Apr 3, 2002 By The 9 min read

Connellsville’s boys tennis team keeps on winning The Connellsville boys tennis team kept winning Tuesday with a strong 4-1 non-section victory over the visiting Southmoreland Scotties. The Falcons improve to 3-0 overall.

Ryan Hornick started things for Don Campbell’s Falcons with a 6-3, 7-6 (7) victory at No. 1 singles over Cameron Lowe. In a battle of Cunninghams, Southmoreland’s Nick rallied from a set down to defeat Connellsville’s Gene at No. 2 singles. Josh Martin secured the singles for Connellsville by shutting out Greg Jaworski at No. 3 singles.

Steve Lucas and Matt Ratti dropped the first set at No. 1 doubles, but only dropped one game in the next two sets. Steve Haines and Randy Richter completed the victory with a straight sets victory.

“We’re coming around. We’re not there yet, but I’m pleased with what we’re doing,” Campbell said.

Connellsville (1-0) returns to Section 5-AAA action Thursday with a makeup at Trinity.

Boys Baseball

Beth-Center 4, Frazier 2 – Justin Huey worked three scoreless innings, and Kevin Kunkle’s fourth-inning RBI double proved to be the game-winning hit as the Bulldogs came away with a non-section win at Frazier.

Huey (2-0) relieved starter Matt Falcon and worked the third, fourth and fifth innings. He struck out four and walked one. D.J. Nakuis worked the final two innings to pick up the save.

Tom Begonia homered for Frazier (0-2).

Beth-Center (2-0) wound up with five hits, as did Frazier.

The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Tom Chisler singled, stole second and scored on Mark Nesto’s single.

After Begonia’s home run to lead off the bottom of the second tied the game, Beth-Center took the lead for good an inning later when Chisler’s single knocked in Bobby Yanak.

Kunkle’s double scored Matt Babko an inning later to make it 3-1, and Jarred Stepp scored on a balk by losing pitcher Scott Knight in the fifth to pad Beth-Center’s lead to three runs.

Rob Lerdia’s double scored Steve Eroley to cut the lead in half in the bottom of sixth inning.

Knight started and worked the first five innings, striking out four and walking one. Adam Souply finished up, striking out three batters and hitting one.

Souply, the only player with multiple hits, singled and doubled in three plate appearances.

“It was a well-pitched, well-played game on both sides,” said Beth-Center coach Frank Pryor.

The Bulldogs return to action today, hosting Canevin at 4:15.

Connellsville 8, Woodland Hills 5 – Facing one of the WPIAL’s best pitchers, the Falcons were more than up to the task.

Highlighted by Andy Beucher’s two-run double, Connellsville scored four times in the top of the fifth inning to knock out Woodland Hills’ Mike Rhoten en route to a non-section road victory.

The Falcons totaled 10 hits off two Wolverine pitchers, and scored seven runs (six earned) off Rhoten before his exit.

Connellsville’s Anthony Smith had two doubles and two RBIs, while Brad Livingston singled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Along with Beucher’s fifth-inning double, Livingston added a two-run single during the frame.

The Falcons’ Jon Stutzman added a two-base hit.

After two scoreless innings, the Falcons and Wolverines traded runs in the third inning. Smith doubled in two runs to give Connellsville a 3-1 lead an inning later, but Woodland Hills scored three times in its half of the fourth, with Dan Kuntz’s two-run double being the big blow.

Connellsville then took control of the game and sent Rhoten to the showers with a four-run fifth to make it 7-4. After Woodland Hills pulled to within 7-5, the Falcons’ Brandon Bryner scored on Eric Luckey’s sixth-inning suicide squeeze to push the lead back to three runs.

“It was a good win against a pretty good pitcher,” said Connellsville’s Bob Renzi. “We got some big two out hits and we ended up knocking out Rhoten in the fifth.”

Brent Wilson (1-0) worked the final three innings to pick up the win. He allowed an unearned run, one hit, struck out one and walked one. Shawn Durr started and worked the first three innings, while Travis Henry pitched the fourth.

Rhoten struck out seven and walked two, while Jeff Deifel fanned two batters over the final two innings. Mike O’Leary added a double for the hosts.

Connellsville travels to Plum Thursday at 3:45 p.m.

Laurel Highlands 13, Waynesburg Central 2 – The Mustangs scored five runs in the fifth inning, including the 5-inning, 10-run rule tally with two outs, to improve their overall record to 4-0 on the season.

The Raiders (1-2) scored in the top of the first, but Laurel Highlands responded with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Waynesburg Central got one of the runs back before the Mustangs put the game out of reach with five runs in the fourth inning.

Andy Koposko spurred the Mustang attack with two singles and four RBIs. Kevin Martin tripled and socked a solo home run in the fourth inning to finish with three RBIs. David Landman singled and doubled with Eric Darr added a double and Aaron Lowden contributed a triple.

Eric Churney and Eric Conklin doubled for the Raiders.

Belle Vernon 10, East Allegheny 1 – Tim Latham took matters into his own hands for the Leopards, pitching a two-hit complete game with 10 strikeouts while starring at the plate with three hits and five RBIs. Aaron Krepps also had a strong game at the plate for Belle Vernon (1-0) with a double, single, four runs scored and three RBIs.

California 6, Charleroi 3 – The Trojans opened the bottom of the first with two runs, then scored the eventual go-ahead run in the fourth for their first win of the season.

Bryan Dunn struck out one and walked won for the win. Chris Cox picked up the save.

Andy Galis had a double and single for the Trojans.

Losing pitcher Trevor Consavage helped his own cause with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning.

Girls softball

Brownsville 16, Albert Gallatin 15 – Erin Guerriere scored on Maggie Craig’s single in the top of the ninth inning to give the Lady Falcons a wild extra-inning win over the host Lady Colonials.

The two teams combined for 17 errors, and both had nine-run innings. Brownsville committed more errors (six) than it had hits, as did Albert Gallatin. The Colonials had nine hits while committing 11 errors.

After losing pitcher Shawna Hartman struck out Brownsville’s first hitter of the ninth inning, Guerriere drew a walk. Julia Martini, who earlier doubled for the game’s only extra-base hit, reached on an error and Gina Pelehac popped out for the second out of the inning.

Craig then grounded a single between third base and shortstop to drive in Guerriere with the winning run.

Amanda Voytovich picked up the win, coming into the game in the sixth inning in relief of starter Lindsey Zidek. Craig led Brownsville with two hits.

Hartman suffered the loss, after entering the game in the fourth inning in relief of Jess Lemro.

Albert Gallatin’s Jessica Condolucci had two hits and scored three runs, while Lemro had two hits and scored two runs. The Lady Colonials’ Holly Williams had a pair of hits, while Adrienne Dunham drew four walks.

After Brownsville’s first at-bat produced nine runs, Albert Gallatin (0-1) answered in the bottom of the second inning. Four straight walks, the last to Amanda McKahn scored Lemro with the first run.

Jennifer Tressler’s single brought in Dunham and Brittany Morris for two more, and Condolucci’s bunt brought McKahn home to make it 9-4. Williams had a bunt single to scored Tressler with the fifth run, and after Hartman to re-load the bases, Stephanie Vicinelly bunted to scored Condolucci and make it 9-6.

Williams and Hartman scored on a Lemro single to pull Albert Gallatin to within 9-8, and after a groundout and two more walks, Vicinelly scored the ninth and tying run.

Albert Gallatin travels to Canon-McMillan today for a 4 p.m. contest.

Beth-Center 3, Yough 2 – The Lady Bulldogs’ seventh inning rally scored two runs for a non-section home victory. Kristi Mazzaferri struck out eight and walked only one in the victory.

Jennifer Brady started the winning rally with her second single of the game and was bunted to second. Sherri Roberts made it to second on an error and Julie Bakewell’s bunt single loaded the bases for Lesley Kurjanowicz. Her bases loaded single, Kurjanowicz’s second of the game, scored Brady and Roberts with the tying and winning runs.

Laurel Highlands 10, Frazier 1 – Angela Shotter won her first game of the season, striking out six and a walking one for the Fillies.

Janelle Zinn and Heidi Frank both doubled with two singles for Laurel Highlands. Frank chipped in a pair of runs batted in. Marcie Pursglove also double for the Fillies.

Uniontown 7, Geibel Catholic 3 – The Lady Red Raiders broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the third inning for a season-opening victory on the road. Emily Fisher had an RBI-double to help key the big inning for Uniontown. Katy Andyjohn had two singles for the Lady Gators.

Shade 21, Turkeyfoot Valley 8 – A combination of walks, errors and singles totaled 14 second inning runs for the visitors in a West-Pac Conference game played at Turkeyfoot.

The Lady Rams (0-1, 0-1) led 6-0 after an inning before Shade struck for 14 runs. The runs kept coming for the visitors with four in the third, two in the fourth and another in the top of the fifth.

Jenette Augustine had a double and single for Turkeyfoot. Ashlee Garletts and Becky Ohler also had two hits for the Lady Rams.

Men’s baseball

California (Pa.) 4, Lock Haven 3; California 2, Lock Haven 2, susp. – Connellsville’s Nick Damico pitched the final three innings in relief of starting and winning pitcher Mike Larson to earn his second save of the season in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader.

The second game was suspended after nine innings and will be completed when Lock Haven travels to California on April 20.

Jeff Booth drove home two runs while Albert Gallatin graduate Scott Van Sickle knocked home another for the Vulcans. Laurel Highlands graduate Brad McClelland tripled and scored for California.

Boys track

Southmoreland 89, South Park 61 – The Scotties picked up right where they left off in Section 3-AA with a good performance on the road.

Southmoreland boys head coach Bill Schrecengost had strong performances from B.J. Hall in the hurdles, Tommy Brittain in the middle and long distances, Tim Fratto in the 100 and jumps and Brian Connors in the sprints.

Hall won the 110 high (16.6) and 300 intermediate hurdles (44.2) with Brittain taking the 800 and 1,600 and running anchor on the 3,200 and 1,600 relay teams.

Fratto outsprinted the field in the 100 (11.4) and outjumped the competition in the long (19-91/2) and triple (40-8) jumps. Connors was the top man in the 200 (23.9) and ran the second leg of the victorious 400 relay team.