Schuylkill League Softball Playoffs Preview Capsules
Blue Mountain's Emily Leonard (24) and Emmerson Frie (33) celebrate after Leonard pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam against North Schuylkill on March 26, 2026, at Patton Field. The Eagles defeated the Spartans 4-1. (Photo by Bob Lipsky)
Schuylkill League Softball Playoffs
Preview Capsules
Schedule
All games at Blue Mountain’s Patton Field
Monday, May 12
Quarterfinals
Division II No. 3 Schuylkill Haven (14-6) vs. Division I No. 2 Pine Grove Area (18-2), 4:30 p.m.
Division I No. 3 North Schuylkill (16-4) vs. Division II No. 2 Williams Valley (16-4), 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 13
Semifinals
NS-WV winner vs. Division I champion Blue Mountain (19-1), 4:30 p.m.
PGA-SH winner vs. Division II champion Tri-Valley (15-4), 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, May 15
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: $6 for adults, $3 for students. No Senior Citizen discount. Cash at the gate.
About Blue Mountain (19-1)
Head coach: Paul Leonard, 2nd season (34-8)
How they got here: No. 1 seed from Division I with 13-1 league record
Key players: 1B Anna Borden, sr. (.508, 25 R, 11 2B, 1 HR, 25 RBIs); CF Addyson Fishburn, jr. (.562, 32 R, 17 RBIs, 30 SB); C Emmerson Frie, soph. (.397, 10 R, 4 HR, 31 RBIs); P Emily Leonard, soph. (16-1, 1.05 ERA, 93 IP, 108 K)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making fifth appearance in program history. League champion in 2023 (defeated North Schuylkill 3-2 in final) and in 2024 (defeated Tri-Valley 6-5 in 9 innings in final). Did not qualify last season.
Fast facts: Eagles traversed rugged Division I schedule with loss of just one game, 5-3 in 8 innings to Pine Grove Area on April 14. … Swept North Schuylkill, 4-1 and 6-4. … Own non-league wins over Emmaus, Hamburg, Minersville and Hazleton Area. … Play and cheer with a lot of energy. … Short game, stealing bases and taking extra bases put the pressure on an opponent’s defense. … Have stolen 103 bases in 20 games. … Interesting mix: Three senior starters played on back-to-back state championship teams; four sophomores are two-year starters with more than 40 games under their belts. … Pitching, defense and speed are team’s calling cards.
About North Schuylkill (16-4)
Head coach: Jack Flynn, 2nd season (34-10)
How they got here: No. 3 seed from Division I with 11-3 league record
Key players: P-SS Brigid Flynn, sr. (.441, 38 R, 4 HR, 16 RBIs; pitching — 13-4, 1.86 ERA, 79 IP, 79 K); C Gianna Capone, jr. (.517, 22 R, 5 HR, 32 RBIs); 1B Jordanna Frie, sr. (.464, 22 R, 4 HR, 17 RBIs); 3B Mallorie Croker, sr. (.397, 16 R, 10 2B, 1 HR, 26 RBIs)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making eighth appearance in program history. Lost 7-4 to Tri-Valley in last year’s semifinals. League champion in 2021.
Fast facts: Spartans can score runs in bunches and probably have deepest and most powerful offense of any of the six playoff teams. Have hit 20 home runs in 20 games. … Handed Pine Grove Area one of its two losses, 6-4 on April 2; Cardinals downed Spartans 10-0 in rematch April 28. … Brigid Flynn in circle gives North Schuylkill legitimate ace. … When the Spartans catch the ball behind her and swing the bats like they can, they’re really tough to beat.
About Pine Grove Area (18-2)
Head coach: Ryan Leffler, 13th season (227-64)
How they got here: No. 2 seed from Division I with 12-2 league record
Key players: CF Callee Leffler, sr. (.688, 48 R, 6 2B, 7 3B, 11 HR, 38 RBIs, 22 SB); SS Hannah Aungst, sr. (.418, 24 R, 27 RBIs, 11 SB); 2B Lily Flynn, jr. (.410, 19 R, 7 2B, 20 RBIs); P-DP Jamie Dinger, jr. (.403, 2 HR, 17 RBIs; pitching — 11-2, 0.44 ERA, 79.1 IP, 103 K); P-DP Chelcy Clark, jr. (.306, 19 RBIs; pitching — 7-0, 0.42 ERA, 33.2 IP, 44 K); 3B Meadow Umbenhauer, jr. (.415, 21 R, 3 HR, 16 RBIs); C Tailyn Bohr, sr. (.396, 15 R, 14 RBIs); RF Khloe Jessman, fr. (.456, 23 R, 1 HR, 18 RBIs)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making 13th appearance in program history. Last season, beat Schuylkill Haven 7-1 in quarterfinals, beat Williams Valley 14-5 in semifinals and beat Tri-Valley 4-0 in championship game for sixth league title. League champion in 2010, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025.
Fast facts: Went 4-2 against other playoff teams. … Outside division, defeated Williams Valley 9-0 and Tri-Valley 10-0. … Went out of Schuylkill League and beat Class 6As Whitehall (14-0) and Northampton (5-1). … Team revolves around pitching of Dinger and Clark and with few exceptions strong defense. Callee Leffler is having a season — and career — for the ages. She’s a threat to go yard every time she comes to the plate. Key will be to get traffic on bases in front of Leffler so opponents have to pitch to her and for batters behind her to cash in when she’s on the bases. … With its run to a PIAA Class 3A state championship last season, Pine Grove Area has more playoff experience than anyone in the field.
About Schuylkill Haven (14-6)
Head coach: Garry Adams, 8th season (87-63)
How they got here: No. 3 seed from Division II with 11-3 league record
Key players: P-SS Joie Schoffstall, jr. (.471, 24 R, 15 2B, 1 HR, 29 RBIs; pitching — 8-2, 4.38 ERA, 40 IP, 44 K); P-SS Alli Scherer, jr. (.492, 40 R, 6 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBIs, 21 SB; pitching — 6-4, 3.10 ERA, 72.1 IP, 86 K); 3B-C Aisley Jenan, soph. (.544, 24 R, 11 2B, 1 HR, 31 RBIs)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making second appearance in program history. Lost to Pine Grove Area 7-1 in last year’s quarterfinals.
Fast facts: Hurricanes sat at 3-5 after 13-3 loss to Williams Valley on April 2. Club has gone 11-1 since. … Young club (1 senior) has made big strides since March and is a dangerous out. … Beat Minersville, Williams Valley and Marian down the stretch to clinch playoff berth. … Defense will be key when Division I squads turn up the pressure with their bunting and running games. … The Hurricanes hit much better in the second half of the season, raising team batting average to .372.
About Tri-Valley (15-4)
Head coach: Marty Shade, 35th season (549-212)
How they got here: No. 1 seed from Division II with 12-2 league record
Key players: 2B Summer Cupsta, jr. (.577, 28 R, 6 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBIs); P-SS Myah Schwalm, soph. (.453, 15 R, 10 2B, 2 HR, 28 RBIs; pitching — 8-0, 2.61 ERA, 45.2 IP, 37 K); P-SS Alina Leonard, soph. (.356, 25 R, 2 HR, 10 RBIs; pitching — 3-2, 3.78 ERA, 33.1 IP, 44 K); 3B Liv Witmer, jr. (.397, 19 R, 11 2B, 1 HR, 22 RBIs); C Lydia Rodichok, jr. (.382, 1 HR, 14 RBIs); CF Liv Lupole, sr. (.357, 18 R, 2 HR, 20 RBIs)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making ninth appearance in program history. Last season, beat Tamaqua 7-4 in quarterfinals, beat North Schuylkill 4-3 in semifinals and lost 4-0 to Pine Grove Area in championship game. League champion in 2009, 2013, 2022.
Fast facts: Dawgs found themselves 4-3 on April 10 after a 10-5 loss to Tamaqua. They turned things around with an 11-1 finish to rise to the top of the division. Beat North Schuylkill (7-6) in non-league game, swept Schuylkill Haven (7-3 and 9-5) and split with Williams Valley (including 9-8 win May 5). … Strong hitting club, but pitching and defense must hold up to advance in the postseason. … Win over Marian on May 4 made Shade the Schuylkill League’s all-time winningest head softball coach, passing Minersville’s legendary coach Ken Schneck.
About Williams Valley (16-4)
Head coach: Ryan Underkoffler, 10th season (179-43)
How they got here: No. 2 seed from Division II with 11-3 league record
Key players: SS Ella Kobularik, sr. (.410, 30 R, 14 RBIs); 1B Megan Perhach, sr. (.424, 19 R, 23 RBIs); 2B Cierra Brill, soph. (.439, 25 R, 12 RBIs); P-3B Liv Hand (.397, 5 HR, 36 RBIs, 25 R; pitching — 8-3, 2.75 ERA, 61 IP, 72 K); P-3B Kamri Koppenhaver, jr. (.382, 20 RBIs; pitching — 5-1, 2.48 ERA, 36.2 IP, 52 K); C Quin Smeltz, sr. (.333, 2 HR, 22 RBIs)
Schuylkill League history (since 2009): Making eighth appearance in program history. Lost 14-5 to Pine Grove Area in last year’s semifinals. League champion in 2014, 2016.
Fast facts: Vikings roared out of the gates and posted 15-1 record after beating Northern Lehigh 2-0 on April 27. … Three-game losing streak followed — to Schuylkill Haven (7-6), Minersville (2-1) and Tri-Valley (9-8). … Which Williams Valley team will we see, the one that crushed opponents during the first 15 games or the one that struggled over the final five? … Offense showed signs of life late against Tri-Valley. The Vikings will look for more of that against playoff opponents. They’re capable, but they haven’t been as consistent as they usually are.
