West Allegheny pitcher Mikele Prokopovich worked her way out of trouble many times but didn't do so alone.
"I know that my defense behind me is going to do whatever they can to get the out for me," said Prokopovich, who stranded nine runners in Thursday's 3-0 first-round victory over Greensburg Salem in the WPIAL Class AAA softball playoffs at California University.
"That's pretty much how I stay calm," she said.
Her defense supplied the outs needed most. Among them, center fielder Marissa Dykta, shortstop Ashley Gerhart and catcher Brittany Ziegler teamed to throw out Greensburg Salem's Samantha Sistek at home plate. Morgan Partyka added three others with outstanding catches in right field.
Combined, the group played error free.
"Our defense has won us a lot of games this year," coach Mindi McFate said. "They do an impressive job."
For six innings, Greensburg Salem sophomore Jayne Oberdorf could have said the same thing. But three errors by her Lions allowed West Allegheny to score three runs in the seventh inning of what had been a scoreless game.
Greensburg Salem shortstop Kellie Hutchinson, a freshman, put a throw past first base, allowing the first two runners to score. She was fielding a bouncing grounder hit by Partyka, and Amanda Murray and Allie Hamilton scored on the error. Partyka later scored.
"I thought for sure we were going to pull it out," Greensburg Salem coach Jody Morgan said. "When you have more errors than runs, that was our downfall."
West Allegheny, seeded No. 11, will play again Tuesday against Valley or Thomas Jefferson, which play today at Woodland Hills. Second-round times and sites have not been determined. Greensburg Salem was seeded sixth.
Prokopovich, a right-hander, has pitched West Allegheny to the WPIAL semifinals as a sophomore and junior. Against Greensburg Salem, she gave up six hits, walked four and struck out five. Prokopovich stranded two Lions runners in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth.
"We're used to being in these pressure situations," McFate said. "She handles it very well. She's the kind of kid you want to have in these kind of games."
Oberdorf, who struck out eight, gave up six hits and three walks. She was laboring after fouling a pitch off her left ankle in the fifth inning. She finished with the ankle heavily taped.
"I think that last inning she was struggling," Morgan said, "but she wasn't coming out, and I wasn't taking her out."
