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Schifko’s double helps Waynesburg rally past Laurel Highlands Jessica Schifko cleared the bases with a fifth-inning double, helping Waynesburg Central rally past Laurel Highlands and remain unbeaten with a 4-2 non-section victory Wednesday in high school girls softball action.

Trailing 2-0, Waynesburg strung together three straight singles with one out before Schifko’s double. Schifko gave Waynesburg (3-0) an insurance run with an RBI-triple in the top of the seventh inning.

Laurel Highlands (1-3) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning as Abby Martin and Renee Gmiter drove in runs.

Autumn Minor (1-0) earned the win, scattering nine hits, while striking out four and walking none.

Angela Shotter (0-2) suffered the loss, allowing eight hits while striking out three with one walk.

Shotter paced the Fillies’ offense with three hits, with Martin adding a pair. Gmiter and Keri Smiell added doubles.

Melinda Henderson doubled for the Lady Raiders, and Danielle King chipped in two singles.

“It was a great game,” said Waynesburg coach Lou Giachetti. “Their pitcher (Shotter) threw really well. She has excellent control. They really have a nice team. I think they’re going to do well.

“We’re doing OK. If I could just get my girls to start responding before the fourth inning, we’d be better off.”

Waynesburg opens Section 7-AA play today, hosting McGuffey at 4 p.m.

Carmichaels 5, Beth-Center 3 – The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but the Lady Mikes countered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning for a non-section home victory.

Kristi Mazzaferri drove home two runs on a triple and scored the third run to spot Beth-Center a 3-0 lead.

Carmichaels cut into the lead on Sarah Pavel’s two-run double, and then took the lead on winning pitcher Melissa Metcalf’s two-run single.

Metcalf (4-1) struck out four, walked one and went 2-for-3 at the plate.

Metcalf benefited from two doubles plays, one in the fourth and the other in fifth.

Megan Wood and Dotty Virgili both doubled for the Lady Mikes.

Connellsville 7, Chartiers-Houston 0 – Kerri Hiles fired a two-hitter and struck out 11, as the Lady Falcons blanked the host Class A Lady Buccaneers.

Hiles (3-0) walked only one batter in tossing the complete game. She added two hits at the plate.

Connellsville’s Rachel Means tripled and scored on Lyndsay O’Donnell’s sacrifice fly to give the Lady Falcons a 1-0 first-inning lead. Later in the inning, Hiles singled, Natalie Bukovac walked and Kristina Brooks singled to right field. Hiles scored when the right fielder misplayed the ball.

The Lady Falcons put the game away with a five-spot in the top of the fifth inning.

Jen Alderson suffered the loss, allowing six hits in seven innings. She struck out 10 and walked three.

Connellsville improves to 4-0.

Jefferson-Morgan 6, Geibel Catholic 4 – Charity McCann’s two-run triple highlighted a four-run third inning, as the Lady Rockets knocked off the visiting Lady Gators in non-section action.

Geibel scored single runs in both the first and second innings, before Jefferson-Morgan’s outburst. The Lady Gators pulled to within 4-3 an inning later, but the Lady Rockets countered with two of their own to take push their lead to 6-3.

Kelli Waligora (1-2) went the distance, allowing seven hits. She struck out seven and walked three.

Lyndsay Bogdan and Walgora stroked RBI-singles, while Brittany Coles added a two-base hit.

Carrie Gessner suffered the loss, allowing seven hits. She struck out three and walked three.

Kristin Hozak tripled for the Lady Gators, while Emily Pennington and Annie Kozel doubled.

Morgantown (W.Va.) 11, Albert Gallatin 1 – In suffering their first loss, the Lady Colonials had trouble holding onto the ball, committing eight errors against the Lady Mohigans.

Morgantown (2-1) scored 10 runs in its first at-bat with the help of seven errors. The game lasted only five innings because of the 10-run rule.

Kim Savage picked up the win, starting and working three innings.

Jennifer Tressler was tagged with the loss, tossing all five innings. She allowed 10 hits and four earned runs. She struck out two and walked two.

The Lady Colonials’ Jessica Condoluci and Holly Williams had two hits each.

Autumn Densantis paced Morgantown with three hits, including a double, while Ashley Arthur and Kirby Bonner both were 2 for 3.

Albert Gallatin drops to 3-1 and returns to action today, traveling to Baldwin at 4 p.m.

Mount Pleasant 8, California 1 – The Lady Vikings took advantage of four errors to hand the host Lady Trojans a non-section loss.

Meghan Davis picked up the win, allowing four hits, striking out one and walking four.

Alison Edwards (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing eight hits over seven innings. She struck out nine and walked two.

The Lady Vikings’ Amy Ament smacked two doubles, drove in two runs, walked twice and scored four runs. Kristy Caster added two singles and an RBI.

Five of Mount Pleasant’s eight runs were unearned.

Belle Vernon 13, Charleroi 3 – Julian Kunka tripled twice, doubled and drove in four runs to help the Lady Leopards to a Section 7-AA victory over the host Lady Cougars.

Elyse Biddle added a double and three RBI, Brooke Panepinto singled twice and drove in a run, Ashton Neil singled and drove in two runs, and Dana Pickerton singled and knocked in a run.

Megan Flower (2-0) picked up the victory, allowing three hits over five innings. The game was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule. Flower struck out 10 and walked one.

Charleroi’s Nicole Kramer allowed 12 hits in five innings. She struck out two and walked five.

Belle Vernon improves to 4-0 overall, 1-0 in Section 7-AA.

Tuesday’s action

Belle Vernon 7, West Mifflin 3 – Corey Baron improved to 2-0, allowing only three hits over seven innings as the Lady Leopards eased past the Lady Titans.

Sarah Jolley doubled, singled and drove in two runs, while Baron helped herself with two singles and an RBI. Ra’Shanna Church singled and drove in a run, while Kunka chipped in a double.

Baron went the distance, striking out six and walking one.

Jennifer Chichvak suffered the loss, allowing seven hits over six innings. She struck out four and walked three.

Baseball

Brownsville 11, Clairton 1 – Chad Rice drove in four runs in support of winning pitcher Kevin Garbutt, as the Falcons posted an easy non-section win over the visiting Bears.

Garbutt (1-0) started and worked all five innings, allowing four hits and one run. The sophomore struck out six and walked three.

Rice and Mike Klamerus both had two hits, and Troy Nichols chipped in a double and two RBI.

Brad Sacunas suffered the loss, starting and working three innings. He allowed five hits and two runs while walking five and striking out three.

Trailing 1-0, Brownsville scored twice in the bottom of the third inning. The Falcons blew the game open with a six-run fourth inning.

“Last year and the first couple of games this year we struggled to score runs,” said Scott Roebuck. “But we came around today. We’re young, but we’re going to be OK.”

Mapletown 10, Monessen 8 – Drew Denham worked four innings of no-hit ball, and Justin Corso recorded the final three outs via strikeout as the Maples picked up a non-section win at Monessen.

Denham (1-1) struck out nine and walked only one batter. He gave way to Chris Petrick with a three-run lead after four innings. Mapletown scored six more runs to lead 10-1 in the top of the fifth inning, but the Greyhounds scored five in their half of the fifth and two more in the sixth to make it close.

Corso relieved Petrick and closed out the game with three seventh-inning strikeouts. Corso also added two doubles and two RBI.

Jayce Donley smacked two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, while Andy Latusek and Joe Kovach had two hits apiece, one of Kovach’s going for two bases.

Dan Thomas suffered the loss, starting and lasting three innings. He allowed four runs (three earned), four hits and struck out four.

Mapletown opens Section 1-A play Saturday, hosting the Avella Eagles at noon.

Belle Vernon 12, East Allegheny 6 – Things didn’t start off great, but the Leopards settled down and captured their Section 5-AA opener over the visiting Wildcats.

After falling behind 5-0 in the top of the first inning, Belle Vernon (2-1, 1-0) responded with a four-run second inning. Trailing 6-4, the Leopards tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning, then scored three runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Doug Ivill led the charge with two singles and four RBI. He also scored twice. Ryan Kelly added a 3-for-3 performance, and Chris Trenk chipped in two hits, including a double, and scored three runs.

John Timko, Gary Beck and Mike Jurcevich added doubles.

Bryan Gray picked up the win in relief of Timko, who started and lasted just 1/3 of an inning, and Bret Herspold, who took over for Timko and worked the next 3 2/3 innings. Gray (1-1) pitched the final three innings, allowing only Anthony Cyzavovich’s seventh-inning double. He struck out two and walked one.

Steve Neh suffered the loss, starting and working five innings. He allowed nine hits, nine runs (seven earned), struck out three, walked four and hit a batter.

Cyzavovich and Alan Key doubled for East Allegheny, while Tony Lucetich added two hits.

Belle Vernon returns to action today, host Beth-Center in an exhibition at 4 p.m.

Latrobe 12, Laurel Highlands 4 – Greg Palladino smacked a two-run, fourth-inning home run, but it wasn’t enough as the Mustangs fell in exhibition action.

Paul Briczinski added a triple.

Steve Musik earned the victory, working the first three innings.

Andre Rolaf suffered the loss in relief.

West Greene 15, Clay-Battelle (W.Va.) 0 – The Pioneers brought out the bats, pounding out 11 hits for a five-inning non-section road victory. West Greene improves to 1-2 while Clay-Battelle falls to 0-2.

Justin Whyte (1-0) struck out eight, allowed five hits and walked none for the win. A.J. Wilson went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and a triple. Darren Crouse smacked two triples to finish with three RBI. Tommy Golacinski added three RBI while Tyler Smith went 3-for-3 with two RBI.

West Greene opens Section 1-A action Friday after with a game at Chartiers-Houston.

Boys tennis

Hempfield 4, Connellsville 1 – The Falcons came as close as a team could, but the visiting Spartans managed to hold off the home team to move into sole possession of first place in Section 5-AAA.

Hempfield improves to 5-0 in the section while Connellsville falls to 4-1 in the section and 6-1 overall.

All five matches went to three sets, following the same pattern in four of the matches with Connellsville winning the first set and Hempfield rallying from behind in the second set for the wins.

Josh Martin opened with a 6-4 win at No. 1 singles before dropping the next two sets by the same 6-4 score to Rishi Bajaj. Randy Richter started with a 6-4 first set win at No. 3 singles, but Nick Wyzkiwicz won the closest of decisions with a 7-5 second set and tie-breaker win in the third set, 7-6 (3).

The struggle continued at No. 2 singles with Hempfield’s A.J. McHugh battling Connellsville’s Gene Cunningham. Like the other singles matches, Cunningham won the first set 6-4. McHugh tied the match with the same score, and then secured the section match victory with a 7-5 win in the third set.

Matt Ratai and Steve Haines lost their first set at No. 1 doubles, but rallied to tie the match against Hempfield’s Mike Keating and Max Friedlander with a 6-2 win. The Spartan duo managed to turn the tables for a three set win with a 6-2 score.

Connellsville avoided the shutout with a win a No. 2 doubles. Joe Teets and Kyle Lilley followed the same pattern, winning the first set and dropping the second set. They saved the victory with a 6-3 third set win.

“The match could’ve gone 5-0 our way or 5-0 their way. There was great playing at No. 1 and 2 singles. Gene Cunningham must have been out there 21/2 hours,” Connellsville boys tennis coach Don Campbell said. “I thought we’d win at both doubles. That was a solid team.”

Connellsville remains in section action with a home match Friday afternoon against Canon-McMillan.

Mount Pleasant 5, Southmoreland 0 – The Vikings breezed through the three singles matches, though the two doubles matches went three sets apiece in Mount Pleasant’s Section 1-AA home victory.

Mount Pleasant (5-0) stays atop the section with a 3-0 record. Southmoreland falls to 2-3 in the section and 5-4 overall.

Mount Pleasant’s Vance Rumbaugh dropped only one game at No. 1 singles against Greg Jaworski. Brian Hauser, at No. 2 singles, and Eric Snyder, the Vikings’ No. 3 singles player, won by shutouts.

Both Southmoreland’s doubles teams won their first set, but the Vikings rallied for three-set victories. Mount Pleasant’s No. 1 doubles team of Pat White and Mike Whipkey won the second set, but the Scotties pair of Matt Grabiak and Nate Booher put up a fight before losing 7-5.

Max Buchta and Alex Baumann won 6-4 in the first set at No. 2 doubles with Dan Vikartosky and Kurt VanHorne rallying for a 7-6 tiebreaker in the second and clinching the win with a 6-4 decision in the third set.

Brownsville 5, California 0 – The Falcons didn’t drop a set in a convincing Section 1-AA victory at home. Brownsville improves to 2-0 in the section and 2-2 overall while the Trojans are winless at 0-2.

Ryan Minor started things with a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 1 singles. Neil Chafin kept the momentum going at No. 2 singles with a 6-1, 6-1 victory while Josh Seelye lost only two games in winning at No. 3 singles.

The Brownsville doubles teams had few problems as well. Aaron Crable and Colin Ryan dropped two games in the second set at No. 1 doubles with Ian Glumac and John Marcolini lost only one game in winning at No. 2 doubles.

Women’s softball

Kent State University 4-1, University of Pittsburgh 1-0 – Connellsville graduate and Pittsburgh senior Janelle Pepe allowed only four hits, but Golden Flashes pitcher Melissa Rhodes stole the show, tossing a no-hitter as the Lady Panthers dropped both games of a doubleheader.

Carmichaels grad and Pittsburgh senior Nikki Gasti suffered the loss in the opener, as the Lady Panthers saw their 11-game winning streak snapped. Gasti allowed two earned runs on 11 hits. She struck out five.

Pepe struck out five as well, but was tagged with the loss when a fourth-inning sacrifice fly scored Kent State’s lone run.

Gasti drops to 11-8 overall, while Pepe falls 5-6.

Men’s Baseball

Saint Vincent College 9, Waynesburg College 7 – Saint Vincent rallied from an early 5-2 deficit, then broke a 7-all tie with two runs in the top of the seventh inning for the non-conference victory.

Jeremiah Scott worked the final three innings to pick up the win, while Waynesburg’s Landon McKenzie (0-1) worked the final two innings and suffered the loss.

Waynesburg’s Jason Trembley was 3 for 3 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Eric Holt added a pair of hits.

Aaron Wilson and Joe Pichler both had two hits for Saint Vincent, while Josh Morrow, Wilson, and Dan Consuegra each drove in two runs.

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