PIAA SOFTBALL: Mid Valley tops Nazareth, strolls to 3A state semifinals

ALLENTOWN — By the time the final out was caught, the temperature was 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

That paled in comparison to the heat off the Spartanettes’ bats Thursday.

Mid Valley scored two runs in the second inning and only ratcheted up the pressure from there, strolling to a 13-2 PIAA quarterfinal win over District 12 champion Nazareth Academy at Patriots Park.

“We practice so hard, and we practice especially for these big games,” sophomore pitcher Ava Hazelton said. “We’re just a great team. Our chemistry is amazing.”

After a scoreless first inning, senior Audrey Hasenzahl hit a ball into center field, where a miscommunication allowed her to reach second base. Senior Krista Cortazar hit a sacrifice to advance Hasenzahl to third base, before Hazelton hit a deep double to left field, batting in Mid Valley’s first run of the contest.

Junior Natalie Hricenak followed up with an RBI-single, which made it 2-0 for the Spartanettes.

“We had a game plan and they really did a good job of executing the game plan,” Mid Valley head coach Michael Piercy said. “We were looking for a certain pitch. We got it a lot, and we did what we had to do with it.

“Really good execution by our kids.”

Hazelton did her part to keep Nazareth Academy scoreless, striking out her third and fourth batters to close out the second inning. Just as soon as the defense left the field, Mid Valley’s offense clicked into high gear again.

After sophomore Parker Bennett drew a walk, senior Elise Larson added a single. Bennett boldly rounded second and beat the tag out at third base, putting a Mid Valley runner in scoring position early.

A sacrifice fly from Hasenzahl and an RBI-single from Cortazar gave the Spartanettes a four-run lead, before senior Mackenzie Adolfson launched a two-run shot over the left field wall. Mid Valley led, 6-0, between third-inning frames and showed no signs of slowing.

Another scoreless inning for Nazareth Academy allowed Mid Valley to hold its opponents feet to the fire.

Senior Jordan Carroll hit a double after Hricenak’s lead-off single. Junior Abigail Mackey hit a bouncing ball into the infield, reaching first and extending the Spartanettes’ advantage to seven runs.

Carroll advanced to third base on a Bennett fielder’s choice. Larson, who finished with a game-high three RBIs, hit a sacrifice fly to record another RBI, pushing the score to 8-0 midway through the fourth inning.

Of course, there were more reasons for Nazareth Academy to sweat than just the relentless attack of its postseason opponents. The temperatures on field level eclipsed the 90-degree mark for much of the game.

“Especially now with it being such a big, big game, we had to keep hydrating. I had a liquid IV. I just drank so much,” Hazelton said. “I even had a cooling towel on my head.”

The Pandas went scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, prompting Mid Valley to pad its lead.

Cortazar led off with a single and scored on an RBI-single from Adolfson. Junior Ava Pezanowski drew a walk and Hricenak hit a single to load the bases. Carroll queued up an RBI-double to score two more Mid Valley runs.

Mackey singled, Carroll reached third and a subsequent RBI-single from Larson scored them both.

The Spartanettes led, 13-0, heading into the bottom of the fifth.

In their final at-bats, Nazareth Academy mounted something of a minor comeback, clawing back two runs — an RBI-double from Carleigh McCaffrey and an RBI-single for Alexis Greenwood — but ultimately, the luck ran out.

Through the first four innings, the Pandas only managed to put three cumulative runners on base. Five made it in the fifth inning.

“We got a little sloppy there in the fifth (inning). I wish we could have finished it how we played the first four innings,” Piercy said. “But, I’m really proud of these girls for getting it done.”

Mid Valley advanced to the PIAA semifinals, where it will face off with District 11 champion Pine Grove on Monday at a time and place yet to be announced. On the other side of the bracket, Pine Grove defeated Kutztown, 10-8, in a Thursday quarterfinal that went into extra innings.

“I’m actually very close friends with the coach over there, so I’ve been following them all year,” Piercy said. “We’ll try to find some games, watch some film and just prepare for a really good team.”

The Spartanettes’ postseason success has avenged last year’s premature exit.

In the first round of the 2024 PIAA tournament, Mid Valley fell in a close 4-2 loss to Loyalsock. With an extra year of experience under their belts, the Spartanettes are ready to make the most of their upcoming final-four opportunity.

“Last year, we were fresh,” Hazelton said. “Now this year, we’re big and ready to go back and win a state championship.”

Originally Published: June 5, 2025 at 7:19 PM EDT