Sectional Champs: St. Joe Softball Roughs Up Hazelwood West, 13-3

It might be a fair statement to make, Hazelwood West has seen enough of the St. Joe softball team this year.

Catch the photos on the Ladue-Frontenac Facebook page.

The visiting Angels piled up 15 hits and limited the Wildcats to 6 hits to win their sectional showdown 13-3 Wednesday.

At ABC Park September 6, the Angels trimmed West, 6-4. The win propels the Angels into a regional championship game this Saturday, home at 1 p.m. versus Francis Howell, upset winners over Troy, the defending state champs, 4-0.

Game called after 5 innings

The St. Joe win lasted just 5 innings. The Angels piled up 8 runs in the the fourth behind the power hitting of third sacker Anna Langhorst, a senior. She picked out a juicy third pitch from Roxanne Dennis and landed it somewhere over the centerfield fence. If that wasn’t enough, she belted an RBI single in the second time at bat in the same frame.

“I think I had that homer all the way. At first, I wasn’t sure it was going over (the fence). It was up high and I just got it. It was right down the middle and up a little bit and I was ready for it,” said Langhorst.

“I was just playing it like it was going to be my last game because I am a senior and I just wanted everything I could get,” said Langhorst. “We got to the state tournament my sophomore year, and I’d love to do it again.”

Off to a solid start

The Angels jumped all over West in the early going. They scored 3 in the first, and 2 in the second. It was relatively easy from there on.

Junior lefty Emily Weible pitched a masterful game, scattering 6 hits over 5 innings. She has recently returned from a concussion suffered during the summer with her club team Missouri Chaos.

Weible explained. “My drop ball was working and my curve was too. Ally (Knopp) my catcher called a really good game. “I missed the early part of the season and the other girls really picked us up. I’m just glad to be back now and for the post season.”

“We’ve had our ups and downs but we have to come out with our best and I’m really proud of that,” she said.

Coach liked what he just saw

So too was veteran coach PJ Cummings. “Our swings were there today. We work really hard at keeping the swings the same. Sarah Strothkamp (second base) had a very strong game. She had an RBI with two outs and that really helped,” he said.

“Anna (Langhorst) had a great game at the plate. She’s patient and she levels off. It’s just a simple swing and she does a good job for us. She’s an anchor for us, she’s the foundation of what we do,” said Cummings.

Another hitting star Ashley Sink had a big performance. She had 3 hits and drove in 2 runs.

Kelsey Ponder and Strothkamp each had a pair of hits and solo RBIs to put the Angels on top for good.