Larry Troutman enjoyed the boost the Fox Chapel softball program got from an upset win in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs a year ago. He hopes taking a first-round exit they didn’t expect will provide similar fuel for next season.

The Foxes, who were seeded ninth, were bounced in the first round by No. 8 Armstrong, 8-6, at Plum.

“We didn’t expect to lose,” Troutman said. “We were all shocked afterward. And I’m shocked today. It will be a huge motivator for next year. They are hungry for more. We had high expectations for this year and didn’t achieve them.”

The Foxes have much more to lament than they would have previously hoped for. Against Armstrong, Fox Chapel left 16 runners on base. The Foxes held a slight edge in hits, producing 12 to the River Hawks’ 11.

“We had the bases loaded once where we couldn’t generate a run,” Troutman said. “Maybe if we score two there, then it wouldn’t be tied in the sixth inning, but we weren’t able to get a few more hits.”

The Foxes (14-6) finished in the section behind Shaler, which is the defending WPIAL champion and top overall seed. Troutman felt playing in a difficult section had prepared the Foxes well for the postseason.

The section’s two other postseason qualifiers beside Shaler — No. 10 Plum and No. 11 North Hills — each upset their opponents in the first round. Fox Chapel couldn’t find the right combination of plays to trip up Armstrong.

“You never know what you are going to get in 5A,” Troutman said. “We didn’t make plays in the field.”

Fox Chapel wasn’t able to throw freshman starting pitcher Lexi Stabile down the stretch due to injuries.

Jillian Haigh and Izzy Zober pitched for the Foxes against the River Hawks. Zober hit a home run for Fox Chapel.

Giuliana Foley also hit a home run for the Foxes, while Ella Eisner went 4 of 4 with an RBI.

Armstrong relied on the three-headed monster of Josie Porter, Anniston Andryka and Lily Guthrie to provide enough offense to help the Riverhawks pick up the win.

With Plum being a hitter-friendly park, Troutman knew it would be tough to keep the ball in the yard.

“If you miss your spots, they can hit it over the fence,” Troutman said. “We made a few mistakes on some balls in the outfield.”

Fox Chapel will lose three seniors — Bailey Mack, Ava Wamsley and Summer Burkhart — as it heads into next season. Troutman, who has been around the program for nearly a decade as his daughters played for the Foxes before he became coach, said it will be tough to watch this group leave.

He is optimistic for what is ahead.

“We have about eight or nine girls coming up from middle school next season,” Troutman said.