Local roundup
Stotka tags winning hit as Beth-Center rallies past Brownsville Matt Stotka’s run-scoring single broke a 7-7 tie in the seventh inning as Beth-Center rallied from six runs down to defeat host Brownsville, 9-7, in Section 2-AA high school baseball action on Tuesday.
Winning pitcher Joe Tarley pitched three scoreless innings of relief.
Falcons starting pitcher Mike Rhodes hit a three-run homer in a four-run first, and added a RBI double in a three-run second as Brownsville jumped out to an early 7-1 lead against B-C starter Todd Chisler.
Stotka relieved Chisler to start the third and tossed two shutout innings, with Tarley finishing up from there.
In the meantime, coach Frank Pryor’s Bulldogs whittled away at Brownsville’s lead with a run in the third and three in the fourth to make it 7-5.
The Bulldogs chased Rhodes in the sixth with a two-run rally.
Stotka led off with a single and was erased by Drew Markovich’s fielder’s choice. Markovich stole second and moved to third on Chisler’s infield hit. Matt Stay delivered a run-scoring single and Tarley followed with a game-tying RBI double.
Beth-Center (2-4, 2-0) pulled ahead in the seventh against losing pitcher Brian Ohler.
Steve Hvizda started the rally with a single and took second on John Lowden’s sacrifice bunt. Stotka then broke the tie with an RBI double, his fourth hit of the game, and took third on Markovich’s single. Chisler followed with a sacrifice fly.
Tarley had three hits and Stay had two, including a solo home run in the first. Chisler also had two hits, including a double, with two RBIs and a pair of stolen bases. Roger Myers added a triple for B-C.
Nick Eadie had two doubles for coach Skooter Roebuck’s Falcons (2-6, 1-1).
Laurel Highlands 7, Greensburg Salem 6 – The Mustangs broke up a no-hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning with three runs, and then scored the game-winning tally on Jimmy Blosser’s infield single in the bottom of the 13th inning to give Laurel Highlands its first win in Section 2-AAA.
The Golden Lions led 2-0 after the first inning and 3-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the Mustangs, who had the previous 17 batters retired, used three hits and a pair of walks to send the game into extra innings.
Greensburg Salem scored two runs in the top of the 10th, but the Mustangs rallied with two runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Golden Lions pulled ahead with a single run in the 13th, setting up Laurel Highlands’ fantastic finish in the bottom of the inning.
Mike Pegg led off with a walk and stole second. Brent Coughenour walked with two outs to put runners at first and second, and Pegg scored on Darryl Gesso’s double. Blosser then brought home Coughenour with the winning run with his single.
Chaz Bondarenka (1-0) pitched the final three innings for the win, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two and walking one.
Cory Borland smacked three singles for the Mustangs (1-3, 2-5) while Gesso added a single to his double. Pegg had two singles and two RBIs.
Penn-Trafford 9, Albert Gallatin 5 – Gene Franks broke the Albert Gallatin career home run record with a pair of blasts, but it wasn’t enough as the host Colonials fell to Penn-Trafford in a Section 2-AAAA game.
Franks, who had three of Albert Gallatin’s eight hits, tied Andy Patrick’s school mark of eight long balls with a solo home run in the first, then broke it with a two-run shot in the fourth.
Colin Packroni and Charlie Lawrence each contributed a double for the Colonials (2-4, 0-2).
The Warriors (4-2-2, 2-1) had too much offense, however, scoring twice in the second, four times in the fourth, once in the fifth and twice more in the sixth while pounding out 11 hits.
Eric Anderson and Matt Demark had three hits apiece for Penn-Trafford, which also got doubles from Jaison Webb, Steve Soroko and Tony Barton.
Losing pitcher Elmer Engle pitched into the fourth inning.
Winning pitcher Zach Satira allowed three runs in five innings.
Connellsville 5, Uniontown 3 – Joe Leonard had three hits, including a double, and Josh Coffman tossed a complete game as Connellsville defeated host Uniontown in a Section 2-AAAA contest.
The Red Raiders scored twice in the first inning, but the Falcons took the lead with a three-run second against losing pitcher Ryan Robowski, and Coffman, who allowed eight hits and three walks with five strikeouts, made it stand up.
Kaitan Smiley tripled and Andy Schleihauf doubled for Connellsville (3-2, 2-0).
Allen Witt had two hits for Uniontown (2-4-1, 0-3).
Carmichaels 5, Frazier 2 – Carmichaels scored all five of its runs in the first inning as the Mikes defeated visiting Frazier despite being out-hit 10-4 in a Section 1-A game.
Coach Dave Bates’ squad improves to 8-0 overall and 4-0 in the section.
Winning pitcher Logan Phillips walked two and struck out eight while allowing two runs in six innings. Bobby Virgili notched the save with a scoreless seventh, striking out two.
Tim Voithofer had a two-run double in the Mikes’ first inning explosion. Cody Andrews and Aaron Thompson hit run-scoring singles in the frame, and Phillips added an RBI groundout.
Losing pitcher Tony Battaglini waked four and struck out six in going the distance, and also singled twice. Joe Kulikowski and Matt Shaporka had two hits apiece, and Fred Diederich doubled for the Commodores (3-4, 1-2).
Jefferson-Morgan 9, Geibel Catholic 8 – David Montibeller’s three-run double highlighted a six-run sixth inning that propelled Jefferson-Morgan to a come-from-behind victory over host Geibel Catholic in a Section 1-A clash.
The Rockets (3-4, 2-1) scored three runs in the top of the first before the Gators answered with one in the bottom of the inning, three in the second, one in the third and one more in the fifth for a 6-3 lead.
Jefferson-Morgan soared to a 9-6 advantage with its sixth-inning uprising, however, knocking out Geibel Catholic starter Nick Molchan in the process.
The Gators (2-5, 0-3) weren’t finished, though, as Dean Lewandowski’s two-run single in the seventh cut the gap to one. The Rockets called on Josh Lawrence to relieve starting pitcher Mike Mox with two outs in the inning, and he earned the save by striking out Jeff Baluch with runners on the corners to end the game.
Mox went 6 2-3 innings to earn the win, while Molchan, who doubled and singled, took the loss.
Montibeller and Lawrence had two hits apiece for Jefferson-Morgan, and Jarod Moscola added a double.
Brendan Constantino had three hits, including a triple, for the Gators, and Lewandowski singled twice.
Belle Vernon 15, West Mifflin 3 – Belle Vernon unloaded 13 hits on visiting West Mifflin in pounding out a five-inning Section 4-AAA win.
Coach Dan Palm’s Leopards scored four in the first, three in the second, three in the third and five more in the fourth to improve to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the section.
Seth Pollacci, Damien Tokay, Jake Cramer and Chase Dongilli had two hits apiece for Belle Vernon.
Winning pitcher Jordan Lexie tossed a four-hitter with two walks and six strikeouts.
Losing pitcher Bryan Liposky was knocked out in the second inning.
Waynesburg Central 5, Chartiers Valley 1 – Cory Titchenell and Brandon Rumbaugh combined on a four-hitter and Waynesburg Central scored four runs in the ninth inning to defeat Chartiers Valley in a non-section game at Falconi Field in Washington.
Johnny BiBuono broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run triple in the Raiders’ big ninth, then scored on Ken Blackwell’s grounder.
Titchenell threw six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and one walk with five strikeouts, and Rumbaugh gave up one run on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in three innings.
Rumbaugh led a nine-hit Waynesburg attack with three singles, Mitch Monas had two hits, including a triple, and Danny Cross smacked a double.
Rob Penn took the loss for the Colts, who fell to 1-5. The Raiders improve to 2-4.
Girls softball
Waynesburg Central 6, South Fayette 0 – Waynesburg Central bounced back from its first loss of the season to Washington on Monday with a Section 2-AA victory over visiting South Fayette.
Courtney Orndoff fired a four-hit shutout with no walks and four strikeouts for coach Lou Giachetti’s Lady Raiders (4-1, 2-1).
Alyson Johnson doubled and singled, and Megan Summersgill also had two hits for Waynesburg, which scored all of its runs in the first two innings against losing pitcher Lakayla Desmet.
Nikki Coleman had an RBI groundout and Rachel Rohanna hit a sacrifice fly in a three-run first.
Orndoff’s two-run single and Johnson’s RBI hit highlighted a three-run second.
“I’m proud of how the girls responded to their first loss,” Giachetti said.
Avella 6, Jefferson-Morgan 0 – Chelsea Brownlee fired a one-hit shutout and singled twice as Avella blanked host Jefferson-Morgan (4-5, 1-1) in a Section 2-A contest.
Brownlee had a no-hitter through six innings, but the Lady Rockets’ Ashley Phillips broke it up with a line-drive single to right leading off the seventh.
The Lady Eagles scored two runs in the first, three in the fourth and one in the fifth off J-M’s Emily Cottle.
Ashley Clemens also had two hits for Avella (2-3, 1-1).
Belle Vernon 8, Greensburg Salem 2 – Belle Vernon freshman Ashley Nichols threw a three-hitter in her first varsity start to help the Lady Leopards top visiting Greensburg Salem in a non-section game.
Belle Vernon scored four runs in each of the first two innings and cruised home from there.
Nichols allowed one earned run on three hits with no walks and seven strikeouts, and also had a single and two RBIs.
Sarah Jolley knocked in two runs with three hits for the Lady Leopards (6-1). Megan Chadwell drove in three runs with a double and a single, and Kayla Nuccetelli also had two hits. Heather Sellew also had an RBI.
Ashley Heater gave up all eight runs in two innings of work to take the loss.
Belle Vernon was coming off a 7-1 win over visiting Thomas Jefferson on Monday.
Ashley Dawson drove in three runs and Jolley had two RBIs to support winning pitcher Ashley Merella, who struck out 11 and walked one in tossing a four-hitter.
West Greene 6, Cameron, W. Va. 3 – West Greene freshman Rachel Burns pitched six strong innings and her sister, senior Rebecca Burns, came on in the seventh to record the final three outs for the save as the Lady Pioneers beat Cameron, W. Va., in a non-section game.
Rachel Burns was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Kayla Burns had a double for West Greene (5-2).
Lauren Siburt doubled for Cameron (6-8). Lacey Tustin was the losing pitcher.
Boys tennis
Brownsville 3, Mt. Pleasant 2 – Brownsville’s Evan Chafin got a twin victory when he defeated Mt. Pleasant’s Andrew Cenkner at No. 1 singles, 7-5, 6-3, during the Falcons’ key Section 1-AA win over the host Vikings.
The victory also counted as the consolation match in section singles competition, making Chafin the third-place qualifier. He will compete in the WPIAL Class AA singles tournament on April 18 at Keystone Oaks.
Also winning at singles for Brownsville against Mt. Pleasant was Colin Ryan, who defeated Mike Antonishen at No. 3 singles, 7-6, 1-6, 6-4, winning the first-set tiebreaker 7-4.
The Falcons’ No. 1 doubles team of Ronnie Jones and Christian Sally also won, beating Jonah Cockrell and Mike Marsh, 3-6, 7-4, 7-5.
Brownsville improves to 2-3 overall and 2-2 in the section, while the Vikings fall to 3-1 in the section.
Boys track & field
Waynesburg Central 112, West Greene 38 – The Raiders didn’t have many problems with the visiting Pioneers to remain atop the Section 5-AA standings. Waynesburg improves to 6-0 in the section and 7-0 overall.
Jake Raddish swept the jumps for the Raiders, winning the high jump (6-2), triple jump (38-6½) and long jump (19-2). Jereme Yoders won the discus (130-6) and shot put (46-2). Heath Jacobs won a pair of events, the 1,600 (5:10) and 3,200 (11:45) and Waynesburg swept the relays.
Southmoreland 82, Greensburg C.C. 68 – The Centurions won seven first places, but the Scotties won 11 plus a number of seconds and thirds for a Section 3-AA home victory.
Kevin Snyder led the way for Southmoreland (5-0, 6-1) with first place finishes in the triple jump (40-6), long jump (19-0) and 110 high hurdles (15.6). Chris Kiefer doubled in the 800 (2:08.6) and 1,600 (4:52), as did Dan Huygens in the 100 (11.6) and 200 (23.9). Jimmy King finished first in the 300 intermediate hurdles (43.9).
Uniontown 103, Albert Gallatin 47 – The Red Raiders were ungracious visitors on the occasion of the Colonials’ Senior Day as the visitors scored a convincing Section 2-AAA road victory.
The Red Raiders won the 3,200 and 1,600 relays. Albert Lee (110 high hurdles), John O’Neil (1,600), Eddie Olesh (400), Garrett Graham (300 intermediate hurdles), Mac Festa (800), Doug Nehls (shot put), Jimmy Williams (javelin) and Devin Miller (triple jump) all took first place for Uniontown. Steven Lee was the lone two-time individual winner, taking first in the long and triple jumps.
Ricky Knox won the 100 for the Colonials in 11.11 seconds and 200 in 23.33. Donald Dodson’s time of 11:21 won the 3,200 while Eric Stump’s throw of 123-8 took first in the discus. The Colonials’ Brent Vaccaro, Alex Goodwin, G.J. Miller and Knox won the 400 relay.
Charleroi 127, Brownsville 19 – Joe Feick took first place in the 400 with a time 54.6 seconds, and the shot put with a throw of 42 feet, six inches, but it wasn’t enough as Brownsville fell to host Charleroi in a Section 5-AA meet.
Ralph Fisher won the javelin with a throw of 123-9 for Brownsville (0-4, 0-1), which travels to Washington for a 4 p.m. meet Tuesday.
Girls track & field
Waynesburg Central 111, West Greene 28 – Maria Shepas and Morgan Bland each won a pair of events to lead the Lady Raiders to a Section 5-AA victory. Waynesburg goes to 5-1 in the section and 6-1 overall.
Shepas won the 1,600 (6:03) and 800 (2:43) while Bland took first in the pole vault (8-0) and long jump (14-2). Tiffany Stansberry added first-place points in the 100.
West Greene’s Nicole Pettit took first in the discus (88-8).
Uniontown 119, Albert Gallatin 31 – Brea Belt jumped a school record in the triple jump, and won two other individual events to lead the Lady Raiders to a Section 2-AAA victory at Albert Gallatin.
Belt jumped 34-6½ for the new mark in the triple jump, taking first in the 100 (12.99) and long jump (16-8). She also ran on the victorious 400 relay.
Paige Festa (100 high hurdles, high jump), Kelsie Herring (1,600, 800), Erica Hull (300 intermediate hurdles), Alicia Lee (200), Colleen O’Neil (3,200), Courtney Sanner (shot put, javelin) and Melanie Graham (discus) all finished first for Uniontown.
Uniontown also won the 3,200 relay.
Albert Gallatin (1-2, 1-3) had top finishes by Sarah Fyock (400) and the 1,600 relay (Fyock, Jordyn Reagan, Christina Rivera, Abby Newman).
Charleroi 97, Brownsville 49 – Erika Coffey won the 1,600 with a time of 5:55, and also placed first in the 800 in 2:45, but Brownsville lost at Charleroi in Section 5-AA.
The Lady Falcons (0-4, 0-1) also got a pair of victories from America Cardine in the 100 high hurdles (:16.1) and the 300 hurdles (:51.3).
Brownsville’s 400 relay team of Alaina Jablonsky, Amber Fabian, Jessica Robaugh and Ariona Woods also was victorious with a time of :51.6.