The Cougars senior went 3 for 4 with a home run, a triple, three RBIs and three runs to lead Valley View to a 13-8 victory over District 7 runner-up Blackhawk for the PIAA Class 4A softball championship, the Cougars’ second straight. Krupovich added an RBI and a run in Valley View’s 8-0 win over District 1 champion Pope John Paul II in the semifinals.
Family: Mom, Tara; dad, Eric; siblings, Ayden, Maddox and Tiara.
Coach: Mia Wascura.
What does this state title mean to you?: This one I’d say especially winning it with the girls that I’m graduating with I’d say is really important. And this one, it just felt different. There were so many more fans around. We got a call after on the way home on the bus that they were going to pay for our dinner. It just felt like the whole community was really around us this time. I told them on the bus before we even went to the game I wasn’t going home without a gold medal, so whatever I had to do to bring it home that’s what I was doing.
Was there anything said in the dugout after the team fell behind, 5-0, in the second inning? How did the team mentally lock in?: I tell them before every game, ‘Find a reason,’ whatever that reason may be. I told them in the dugout when we came in from that inning, we could come back from that. We came back the first game from 11 runs against Pittston, which we never thought was going to happen. We’ve come back from bigger things. And I actually said a prayer. I said, ‘God if there’s any way we could come back from this game, let me see it,’ and that’s when we scored nine runs.
What was the key for your team in that fourth inning that you were able to get those nine runs?: I think definitely staying short, because in the beginning we were popping the ball up, and we definitely shouldn’t have been popping the ball up on a pitcher like that. I told them, stay short, see your pitch. I was like, if you don’t like it, don’t swing. See yourself in a deeper count. I was actually happy that Coral (Kelly) was one of the first ones to get a hit. I love that kid. She puts in so much work, and I was happy for her. And then I think everyone after she got a hit just fed off that. I think they were thinking back to what I had told them on the bus, and they were like, let’s do this.
Take me through your first at-bat of the fourth inning, and getting that infield single: She kind of busted me inside. The at-bat before, she was throwing everything outside, so I was kind of caught by surprise by the inside pitch. The third baseman was ready for me to hit it over her head, so she was way back. I was hustling all the way down first base, they weren’t throwing me out.
Later in the fourth, you rip an RBI triple into right field: I fouled one off in that at-bat, and I just told myself I need to stay short. I keep missing it, I’m popping it up, I’m grounding out, I’m like, ‘Oh my God, just find the middle of the ball.’ So, I took a step back, I took a breath, my coach always tells me to take a breath. I saw it deeper in the zone, and as soon as it came off my bat, I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ve gotta go.’
Take me through your at-bat when you hit the two-run home run in the top of the sixth: The first pitch, just like the triple, I fouled one off, and I felt myself get under that one a little bit and she ended up throwing me the same pitch. So, I was like, ‘Well, I’m not missing it this time.’ So again, I literally just told myself stay short and you see me in the video it was off of like ESPN. I turned on it and it was just gone. I couldn’t even believe it myself.
You start off the bottom of the seventh with a nice running catch on a liner to center field. How did it feel when you caught that liner to get the first out in the seventh?: All game, I was thinking to myself, ‘You know what, I might dive for a ball today,’ which my coaches know is never going to happen with me. But I saw that one and I was like, ‘Oh, this might be the one,’ but sometimes I just put on the wheels and I get there. And I’m like, ‘Well, I’m not diving.’ If I miss this ball, I’m going to be so mad at myself. I caught it and I was like, ‘You know what, we got this.’ And then the next girl popped it up and then Abbi (Call) struck the next girl out. Honestly, it’s such a great feeling. You can’t even explain it.
This run with this senior class — two state titles and four district championships — how incredible has your experience been with this team?: It’s been insane. These girls, I was always telling them if you have the heart for the game that I do, I just want you around me because I love seeing people who love to play the game play the game. It’s just so fun, and you saw that yesterday with nine runs in an inning. If you don’t love the game, that’s never going to happen.
You’re committed to Division I Bryant University. What made you choose there?: My junior summer, I had switched from the team that I was on for years and I was devastated, but it was never going to get me the scholarship that I wanted, so I had to break away from it, and I went to Rock Gold where I met Coach (Rick) Waye. And actually the first week I wasn’t even on his team yet. He holds a camp. It’s called ‘The Beast,’ and he pays all these coaches to come and play games with us and do all these drills and everything. And I had met the Bryant coach, literally her and I are cracking jokes at first base. I just kind of felt like it worked. And then I went up there for a camp, and I literally just killed it, and I just felt like this is where I need to be, just how I feel at Valley View. It’s where I’m meant to be.
What will you major in: International business.
Athlete you admire: I’ve always admired Jocelyn Alo, even though she doesn’t play anymore and now she had a baby. I always admired her. Anybody, like I said, who has the heart for the game who just wants to win, that’s who I look up to.
Superstitions or rituals before or during a game: I always do the same hairstyle, which is a braid with four bubbles — no more, no less. For Valley View, I did the Valley View colors for the hair ties for all of them, and I never changed it.
Favorite food: Chicken.
Favorite sports teams: Philadelphia Eagles and New York Yankees.
Favorite movie: I just watched “Obsession” and I really liked that.
Favorite TV show: I really like “Suits.” I’m into all the law shows.
Favorite musical artist: Jason Aldean.
Three people you’d like to have dinner with: Jason Aldean, Texas Tech softball coach (Gerry Glasco) and Jocelyn Alo.