West Point softball wins Section 2 title, headed back to Little League state tournament

Winning Pennsylvania Little League state softball titles is nothing new at West Point.

The league has seen 38 teams win titles, including the Minors 11U team in 2023.

Now that squad, with a few roster changes, is headed back to the state tournament after winning the Section 2 best-of-three series against Bullskin this week. The state tournament begins Thursday at Wellsboro, the same site of last year’s Minors tournament.

West Point defeated Bullskin, 6-3 and 6-1.

Tina Madison, who coaches the Hempfield varsity softball team as well as the West Point squad, said the new additions have strengthened the team.

“We have three good pitchers, a solid catcher and we’re better at shortstop,” Madison said. “Our pitching can be dominant, and we’re deeper.”

West Point’s team includes eight girls from the Hempfield School District and two each from Latrobe and Fox Chapel.

The eight players who returned from the state championship team are second baseman Jocelyn Luft, pitcher/first baseman Jayelyn Luft, shortstop Piper Hoppel, infielder Braylyn Graft, center fielder Morgan Maiers (Latrobe), utility player Peyton Reamer, outfielder Lily Carroll (Latrobe) and pitcher/outfielder Sofia Porreca. The Lufts are Madison’s twins from a previous marriage.

Hoppel moved from catcher to shortstop.

The new faces are pitcher Lexi Stabile (Fox Chapel), catcher Rian Starz (Fox Chapel), outfielder Alana Graft and outfielder Mia Graft. Braylyn and Mia Graft are sisters and cousins of Alana Graft.

Against Bullskin, Jayelyn Luft and Lexi Stabile shared the circle with Stabile earning both victories.

In Game 1, Starz singled in the second inning to tie the score 1-1, but Bullskin scored its second unearned run in the bottom of the inning to make it 2-1.

West Point took a 4-2 lead in the fifth inning on Reamer’s single, Mia Graft’s groundout and a dropped third strike.

Jayelyn Luft, Starz and Reamer each had two hits.

Stabile allowed one hit and an unearned run while striking out seven.

In Game 2, West Point took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI hit by Hoppel.

Stabile worked all six innings, allowing three hits and an unearned run while striking out nine.

West Point collected eight hits, including two each by Jayelyn Luft, Maiers and Hoppel. Maiers and Hoppel each drove home two runs.

“Lexi and Jayelyn have good speed (high 50s and low 60s) and a good changeup,” Madison said. “Our pitching will win a lot of games.”

Eleven of the girls play travel ball, and some have already played 90 games, Madison said.

“We’re stronger offensively, and a lot of these girls have played in a lot of big tournaments,” she added.

Unlike last year, if West Point wins another state title, it will advance to the Mid-Atlantic Regional, beginning July 21 at Bristol, Conn. The World Series is set to start Aug. 4 in Greenville, N.C.

“I’m excited to see how far these quality players can go,” Madison said.