STATE COLLEGE - Riley Gerenda knew she needed to work harder.
The hard work paid off for Minersville's senior pitcher late in the season and throughout the postseason.
The quirky right-hander, nicknamed "Bird" by assistant coach Marty Brophy after former Detroit Tigers pitcher Mark Fidrych, saw all of that hard work result in a state championship Friday afternoon.
Nearly unhittable prior to a 1 hour, 21-minute storm delay in the PIAA Class A state final against Claysburg-Kimmel at Penn State University's Nittany Lion Softball Park, Gerenda finished off a strong pitching performance to cap her career and earn a ninth state title for Minersville with a 4-1 victory over the Bulldogs.
"The (state semifinal) game against Bristol - all the way through - she's been pitching very well," Minersville coach Dave Homa said. "She was hitting her spots all over the place. She cruised once we got that three-spot in the second inning. We felt pretty sure that we were going to win the game."
Gerenda (15-3) threw her high pitches effectively against a Claysburg-Kimmel team she felt had looping swings.
"My rise was on today. High balls," Gerenda said. "They had a little loop in their swing, so we went straight for the high ball and got them swinging a couple of times."
The game didn't necessarily start out smoothly for Gerenda as she issued lead-off walks in the first and second innings. The storm
delay took a bit of momentum away from the Big Blue Machine. The game also didn't end exactly as she'd hoped. But that has become the norm.
"It would've been cool to end on a strikeout because of Bird, but I like how we (ended it) with the relay at the plate," battery mate Morgen Woodford said.
"She threw phenomenal. Coming into states, she was a little here and there because she doesn't like warming up on a mound. That's Bird and she's just weird. She'd rather warm up in the grass. But, she pitched her heart out today. She's so excited that she has two gold medals."
The season changed for Gerenda in a big way earlier in the season when she struggled against Class AA state finalist Central Columbia in the Central tournament and was pulled early in the game.
"Central Columbia really made me work harder because I got pulled," Gerenda said. "Definitely, I came out stronger, worked harder and here we are winning a state title."
Added Homa: "We had our lumps early in the year, but we weren't getting the quality outside time. Ever since the Central (Columbia) tournament, and we took her out very early in that game, she's been very good. The most runs on her might have been Bloomsburg (three). That was a little scary, too."
Against the Bulldogs (22-5), Gerenda allowed a walk to start the second inning. She then retired 11 straight batters before a two-out single in the fifth inning.
She escaped trouble in the sixth, striking out back-to-back batters looking after the Bulldogs put runners on second and third with one out. She then recorded two strikeouts in the seventh before Alyse Ryan hit cutoff Reighly Melochick and Melochick fired to Woodford for the game's final out.
"I thought the delay really hurt her," Homa said. "She made great pitches. We got the two outs on strikeouts. That was huge. I guess the moment got to us a little bit maybe. Once we got the lead, she just cruised. She just cruised. She hit her spots - every spot."
Gerenda never lost faith in a defense that played nearly flawlessly behind her through the playoffs. She also never lost confidence in her ability in the circle.
"They always give me confidence, they're always behind me, they're always hitting the ball so it's great," Gerenda said. "They're always supportive of me. Even if I mess up a little bit, they always make the plays behind me.
"Definitely, go out with a bang. That was our goal since our freshman year. We knew we had to follow through with what the seniors did for us leadership-wise. We really came out strong."
Gerenda finished with seven strikeouts, walked three, allowed six hits and just one earned run. And, one big hug with Woodford once the final out was recorded.
"I was right by Morgen and we went right for the hug," Gerenda said. "It's exciting. We're definitely really happy about winning."