Hempfield softball team enters PIAA playoffs with positive mindset
If any team in the PIAA playoffs knows that it doesn’t take prior success to have future success, it should be Hempfield. Most of the current Hempfield team was around last year when a 17-0 regular season turned into a one and done performance in the WPIAL playoffs. Some were even around in 2009 when the Spartans finished third in the section but won the WPIAL championship.
So nobody needs to remind Hempfield that even though it split its section title this season and that it fell to Canon-McMillan 4-1 in the WPIAL final, it is still very much alive in the PIAA playoffs. Hempfield will face District 6 champion Central Mountain in the PIAA first round. The game will be played Monday at Penn State University at 12:30 p.m.
Hempfield coach Bob Kalp has warned his team to not take Central Mountain lightly just because their record is 11-11. They played many close games and played a tough schedule. Central Mountain played Bellefonte twice, a team Hempfield is familiar with. The Spartans edged Bellefonte 7-5 in a non-section this season while Central Mountain split its two games with Bellefonte.
“They are a pretty nice team,” Kalp said. “Their record might make it look like a mismatch but they lost of close games beat Bellefonte and Bellefonte is a heck of a team.”
If the Spartans have one thing going for them it is their defense. Before the 4-1 loss to the Big Macs, Hempfield had shutout its previous five opponents including two playoff wins against North Allegheny and Peters Township.
So nobody needs to remind Hempfield that even though it split its section title this season and that it fell to Canon-McMillan 4-1 in the WPIAL final, it is still very much alive in the PIAA playoffs. Hempfield will face District 6 champion Central Mountain in the PIAA first round. The game will be played Monday at Penn State University at 12:30 p.m.
Hempfield coach Bob Kalp has warned his team to not take Central Mountain lightly just because their record is 11-11. They played many close games and played a tough schedule. Central Mountain played Bellefonte twice, a team Hempfield is familiar with. The Spartans edged Bellefonte 7-5 in a non-section this season while Central Mountain split its two games with Bellefonte.
“They are a pretty nice team,” Kalp said. “Their record might make it look like a mismatch but they lost of close games beat Bellefonte and Bellefonte is a heck of a team.”
If the Spartans have one thing going for them it is their defense. Before the 4-1 loss to the Big Macs, Hempfield had shutout its previous five opponents including two playoff wins against North Allegheny and Peters Township.
