For most of Wednesday’s WPIAL Class 6A Championship, Seneca Valley pitcher Lexie Hames had continued her complete dominance of the competition. Through seven innings, Hames had permitted just two hits – both singles – against Hempfield Area. In the top of the eighth, though, Spartans’ senior Mia Bandieramonte changed the game with one swing, as she crushed a solo home run that propelled Hempfield Area to a 2-1 victory in extra innings to claim WPIAL gold.

“I just wanted to put the bat on the ball. That’s our whole gameplan coming in – just to put contact on the ball,” said Bandieramonte, the lone senior in the starting lineup for Hempfield Area.

She did more than just make contact, as Bandieramonte’s blast easily cleared the left field fence at Lilley Field at California University of Pennsylvania.

That was enough offense for the No. 2 Spartans (18-3), who received a dynamic performance in the circle from Riley Miller. The sophomore hurler yielded just one run on four hits and four walks, all intentional, while compiling 11 strikeouts.

“Riley was outstanding,” noted Hempfield Area coach Tina Madison. “We were hitting our spots; working ahead in counts. We didn’t really miss many pitches.”

The title marked the first in the brief coaching career for Madison, who is in her second campaign guiding her alma mater. The championship was the eighth overall for the Spartans, and the first since 2019. Former head coach Bob Kalp, who guided Hempfield Area to all of its previous seven titles, was in attendance on Wednesday.

Similar to the two previous meetings during the regular season, offense was at a premium. The teams combined for just two hits and one run over the first five innings.

That run was scored by Hempfield Area, as the Spartans used a small-ball approach in the opening inning. Lauren Howard reached on an infield single with one out in the first, and Madison called for prolific hitter Peyton Heisler to execute a sacrifice bunt. The play moved Howard into scoring position, and an ensuing Raiders’ error on a ball hit by Emily Griffith allowed Howard to score.

The top-seeded Raiders (17-2) appeared poised to respond in the bottom of the frame, as Kara Pasquale smacked a one-out double. However, Miller tallied a strikeout of Anna Kalkowski, and after an intentional walk to Hames, she retired Bella Gross to keep her team in the lead.

Miller retired the side in order in three of the next four frames, with the lone exception coming when she again intentionally walked Hames.

Seneca Valley finally struck in the sixth inning, though, beginning when Pasquale hit a one-out single. Kalkowski then hit into a fielders’ choice, and Hames was subsequently intentionally walked for a third time. Gross delivered with a single to left that plated courtesy runner Morgan Dunn to deadlock the score.

While both teams had a runner in scoring position in the seventh, the contest remained tied at 1-1, prompting extra innings.

After Bandieramonte’s blast staked the Spartans to the lead, Miller retired the first two hitters in the bottom of the eighth, aided by a sparkling play by third baseman Lauren Howard on a line drive by Pasquale. Although Hames was intentionally walked once again to put the tying run on base, Gross flew out to right to end the contest.

The victory redeemed the Spartans 3-0 loss at Seneca Valley to conclude the regular season. Additionally, the Raiders eliminated Hempfield Area in the semifinals last year en route to their first WPIAL title this century.

“It was a lot of work – major changes that had to happen from the last time we played them,” Madison detailed of the improvements her squad made since the contest on May 11. “I’m just so proud of them.”

With just one team from the WPIAL qualifying for the PIAA Class 6A field, the Spartans will continue their campaign on Monday. The Spartans will face the champion of either District 6, 8, or 10.