PIAA 6A SOFTBALL: Strechay reaches 400 career K’s as Perk Valley bulldozes George Washington 19-0 in first round of states

PHILADELPHIA — Whenever Maci Strechay steps into the pitching circle, Perkiomen Valley knows it has a better-than-decent chance of winning.

But when Strechay assumes her normal position and the Vikings’ offense hits like…this? Well, let’s just say the PV softball program is hoping the coming 10 days will yield the ultimate prize for the first time in school history.

Strechay retired all nine batters she faced – eight by strikeout, including the 400th of her storied career – and the PV offense scattered 24 hits around the diamond in just three innings during a 19-0 demolition of District 12 champion George Washington in the first round of the PIAA 6A Tournament at FDR Park in South Philadelphia on Monday. And while one of Perk Valley’s assistant coaches warned the team afterward that any future state playoff contest will likely not come as easy as this one did, it was also hard to diminish the Vikings’ enthusiasm after dominating so thoroughly in the program’s first PIAA game since 2017.

“The energy today was a little bit different,” Strechay said afterward. “Today, we put it all together. That’s what we need to do in the next few games. It’s a big opportunity and all of us are appreciative of it. It’s definitely new for all of us, so we’re taking it step by step, game by game, and we’re learning as we go.”

The Vikings (23-3) were the top seed in both the Pioneer Athletic Conference playoffs and the District 1-6A Tournament, and Strechay’s reliable right arm guided them through most of them unscathed. But in the district semis against OJR, PV’s offense faltered in a 2-0 defeat and the team was forced to settle for third place. Now with one final opportunity together in a PIAA 6A bracket that feels up for grabs, the entire lineup got to walk off the field on Monday feeling like they contributed.

That will be a powerful confidence boost heading into Thursday’s quarterfinal against fellow District 1 foe Council Rock South, a team that PV just beat 6-2 in last Thursday’s district third-place game. Of course, the Golden Hawks won’t have nearly as much difficulty catching and throwing the ball as Washington did on Monday, but now every PV hitter one through nine believes ultimately in a successful outcome at the plate.

“Honestly, I think it’s a reminder of our ability and talent as a team,” said PV catcher Lily Petaccio, who was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored. “When we’re going against harder pitchers and striking out more than we would in a game like this, it brings us down and carries over. A game like this helps us remember we are a good team and we have the ability to hit the ball. We just have to make good contact.”

Every starter had at least one hit for the Vikings, with six collecting multiple hits and five subs off the bench also adding a hit to the box score. Granted, at least half of those hits (and maybe more) would likely have been caught or fielded cleanly by a more skilled opponent, but an A is an A even when the test is graded on a curve.

Perk Valley plated four runs in the top of the first off Washington (12-5) starter Becca Varhula, courtesy of RBI singles by Petaccio and Sammy Petersen and a two-run double from Mia Corropolese. Strechay swiftly struck out the side, then she and Peyton Mears hit sacrifice flies in the top of the second as the Vikings claimed a 6-0 lead.

After three more Strechay punch outs, the wheels completely fell off for the Eagles as Perk Valley erupted for 13 runs and 16 hits in the top of the third. It could have been a lot worse for GW if the Vikings did not take their foot off the gas and decide to keep some offense in reserve for Thursday’s contest.

With Strechay’s number of games left in a PV uniform rapidly dwindling before she heads off to continue her softball career at West Chester University, Monday was one of the last opportunities to celebrate the senior’s reliability, dependability and outright skill in the circle (in the batter’s box, too, as she was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI). All of her teammates want to win a state championship for her.

“We would not have gotten this far without Maci – it’s so obvious,” Petaccio said. “I’m really lucky to be able to catch her. She’s brought my confidence up a lot. She’s helped me figure out how to call a game and where we want a pitch depending on the situation. That’s helped me with my softball IQ and with my confidence. I’ve become a better catcher because of Maci.”

In turn, Strechay wants her younger teammates to soak all of this postseason experience in and get as much out of these games as they can. Strechay and Petersen will graduate in the coming days, but everyone else will be back in 2026 and the reigning Mercury Softball Player of the Year wants these PIAA trips to become habitual for the program she’s given so much of herself to.

“It’s never been a singlehanded effort – we push each other to get better because that’s who we are,” Strechay said. “I’m appreciative of my team and I’m really happy because I wouldn’t have done any of this without them. They’re a big reason why we’re here, and I want to go win a ‘chip’ now.”

“We know we have to take it one game at a time, but I think everyone on this team is in it to win it, 100 percent,” Petaccio added. “I can feel the energy is different this year and we all want it a lot.”

Perkiomen Valley 19, George Washington 0 (3 innings)

PV 4 2 13  –  19 24 0

GW 0 0 0   –   0 0 2

WP: Maci Strechay 3IP, 0H, 0R, 0BB, 8K

LP: Becca Varhula 3IP, 24H, 19ER, 0BB, 2K

2B: PV- Jacqueline Miceli 2, Mia Corropolese, Maci Strechay, Nina Marsilio, Olivia Sharkey, Sammy Petersen

SB: PV- Maci Strechay, Olivia Smith