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ALLENTOWN – Shana Steigerwalt surveyed the happy post-game scene after Central Bucks South’s 5-0 win over Governor Mifflin in Monday’s PIAA Class AAAA semifinal and said to no one in particular, “I can’t stop smiling.”
The CB South senior wasn’t alone.
Smiles, hugs and laughter were a predominant part of a jubilant post-game celebration after the Titans had punched their ticket to Friday’s state title game at Shippensburg University against Mt. Lebanon – a 2-1 winner over Hatboro-Horsham in Monday’s other semifinal.
It will be the first trip to the state title game for both programs.“Everything is so surreal right now,” Steigerwalt said. “I just can’t get over it.”
“This means everything,” teammate Fran Carrullo said. “We came so far last year, and to make it past that and get to the finals is even better. Now we just have to finish it off.”
The win erased memories of last year’s 2-1 loss to Shaler in the state semifinals.
“We did lose last year, but we learned from it and became a much stronger team,” Carrullo said. “I’m just so proud of my team this year.
“Win or lose Friday, I’m definitely so proud of my team.”
According to Titan coach Jennifer Robinson, there’s a whole different feeling about this year’s postseason run.
“Every time we won a game last year, I almost felt like, ‘Oh my god, I can’t believe we just won, and I can’t believe we’re going to the next round,’” the Titans’ coach said. “This year we come into these games, and it’s like, ‘Alright, we’re in a position we’ve been in before.’
“When we win, I don’t feel shocked that we won. I just feel like we earned it this year, and being in a place of familiarity really helps keep me calm, the girls calm. Sure, we’re all emotional, but I feel as though last year getting to the semis was the biggest celebration ever. I feel as though we expected more of ourselves this year.
“It wasn’t like, ‘If we get there, we get there.’ This year it’s, ‘We deserve to get there. We should get there.’ I feel like that really changes your mindset, it changes your demeanor, and it changes your level of focus and your confidence level on the field.”
That change in mindset was apparent in the Titans’ post-game celebration, which was relatively subdued. There was no pile-on, no wild celebration. Just plenty of smiles and a prevailing feeling of happiness on a squad that looked very much like it still had some unfinished business.Friday’s title game – originally scheduled for 4 p.m. – will be moved up because the seniors have the not-so-little matter of getting home in time for their graduation on Friday night.
“It’s going to be a hectic but amazing day,” Steigerwalt said.
In Monday’s historic win, the Titans once again showcased the superb arm of pitcher Fran Carrullo, who fanned nine and scattered three hits in what has become a routinely outstanding performance.
The Titans plated all the runs Carrullo would need with a three-run uprising in the third inning. It began innocently enough when Taylre Stocks hit a bloop single to shallow center.
“You just have to take whatever you can get and always be swinging at strikes up there – you can’t let anything go by,” the senior first baseman said.
Tyler Vitelli followed with a sacrifice bunt, and then it was Steigerwalt looping a single just over second, putting runners on the corner with one out for Jae Epstein.
The Titans’ speedy number two hitter laid down a bunt, and when the throw to first went into the right field corner, a pair of runs crossed the plate, and Epstein wound up on third.
“I was just trying to get the ball in play,” Epstein said. “I haven’t been doing that lately, and just getting the ball down on the ground and trying to beat it out is the key for me.”
“Today she and Tyler (Vitelli) really stepped it up with the small ball,” Robinson said. “That really goes to show the depth our team has. We’re not a team that’s defined by two or three players.
“When our team needs it, any given player can step up anywhere on the lineup. Today, Governor Mifflin was not handling the small ball well, and obviously, we also had the hits as well, but they step up when it counts. That’s why I’m so proud because top to bottom – we’re always producing a team effort.“Sure, we have a great pitcher out there, and sure, we have some really big hitters and big defenders, but you can’t discount the rest of our lineup because they’re a threat. You can’t take anyone on our team lightly, and that’s why we’ve made it to this level.”
Epstein scored on Mifflin’s second error of the inning, and just like that, the Titans led 3-0.
“That was huge,” Steigerwalt said of getting the early lead. “The last game we didn’t get runs until the sixth inning. We have to jump out early. It gives us that much more momentum. We have to back up our pitcher.”
No one appreciated that early cushion more than Carrullo, who all but coasted to the finish line after her teammates gave her a cushion.
“My comfort runs,” Carrullo said with a laugh. “I knew once we got those runs, it was like, ‘Alright, let’s go on the field and get this done with.’“I just feel so confident.”
“You wonder how she can look much better,” Robinson said of her junior pitcher. “You give her that lead, and it becomes another plain of existence that she’s pitching at.”
Not that Carrullo needed any insurance, but for good measure, the Titans tacked on a pair of runs in the fifth. Epstein – who led the Titans with a pair of hits – poked a one-out single over third, and Haileigh Stocks followed with an RBI triple to deep right field.
“I knew that from the two at-bats I had before, I struck out on outside pitches, and I knew she was going to throw me the same thing again,” Stocks said. “I knew the rightfielder was far over, and I just hit it that way.”
Stocks raced home on Morgan Decker’s groundout, and the Titans led 5-0, all but ensuring the Titans a trip to the state title game.
“It’s exciting,” Epstein said. “It really is. We made it this far last year, so just to go one step further is amazing.”
“Last year we had a good run, but it was disappointing because we had more left to show,” Haileigh Stocks said. “This year it’s a really good feeling to know we’re in the top two in the state, and no matter what happens we made it further than we did last year.
“This only happens to so many teams, and we’re just lucky to be part of it.
”
CENTRAL BUCKSK SOUTH 5, GOVERNOR MIFFLIN 0
Central Bucks South (5) – Shana Steigerwalt rf 4 1 1 0; Jae Epstein lf 3 2 2 1; Haileigh Stocks 2b 4 1 1 2; Morgan Decker 3b 3 0 1 0; Lauren Klepchick c 3 0 0 0; Michelle Gessner ss 2 0 0 0; Fortier ph 1 0 0 0; Dani London dp 3 0 1 0; Taylre Stocks 1b 3 0 1 0; Cait Bechta pr 0 1 0 0; Tyler Vitelli cf 2 0 0 0; Fran Carrullo p 0 0 0 0. TOTALS 28 5 7 3.
Governor Mifflin (0) – Rachel Lawes cf 3 0 0 0; Alex Kissinger ss 3 0 1 0; Jess Epler p 1 0 1 0; Sam Delinger c 3 0 1 0; Rachel Fritz 2b 3 0 0 0; Jayme Babczak 3b 3 0 0 0; Logan Focht 1b 3 0 0 0; Leighann Lubas lf 2 0 0 0; Brown ph 1 0 0 0; Cierra Miller rf 2 0 0 0. TOTALS 24 0 3 0.
CB South 003 020 0 5-7-0
Governor Mifflin 000 000 0 0-3-3
E- Mifflin 3, CB South 0. DP-Mifflin 1. LOB-CB South 4, Mifflin 5. 3B-Haileigh Stocks. SB-Steigerwalt. SAC-Vitelli, Epstein.
IP H R ER BB SO
CB South
Carrullo (W) 7 3 0 0 2 9
Mifflin
Epler (L) 7 7 5 3 0 4
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