m.

“Last year it was devastating losing that district game,” senior third baseman Tori Stephenson said. “We knew we had to be better this year so we worked out all winter working for this.”

The road to Penn State has been rather smooth, although there was a few speed bumps along the way. The most pronounced came May 16 when Pittston Area lost 2-1 to North Pocono in its regular-season finale. The Patriots had surrendered two runs in their nine previous games thanks in big part to pitching standout Gianna Adams.

“My parents think that was the best thing to happen for us,” Stephenson said. “Humbled us a little bit.”

Pittston Area coach Frank Parente pointed to a few games early in the season that tested his team’s mettle, albeit not like the North Pocono loss.

The first might seem strange — a 14-1 win over Wyoming Valley West in the fifth game of the season. Adams streak of four consecutive no-hitters came to an end in that game.

“Gianna gave up a hit, the looks on their faces were like the world was going to end,” Parente said. “It happened, we’re up 13-0 and Gianna gave up that first hit to Valley West. They had looked on their faces like ‘Now what?’.”

The game against South Williamsport, which will play for the Class 2A state championship Friday morning, was another. The 4-3 victory came two games after Valley West.

“We spent a while taking to them in the dugout the day before South Williamsport,” Parente said. “I said ‘Listen, you’ve got to fight back.’ I knew we had a chance because we have Gianna, but were these inexperienced girls going to be large enough that the can win consistently.”

Pittston Area certainly can’t view Jefferson’s record and think another state title is coming back to Yatesville. The Jaguars have won eight of their last 10, with one loss a 2-1 setback to Elizabeth Forward. Forward is playing for the Class 4A state championship on Friday.

Plus, Jefferson has some quality hitters led by in middle lineup duo of Drexel recruit Zoe Krizan and Morgan Alisesky. Both are hitting well north of .500. The Jaguars have also found ways to win close games recently. They rallied from an early 6-0 deficit to defeat Central Mountain 9-8 in the state semifinals.

Pittston Area advanced with a 2-0 win over previously unbeaten South Western where Adams threw a no-hitter.

“The best thing was it just wasn’t Gianna’s show (Monday),” Parente said. “So many times she just takes us on her back and we go along for the ride, but she needed help from her teammates.”

Parente cited freshman second baseman Julia Long making several defensive plays and scoring Pittston Area’s only runs. He mentioned freshman right fielder Gabby Roman making an over-the-shoulder catch on the run in the fifth to preserve the two-run advantage. He felt Hintze set the tone by starting the game with a single and dropping down a bunt that led to a second run.