Photographer, Post-Gazette Danielle Claassen Click photo for larger image.

DANIELLE CLAASSEN

SCHOOL: Chartiers-Houston.

WHO IS SHE? A 5-foot-3 junior pitcher who has led Chartiers-Houston to a spot in the PIAA Class A softball championship. The Bucs (21-1) play Minersville (23-2) tomorrow in Shippensburg for the title.

THE PAST WEEK: Claassen pitched a two-hitter in a 2-1 victory against Beth-Center in the semifinals Monday. She pitched a four-hitter and struck out 13 in a 2-1 quarterfinal victory against Smethport last Thursday.

ONCE-BEATEN: Claassen has a 16-1 record, and her only loss was in the middle of the season to Trinity, a Class AAAA school. Claassen has a 0.70 ERA and 125 strikeouts in 110 innings. She has allowed only 49 hits.

BECOMING NO. 1: Through the first third of the season, Claassen split the pitching duties with Michelle Greenawalt. But Claassen eventually became the team's top pitcher, and Greenawalt moved to second base.

"She just kind of took over and has been doing a great job ever since," said Chartiers-Houston coach Tricia Alderson. "Actually, one of the reasons we've kept her at pitcher is because we're stronger defensively when she pitches and Michelle Greenawalt plays second."

HITTING FROM BOTH SIDES: Claassen is a switch-hitter for the Bucs. She bats second and has a .271 average. She has scored 13 runs, has 10 RBIs and leads the team in stolen bases with eight.

"Last year, she was strictly a righty," Alderson said. "But I think she tried the switch-hitting a little more in the summer. This year, we just wanted to get more lefties in the lineup and try to make things happen more.

"When she goes to the left side, she's trying to punch the ball somewhere or trying to slap bunt in order to use her speed or quickness."

CHEERLEADER: Alderson said Claassen has a carefree, upbeat attitude. "She's just a goofy kid," Alderson said in a complimentary manner. "She's always cheering, dancing or doing something to make us laugh."

Chartiers-Houston's players cheer, chant and sing almost the entire game. They will dance in unison in the dugout. It's rare when they sit down. Claassen is one of the ring-leaders.

"It just keeps everybody pumped up and into the games," Claassen said. "Some of the dances we might practice before a game, just so that we don't all look stupid.

"Some of the things we do have been passed along from other players and teams. But myself and one of my friends on the team, Felecia Bates, make up some stupid ones, too."

-- By Mike White

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DAN BROWN

SCHOOL: Riverside.

WHO IS HE? A 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior second baseman-pitcher who has played a pivotal role in the Panthers' run to the PIAA Class AA championship game. Riverside (23-2) meets Halifax (23-3) tomorrow at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona.

THIS WEEK: Brown hit a two-run homer in Riverside's 5-3 victory Monday against North Catholic in the semifinals. He also pitched the seventh inning and got a save.

SEASON STATS: Brown is batting .373 (28 for 75) with four doubles, one triple, three home runs and 22 RBIs. He is 1-1 as a pitcher with three saves.

PLAYING WITH PAIN: When the season ends, Brown will have surgery on his right shoulder to repair a torn labrum. He has pitched only 11²/₃ innings this year because of the shoulder soreness.

"You have to kind of pick your spots for when to use him," said Riverside coach Dan Oliastro. "He can come in and throw hard. You just don't know how long he can go."

Brown said: "Whenever I'm pitching in a game like [the semifinals], I don't feel the pain. It's just the day after or two days later when I can feel it."

Brown also came back from an injury in the WPIAL championship a few weeks ago. He received cuts around his left eye and a scratched cornea when he was hit by a North Catholic player while trying to turn a double play.

SENIOR PROJECT KING: Seniors at Riverside High School must complete a senior project to graduate. Brown's project was awarded the best at the school.

He raised $5,000 for a mesh fence in center field that gives batters a better background to see while hitting. He raised money by selling advertising on the fence.

He also was able to obtain a state grant worth $10,000 that will go toward other field improvements, such as more bleachers.

"One of the requirements is you have to put in 30 hours toward the project," Brown said. "If I'm going to put 30 hours into something, I'm going to put it into something I like to do.

"I started thinking, 'We don't have the greatest field. What can I do to make it better?' "

TAKE A WIFF: One of Brown's favorite activities is to play Wiffle ball in his back yard with his friends.

"We actually dug out boxes for bases and sometimes we paint lines," Brown said. "We're pretty into it."

Can hitting a Wiffle ball affect a baseball swing?

"I figure if you can hit the curveball in Wiffle ball, you can hit any curveball," Brown said.

THE FUTURE: Brown will play next season at Duquesne University.

-- By Mike White