Finally! Warriors back on top

Shelby Telegdy homered and doubled as five Warriors had two hits each in a 10-2 win over the Talbots.

After a 17-0 campaign last year was spoiled in the WPIAL semifinals by rivals Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward’s softball team only had one thing on its mind for 2024.

They had to change their fate and return to the district championship game.

“The girls felt really bad last year,” Elizabeth Forward manager Harry Rutherford said. “They felt like they didn’t do well, but they went 20-2. They lost two semifinal games. I was trying to tell them that it was a good season even though they didn’t get a WPIAL or state title, but they still felt bad.”

The Warriors (20-1) completely dominated their opposition throughout the district just like last season, but this time, it culminated in a 10-2 victory over Hampton in the WPIAL Class 4A Championship Thursday at PennWest California’s Lilley Field.

“This was kind of a revamp to say that we’re still here, we’re still a force, and we’ve got a ton of kids coming back,” Rutherford said. “It’s great for this program. This is for the kids. They’ve been looking forward to getting this done, so we’re really thrilled for them.”

Shelby Telegdy closed the book on her stellar WPIAL career with another victory on the mound. The Seton Hill softball commit went the distance and allowed six hits and two unearned runs, bringing her total to just 14 runs allowed all year.

She also did her part offensively with two hits, including a home run early in the ball game.

“It feels amazing because we’ve worked so hard in my four years but haven’t been able to win it,” Telegdy said. “This year, we finally did it.”

Julia Resnik led all batters going 3 for 3 with two singles and a triple. She scored all three times that she reached base, but she was quick to point out that the Warriors worked together for their emphatic win.

“We had a goal for this year that we wanted to get here and win, so we all did that,” she said. “We all contributed. It wasn’t just me, it wasn’t just Shelby, it was everybody, one through nine. We all got it done. … Our goal from January when we started indoors was to get here and win. Last year broke us, but I knew that we could do it this year.”

To her point, all but one starter for the Warriors had a hit, and Carlee Soukup still managed to draw a walk and score a run. Telegdy, Berlyn Holibaugh and Hannah Evans put up three RBIs each as Resnik added one more.

For Hampton (17-5), Marissa Snyder picked up the loss on the mound, giving up nine hits and eight runs in 3 1/3 innings of work. She was the only Talbot to manage two hits, but Mackenzie Reese drove in both runs for her team on a double.

After a game-opening strikeout, the Talbots got an eight pitch at-bat from Brooke Murgenovich that ended with a double.

Reese followed that up with a walk to put runners on first and second, but Telegdy blew a payoff-pitch fast ball past Katelyn Dubee before Aliza Michielli grounded out to first.

As she’s done for most of the year, EF’s Julia Resnik led the Warriors off well with a single to center field before Telegdy helped herself out with a monstrous long ball to left field. It took Elizabeth Forward just three pitches to take the lead after Resnik hit Snyder’s first offering.

After an out, Addy Nigut was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball, but Snyder settled in with two strikeouts to move things to the second frame.

Both squads went down 1-23 in the second and Hampton made it 4-5-6 in the third with three more quick outs as Telegdy worked out to three strikeouts.

Resnik singled again in the home half of the third and moved over to second on a sacrifice bunt from Telegdy. Nigut drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second, and Holibaugh stepped up in a big spot.

She responded with an RBI single to right center to bring Resnik home and make it 3-0 in favor of Elizabeth Forward.

After two quick outs in the next frame, Michielli finally got the Talbots back on the basepaths with a single to right. It was only the second hit of the game for Hampton, and it stayed that way after an error and a groundout stranded two Talbots.

Once again, the Warriors put runners on in the fourth, and they didn’t strand them.

Alivia Grimm singled, and courtesy runner Madison Patton made it to second on a sacrifice bunt from Aubri Cimba before three straight hits from Elizabeth Forward.

Patton scored on a single from Evans, Resnik tripled to score Evans and Telegdy mashed a double to bring Resnik home for the third time.

With the score at 6-0, Carlee Soukup drew a walk and Nigut singled to load the bases before Snyder was pulled in favor of Cassie Vidic. Elizabeth Forward kept up its momentum with a sacrifice fly from Holibaugh and an erroneous throw from home to third base that allowed Soukup to make it 8-0.

Hampton mounted some pressure in the next stanza as Snyder singled and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt before an error put Charlotte Lomb on first. Murgenovich then grounded out before Reese stepped up and hit a 2RBI double to left field to open Hampton’s account.

With two outs and the score now 8-2, Telegdy struck Dubee out for the third time to move things to the bottom of the fifth.

EF again led things off with a hit as Grimm singled and put Patton at first. Cimba then doubled to right center to put runners on second and third with no outs.

That brought Evans up to the plate, and she laced the first pitch she saw right up the middle of the infield into center. Her single scored both runners to make it 10-2.

Resnik was next up, batting 3 for 3 with two singles and a triple up to that point. With no outs, she drew a walk to juice the bases for Telegdy. Unfortunately for the Warriors, Telegdy was retired for the first time of the day as she flew out to left.

Soukup reached on a fielder’s choice before Nigut hit a ball to center field that was caught on an impressive play from Jessica Lange.

The Talbots went down 1-2-3 in the sixth and Elizabeth Forward also failed to score a run, setting up three more chances for Hampton.

Snyder singled on the first pitch of the seventh to give the Talbots a runner, but Eden Lawrence flew out to right for the first out of the frame. A fielder’s choice allowed Lomb to reach first to put two runners on, but Murgenovich flew out to put the Warriors one out away from the title. Reese hit a ground ball to Nigut at third for the final out, as the weight on EF’s shoulders finally lifted.

After the Warriors finish celebrating, they’ll prepare for Big Spring, the thirdplace team from District 3 in Monday’s PIAA opener.