When told that Minersville's softball team, with eight state titles, was to the spring what Southern Columbia's football team, six PIAA titles, was to the fall, Tigers' head softball coach Al Cihocki said, "I guess we'll have to be more like us then."
Cihocki is also an assistant coach on the football team, and while he's been on the sideline for plenty of playoff victories, today is the first time his softball team will play in the state tournament. In fact, it's the first time any Southern softball team has made it this far.
Fitting that it happens to be against a powerhouse program like Minersville.
The Tigers, who lost to Northeast Bradford 2-1 in the District 4 finals, and District 11 champion Miners kick off a doubleheader at 2 p.m. at Blue Mountain's Patton Field. The second game features Pine Grove and Nanticoke in AA action.
The Miners' defense of its eighth state title, won last year by beating Clarion 6-1, got off to a rocky start this year.
Minersville posted just a 3-4 record to begin 2012 and had trouble finding a replacement for pitcher Laykin Hughes.
True to their name, the Miners battled back and did their damage in the District 11 playoffs, thumping Marian Catholic 13-4, beating Tri-Valley, who had beaten Minersville twice during the regular season, 6-4, and then exacted revenge against Williams Valley, 7-5.
The Miners have 31 hits in those three postseason wins and are led offensively by junior Sarah Walasavage, who has a .526 batting average and 18 runs scored from her leadoff spot.
The Tigers may be new to the state playoffs, but showed no fear when faced with the prospect of extra innings against defending District 4 champ Muncy in the semifinals, and gave a Northeast Bradford team, which had been to the district finals for five straight years, all the Panthers could handle.
The key for Southern Columbia is to get runners on base for Mallory Tomaschik and Taylor Hoffman.
The pair have 11 home runs and 53 RBIs between them and their offensive production was key in both district games played at the big fields of Elm Park last week.
Now that the fences will be back to regulation depth, expect the Tigers to be back to their offensive ways.
Tomaschik has also showed the ability to limit opposing offenses during this playoff run by giving up just five runs in three games while striking out 29 batters in those 20 innings.
The winner of today's game gets the winner of today's game between District 12 champion GAMP and District 1 champion Bristol in Thursday's quarterfinals at a site and time to be announced.
CLASS A FIRST ROUND
Southern Columbia (20-3) vs. Minersville (16-7)
When: Today, 2 p.m.
Where: Blue Mountain's Patton Field
How they got here: Minersville defeated Williams Valley 7-5 in District 11 championship game. Southern Columbia fell to Northeast Bradford 2-1 in District 4 championship game.
Head coaches: Minersville - Dave Homa. Southern Columbia - Al Cihocki.
Projected lineups: Southern Columbia - SS Kirstin Blass, jr. (.500, 31 R, 15 SB, 4 DB, 3 TR, 13 RBI); P Mallory Tomaschik, jr. (.381, 30 R, 8 DB, 7 HR, 27 RBI; 20-3, 1.33 ERA, 142 IP, 161 K, 38 BB); 3B Kayla Lavella, jr. (.463, 29 R, 7 DB, 3 HR, 27 RBI); DP Taylor Hoffman, fr. (.510, 21 R, 13 DB, 4 HR, 26 RBI); LF Erin Troup, jr. (.191, 14 R, 16 RBI); C Mary McGinley (.266, 12 R, 5 DB, 8 RBI); 2B McKenna Lupold, soph. (.237, 14 R, 4 DB, 11 RBI); CF Erin Yoder, soph. (.189, 23 R, 7 RBI): RF Kim Reigle (.236, 12 R, 1 HR, 10 RBI); 1B Megan Chaundy, jr.
Minersville - LF Sarah Walasavage, jr. (.526, 18 R, 12 SB, 3 HR, 20 RBI); SS Reighly Melochick, soph. (.464, 21 R, 3 HR, 16 RBI); 3B Breanne Bentz, jr. (.355, 22 R, 3 HR, 24 RBI); 2B Lauren Leshko, sr. (.282, 16 R, 4 3B, 13 RBI); 1B Leah Leshko, soph. (.382, 15 R, 1 HR, 22 RBI); DP Jayme Kerrigan, fr. (.460, 12 R, 3 HR, 16 RBI); C Morgen Woodford, soph. (.243, 13 RBI); RF Maria Kostura, jr. (.353, 18 R, 1 HR, 13 RBI); CF Alyse Ryan, soph. (.333, 15 R, 1 HR, 12 RBI); P Riley Gerenda, soph. (14-6, 2.77 ERA, 111.1 IP, 135 K, 62 BB)