Trib HSSN softball player of the week – Lauren Howard

School – Hempfield

Class – Senior

Position – Shortstop

#Earned – Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

If that is accurate, then Lauren Howard and her fellow Hempfield seniors may soon have neck issues after capturing three WPIAL titles in their four-year high school careers.

The most recent championship came last week in a 10-1 victory over Seneca Valley.

A year ago, Howard had a phenomenal season, batting .614 with 43 hits, 36 runs and 38 RBIs.

Nearly half of her hits were extra-base hits as she smacked five home runs, nine doubles and six triples.

She struggled out of the gates this season by her own admission, although she has rallied lately to put up strong numbers.

Howard enters the PIAA postseason batting .397 with 29 hits — again nearly half are extra base hits with six doubles, three triples and four home runs.

She has a .434 on-base percentage, .726 slugging percentage and a 1.160 OPS.

After winning the regular season title, the top-seeded Spartans bided their time before they finally got a chance to play in the district semifinals.

In two playoff games, Howard has been perfect.

Against Canon-McMillan in the semifinals, Howard, whose nickname is Lou, was 3 for 3 with a double, triple and five RBIs as the Spartans blanked the Big Macs, 13-0, to advance to the Class 6A finals for the third time in four years.

Last week was a huge one for Howard.

On Wednesday in the WPIAL title game, she was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two RBIs in helping to deliver the program’s 10th WPIAL championship and eighth title in the last 12 years.

The next day she celebrated her 18th birthday with family and friends.

Then on Friday, she received her diploma at the Hempfield graduation and also received a medal for being in the Top 5 of her graduating class, finishing at No. 3.

Now it’s back to work preparing for the start of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs and a first-round trip north to Erie to battle District 10 winner McDowell.

As much gold as the Spartans have claimed in the district playoffs, it has not translated to the state postseason. Hempfield last won a PIAA softball championship in 2018.

Howard is excited to continue her academic and softball career in the fall at Virginia.

2026 Trib HSSN Softball Players of the Week

Week 8 – Irelyn Fisher, Union

Week 7 – Abby Sutton, North Hills

Week 6 – Bria Bosiljevac, Shaler

Week 5 – Sydney Gonglik, Bentworth

Week 4 – Bailey Barnyak, Carmichaels

Week 3 – Sydney Sekely, South Park

Week 2 – Emma Herb, Shenango

Week 1 – Addyson Nigut, Elizabeth Forward