Winning pitchers Mia Butka and Ava Leach each also made offensive contributions while leading their teams into the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional softball championship game.
Butka did not walk a batter and scored the game’s first run while working out of trouble throughout as visiting West Scranton knocked out defending district champion Pittston Area, 3-1, in one of Thursday’s two semifinals.
Leach threw a five-hitter and drove in four runs as top-seeded Abington Heights defeated North Pocono, 11-5.
The victories put the Lackawanna League Division 1 rivals in Wednesday’s final. Abington Heights, the division champion and the tournament’s top seed, will host the 4:30 game.
It was not easy for either pitcher.
Butka overcame 11 hits and Leach went the distance on a day when she issued eight walks.
All the scoring in the West Scranton-Pittston Area game took place in the first inning.
Olivia Dougher, who finished 2-for-3 with a double, drove in a run and scored the last run for the Lady Invaders (11-3).
Kallie Booth, who had a triple, double and her team’s only run scored, and Nikki Dennis each had three hits for Pittston Area. Sage Weidlich added two hits.
Leach had a single and double for Abington Heights (17-1). She struck out six.
Rachel McDonald and Bryn Stiles each had two doubles.
