Class A Quarterfinal Minersville (21-3) vs. Halifax (15-8)
When/Where: Today, 2 p.m., Bloomsburg University
Tickets: $6 adults, $3 students
How they got here: District 11 champ Minersville beat Bloomsburg 13-3 in six innings in first round. District 3 champ Halifax shut out HOPE For Hyndman Charter 5-0.
Up Next: Winner advances to PIAA semifinals and faces District 1 champion Bristol or District 4 champion South Williamsport on Monday at a site and time to be determined.
About the Miners
Head coach: Dave Homa (13th season)
PIAA history: Have won eight state championships (1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1993, 1999, 2005, 2011) and finished second in 1991. ... Making 23rd appearance in state playoffs with all-time record of 48-14.
Projected lineup: SS Reighly Melochick (.527, 22 RS), CF Adrienne Kroznuskie (.617, 40 RS, 9 HR, 35 RBIs), 1B Emily Mealey (.421, 34 RBIs), RF Lindsey Snyder (.507, 3 HR, 26 RBIs), C Morgen Woodford (.484, 2 HR, 25 RBIs), 2B Leah Leshko (.410, 19 RS), 3B Rachel Sterner (.426, 18 RS), LF Jayme Kerrigan (.333, 16 RBIs), DP Alyse Ryan (.385, 18 RS), P/flex Riley Gerenda (12-3, 1.13 ERA, 86.2 IP, 110 K)
Notes: Erupted for 9 runs in sixth inning to finally turn back Bloomsburg 13-3 in first round. Had chances to blow out the Panthers early but left eight runners on base over first three innings. ... Finished with 15 hits by eight different players. Also walked five times. Every starter contributed a run scored or an RBI. ... Defense, usually a team strength, was a bit shaky against Huskies. ... Gerenda moved into fourth place on Miners' career strikeout list with 416, one ahead of Rachel Ryan. Lynn Connelly (694), Jill Rowlands (566) and Amy Yob (430) hold top three spots. ... Seniors Melochick, Woodford and Leshko will be playing in sixth state softball playoff game. ... Win over Bloomsburg improved all-time record to 795-154.
About the Wildcats
Head coach: Tracy Cox (5th season)
PIAA history: Captured first District 3 title and first PIAA berth since 2002.
Projected lineup: 2B Paige Miller (.314, 21 SB), LF Davia Erdman (.381), SS Morgan Cox (.418, 3 HR, 33 RBIs), P Chelsea Konyar (.473, 42 RBIs; pitching - 13-7, 2.67 ERA, 124 IP, 70 K), RF Melody Davis (.255), 3B Anna Seiders (.231, 15 RBIs), 1B Brooke Grill (.269), C Madison Ertter (.178), DP Kassidy Sorichetti (.188), CF/flex Kendall Lehman
Notes: Wildcats rely a lot on speed at top of order. Miller and Erdman like to get on base with short game and put pressure on defense. Then Cox and Konyar drive them in. Limiting top four will be key for Minersville. ... Konyar, who will play the outfield at Mercy College next season, has more than 100 career hits and pitched 1-hit shutout against Hyndman. She hits spots and makes batters do what they don't want to do. ... Solid defensive team that doesn't make a lot of mistakes. ... Started season 8-0, then hit a major bump in the road. Included were three losses after holding big leads in the seventh inning. ... Finished third in Tri-Valley League behind champion Upper Dauphin and runner-up Millersburg. Rebounded to defeat UDA and Millersburg to win District 3 title. ... Losses were to Williams Valley (10-0), Upper Dauphin (9-7), Susquenita, East Juniata (6-5), Juniata (8-6, 8 innings), Greenwood (9-8), Millersburg (3-0) and Trinity.
Directions: Take Route 61 North to Ashland, turning left onto Centre Street and continuing up hill. Turn right onto North Memorial Boulevard/Pa. Route 54/61. Stay straight to merge onto Pa. Route 42. Go 14 miles to slight right turn onto North Fourth Street/Pa. Route 487. Turn slight right onto Merceron Street/Pa. Route 487 to Bloomsburg. Turn right onto Green Avenue. Turn left onto South Penn Street. Take first right onto East Second Street. Bloomsburg University is on the right. Athletic fields are at top of hill on campus.
- Compiled by Bob Lipsky