Softball postseason rundown: Chartiers Valley star Lily Duffill clubs two-run homer, Taylor Walsh twirls complete-game gem to lead Colts past Plum in Class 5A first-round nail-biter

Many expected a high-scoring shootout between No. 8 Plum and No. 9 Chartiers Valley in Monday’s WPIAL Class 5A first-round clash at West Mifflin between two of the area’s most explosive offenses.

Instead, fans were treated to a fantastic pitcher’s duel between the Colts’ Taylor Walsh and the Mustangs’ Riley Stephans, with Walsh twirling a complete-game gem to send Chartiers Valley (12-6) to the WPIAL quarterfinals with a narrow 2-1 win. Walsh allowed one earned run on three hits and three walks while striking out six to earn the victory, catching a pop-up for the final out in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“We have been playing our best softball lately, especially in the field,” said Colts coach Chris Lloyd. “[Walsh] did really well. She hit her spots. Anything I called, she hit it.”

With acclaimed power hitters like Lily DeLuca, Dani Pici and Liana Yusko in its lineup, Plum (14-6) entered the postseason with the No. 3 highest-scoring offense in Class 5A at an average of 9.4 runs per game. As a team, the Mustangs hit 40 home runs during the regular season.

The first meeting between the teams took place way back on March 17, when Plum mashed a handful of homers on its way to a 13-0 win at its notoriously hitter-friendly home field. This time around, though, Walsh and Chartiers Valley threw the Mustangs a curveball.

“We tried to hit home runs [at their field], and we were popping everything up and hitting ground balls. We didn’t square it up. And it seemed like they were just check-swinging and hitting home runs,” Lloyd said. “I told them, ‘The fence is at least 20 feet further back. We worked them outside last time, and we’re going to work them inside this time. We just have to outhit them.'”

Those who showed up hoping to see the long ball didn’t go home disappointed, though — not if Colts slugger Lily Duffill could help it.

A junior catcher and Penn State recruit, Duffill swatted a go-ahead two-run bomb in the third inning to provide Walsh with all the run support she would need. The homer marked the eighth of the season for Duffill and No. 28 of her stellar career.

“[Stephans] threw a changeup, and Lily crushed it,” Lloyd said. “Once she hit it, it was gone.”

Chartiers Valley’s Lily Duffill celebrates as she rounds third base after hitting a two-run home run against Plum in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs on Monday, May 12, 2025, at West Mifflin High School. Chartiers Valley won, 2-1. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

After leading all WPIAL players with 15 home runs and 47 RBIs as a sophomore, Duffill took home Best Pure Hitter honors in the 2024 PUP softball awards — and she is in the midst of another spectacular season for Chartiers Valley. Despite rarely seeing pitches over the plate, the all-state selection is batting above .600 on the season, and she even leads the team in stolen bases.

“I always tell her, ‘Look, just get your toes in there, expect it to be outside, and hope they miss inside,'” Lloyd said. “She is an all-around player this year. She stays in there, and she waits. If they miss, she is going to make them pay.”

Another returning all-state pick for the Colts, senior center fielder and Robert Morris recruit Delaney O’Connor went 1 for 2 with a walk on the afternoon, coming home to score on Duffill’s go-ahead home run. Together with Duffill and Walsh, O’Connor gives Chartiers Valley one of the WPIAL’s most talented trios — and with the season on the line on Monday, all three delivered for the Colts.

Next up, Chartiers Valley will advance to face top-seeded Penn-Trafford (18-2) for a spot in the WPIAL semifinals. Many will view the Colts as underdogs in that matchup, but this is a team with more than enough horsepower to take down any opponent in its path — and don’t be surprised if they make a run all the way to the big game.

“You get there and then you just play softball. You outhit the other team,” Lloyd said. “It’s a team game. I always tell them, ‘It starts in the dugout. Even if you’re not in, you are still a part of this game.’

“You have to be focused at all times. It takes all 21 of them to win.”

Chartiers Valley coach Chris Lloyd talks with all-state outfielder Delaney O’Connor during a 2-1 win against Plum in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs on Monday, May 12, 2025, at West Mifflin High School. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Other Class 5A

• In a rematch of last year’s WPIAL championship game, No. 6 Thomas Jefferson narrowly escaped with a 1-0 win against defending champion Armstrong at Plum, spoiling the No. 11 River Hawks’ bid for a fifth consecutive trip to the WPIAL title game. After propelling the Jaguars to a state title as a freshman, sophomore Aubrey Shaffer continued to cement her legacy as a big-game pitcher by shutting out Armstrong’s high-powered offense, which ranked No. 1 in Class 5A with an average of 10.7 runs per game during the regular season.

• In arguably the biggest upset of the day, sophomore Jillian Haigh hurled a three-hit shutout and struck out eight for No. 12 Fox Chapel (13-6) in a 4-0 win against No. 5 Franklin Regional (13-7) at North Allegheny. Haigh recorded two hits of her own at the plate for the Foxes, and Summer Burkhart also drove in a pair in the victory.

• Natalie Anzaldi went 2 for 3 with three RBIs for No. 4 North Hills (16-4), helping the Indians hold off a valiant effort by No. 13 Baldwin (13-6) for a 4-3 triumph at North Allegheny. Abby Sutton punched out six while earning the win for North Hills, which moves on to face section-rival Fox Chapel in the WPIAL quarterfinals.

• Ally Krenzelak went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI to lead No. 10 Trinity to a 7-0 win against No. 7 South Fayette (13-7) at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Hanna Suhoski added a double of her own for the Hillers (12-9), while Riley Venick singled and scored and Jonna Hartley added an RBI single in the victory.

• No. 1 Penn-Trafford survived a scare from No. 16 Moon at West Mifflin, as Rilie Moors went 3 for 4, Lorryn Sepe drove in a pair and Cam Ponko and Mackenzie Cox each added RBIs in a 5-3 win for the Warriors (18-2). Macy Trost went 2 for 3 with two RBIs in the defeat for the Tigers (7-10).

• Kate Cook and Ava Henke each clobbered home runs to power No. 3 West Allegheny to an 8-3 win against No. 14 Latrobe (10-9) at Plum. Savanna Benish and Irena Santoro added two doubles apiece for the Indians (14-4), while Autumn Bielecki picked up the win in the circle.

Plum players celebrate after scoring a run against Chartiers Valley in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs on Monday, May 12, 2025, at West Mifflin High School. Chartiers Valley won, 2-1. (Emily Matthews/Pittsburgh Union Progress)

Class 4A

• Jaedyn Brown pitched a complete-game gem for No. 6 Beaver (14-5), allowing one run on five hits and one walk while adding an RBI single at the plate in an 8-1 win over No. 11 Belle Vernon (9-11) at Pleasant Valley Elementary School. Bella Marino tallied two hits and drove in a pair for the Bobcats, while Sami Springman added a pair of hits and an RBI in the win.

• Bailey Legge delivered a bases-loaded, walk-off single to score Francesca DePalma with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting No. 8 Derry to a 2-1 win against No. 9 Greensburg Salem at Norwin. The victory marks just the second playoff win in school history for the Trojans, who will advance to take on defending WPIAL champion Elizabeth Forward in the quarterfinal round.

• Eva Parris, Addy Ramer and Mia Yenges combined to rack up nine hits, eight RBIs and nine runs scored for No. 5 Blackhawk (12-5), carrying the Cougars to a lopsided 14-4 win over No. 12 Western Beaver (6-13) at Montour.

• After falling into a five-run deficit against No. 13 North Catholic (8-9) at Montour, No. 4 West Mifflin (14-6) stormed back with eight unanswered runs to pull out a 9-6 come-from-behind victory.