The Shaler softball team defended Palmer Hilltop Field on Wednesday, topping Fox Chapel to sweep their Section 1-5A series.
But the victory was a lot closer than the first meeting, a seven-run result March 24 at Fox Chapel.
An old-fashioned pitchers’ duel between Shaler senior and Indiana Hoosiers commit Bria Bosiljevac and Fox Chapel freshman standout Lexi Stabile had the game scoreless into the sixth.
That is when the Titans scratched across a run in the bottom half of the inning and held the Foxes off the board in the top of the seventh for a 1-0 victory.
“We knew it would be a close, low-scoring game. (Stabile) is a really good pitcher, and Fox Chapel has a really nice team,” veteran Shaler coach Tom Sorce said. “(Foxes coach Larry Troutman) is changing the culture over there.”
Shaler, the top team in this week’s WPIAL Class 5A rankings, strengthened its lead in the section, improving to 7-0 and upping its overall record to 9-1.
“There is no doubt we could see them again in the playoffs,” Sorce said. “We have a nice lead in the section.”
Fox Chapel, which had won five in a row since the previous game with Shaler, dipped to 7-2 overall, 4-2 in the section. The Foxes hope to rebound Friday at home against Plum (6-2, 4-2).
“I told the girls that we might play them three times this year,” Troutman said. “We’ve already played them twice. The next time we would see them would be in the playoffs. The third time is all that matters. I have confidence that the girls will be ready if we face them again.
“We knew it was going to be a one-run game. We felt if we kept it 0-0, we would have a chance to win it. But we’re real proud of where we are. We took the defending WPIAL champs into the seventh inning in a one-run game. We feel pretty good about it. We just have to build off it and keep going.”
Shaler used small ball to score the game’s lone run.
Shortstop Jayla Antomachi lead off the bottom of the sixth with a walk off Stabile. Left fielder Addison Aleski and catcher Alyssa Schaffold then laid down successful bunts for singles to load the bases.
Fox Chapel got the first out as Stabile induced Bosiljevac to ground to third for a force at home.
But Olivia Geraltowski was patient and worked her third walk in as many plate appearances to bring in Aleski for the 1-0 lead.
“I definitely was nervous. The pressure was on,” Geraltowski said. “I had to focus and see the ball and not swing at anything. I concentrated, and it was essential for us to get that run in. I definitely took a deep breath after that.”
Said Sorce: “I bunted my three and four hitters to set it up, and they were kind of surprised at that. All I wanted to do was get one on the board and let whatever happens happen.”
What happened was a dramatic top of the seventh as Bosiljevac struck out three and left the leadoff runner stranded at first.
“In those types of situations, she’s a bulldog,” Sorce said. “That is the difference between her and a lot of other players. She just put it in another gear and stayed on top of it.”
Bosiljevac , who had a perfect game broken up with two outs in the seventh of the first meeting with Fox Chapel, again allowed just one hit — an infield hit from Foxes center fielder Heidi Stiger with two outs in the third.
She struck out 14 to give her 32 in two games with Fox Chapel. She also walked two.
“I’ve known Bria since she was nine, and she’s probably the best pitcher in the state,” Troutman said.
“I told the girls that all we needed to do was get the bat on the ball. We didn’t do that the first time we faced her. We wanted to have them make (defensive) plays and see what happened. We definitely tried.”
The bunt singles in the bottom of the sixth were two of Shaler’s four hits off Stabile, who also struck out two and walked four.
“We came in with a game plan for Lexi, and she executed it extremely well,” Troutman said. “All of her pitches were working. She’s a very good pitcher. She works at it so much. When she is on, it is hard for opposing lineups to get a hit.”
Fox Chapel left fielder Giuliana Foley made a pair of diving catches to limit Shaler runs.
With Titans runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the second, Foley robbed Peyton Nichols of a hit and at least one run.
Foley then did it to Nichols again with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh for the final out to preserve the one-run deficit.