PIAA 6A Softball Preview: North Penn vs. Haverford (6-17-21)

After a celebratory send-off at the high school, North Penn softball boarded the charter bus for Penn State and Thursday’s PIAA 6A title game against Haverford. Photos provided courtesy of Kim Supko Photography. Check back for a gallery.

#1-5 NORTH PENN vs #1-3 HAVERFORD (at Penn State University, Thursday, 4 p.m.)

North Penn

25-2 overall
15-1 SOL Colonial Division champions
Knights have scored a program record 171 runs and allowed 19, also setting program records for most home runs in a season (27), most hits (249) and most RBIs (149).
Senior Mady Volpe boasts a 0.71 ERA with 17 shutouts. In 167 innings, the Coastal Carolina commit has struck out 328. She is hitting .310 with 23 RBIs and two home runs.
Sophomore leadoff batter Julia Shearer (CF) is ranked #30 in her class for pitcher and #33 for center field by Extra Innings Softball. She is hitting .565 with 48 hits, 36 runs scored and 19 RBIs. Sophomore Brie Wilmot (1B) is batting .471 with 34 hits, 10 home runs (school record), 20 runs scored and 31 RBIs.
Other key contributors at the plate are Gianna Cimino (Fr/DP, .452, 33 hits, 23 runs) and Annabelle Smink (So/3B, .360, 27 hits, 16 runs, 18 RBIs)

How they got here: In Monday’s semifinal, North Penn defeated District 7 runner-up Canon-McMillan 10-0 in an abbreviated five-inning contest. Junior Sophia Collins’ three-run home run highlighted the Knights’ 11-hit attack. Mady Volpe allowed four hits and struck out 12 in the shutout.

In a quarterfinal contest, North Penn defeated #3-3 Penn Manor 4-0. Mady Volpe struck out 14 in a two-hit shutout. Freshman Gianna Cimino and sophomore Brie Wilmot both had two RBIs. Senior Carley DiGiuseppe had three hits.

In an opening round game, North Penn defeated District 11 champion Northampton 7-0 behind the two-hit effort of Mady Volpe, who fanned seven. Gianna Cimino and Brie Wilmot each drove in a pair of runs.

Haverford

23-4 overall
13-2 Central League co-champions
Junior pitcher Emma Taylor, a Yale commit, surpassed the 200-strikeout mark for her career this season.
Fords have scored 212 runs and allowed 26 with 13 shutouts
Anchored by 10 seniors

How they got here: In Monday’s semifinal, Haverford edged #1-6 Pennsbury 2-1. Emma Taylor, who earned the complete game win, led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run to give the Fords the walk-off win.

In a quarterfinal contest, Haverford upset District One champion Spring-Ford 5-3, handing the Rams their first loss of the season. The Fords, who collected eight hits, used a four-run fourth inning to take a lead they would not lose. Emma Taylor notched the win, allowing six hits and three runs while walking four and striking out three.

In an opening round game, Haverford defeated District 2-4 Sub-regional champion Hazleton 2-0. Emma Taylor tossed a one-hitter, striking out 11.