CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. -- Two softball championship games were finished in State College Thursday despite the weather.
The PIAA Class 6A state final between Central Dauphin and Hazleton started at 2 p.m. And it took more than five and half hours to finish due to a lightning delay. But it was worth it for the Rams, who came out on top 3-1.
The victory is Central Dauphin's first softball title in school history.
"We certainly had the willpower, we had the pitching the hitting the defense to do it and we went out and we did it," said head coach Ken Williams, who is retiring after 29 years.
Senior pitcher Samantha Gress, a North Carolina State commit, added, "Ending my senior year with this, with Tyler, with my teammates, it's pretty special. And I wouldn't have it any other way."
The second game was played between West Perry and Elizabethtown Forward in the Class 4A final.
The Mustangs earned a 3-2 walkoff win over Elizabethtown Forward.
Senior catcher Cheyenne Shughart found the gap between third and short with bases loaded to knock in the winning run and give West Perry its first softball title in school history.
"Senior year, last chance every playing together and winning the state championship is definitely a good way to end the season," Shughart said.
Junior pitcher Cori Ritter added, "We just have a drive that no one else can find. We just wanted it more than everyone else here I think and that showed on the field. Our bats were there, everything was there. Defense was great, I came out ready to play. And knew that is what we needed. "