Remember When?: Ringgold rolls behind Zupancic no-hitter

By MARK KABOLY

For the Valley Independent

MONONGAHELA — Let’s get this out of the way up front.

Yes, the Ringgold Rams got no respect when the WPIAL pairings came out as they were unranked, forcing their 15-3 team to face a sub-.500 South Park squad in a preliminary round game.

But Ringgold sure didn’t play like an unranked team. Instead the Rams played like a team with a vendetta – a vendetta against not only their opponent but against the WPIAL as they shut out an overmatched opponent in South Park, 6-0, as Kristy Zupancic fired a no-hitter.

Zupancic pitched her first no-hitter of the season while striking out a season-high 15 batters — that is 15 of the 21 outs via the strikeout on 92 pitches.

“This was probably my best performance all year long,” said Zupancic.

She struck out the side in the first, third and seventh innings to pick up her 15th win of the season.

“She almost smashed her season total today,” said Ringgold coach Butch Dean. “This team (South Park) just looked like they couldn’t catch up to the ball. Kristy looked a little quicker today than she has been throwing.”

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