Local Roundup
Fillies beat the rain, escape with 6-5 victory over Yough Laurel Highlands scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth inning Friday before the rain came in the bottom of the seventh inning to allow the Fillies to escape with a 6-5 victory at Yough in Section 2-AAA action.
Sara Berggren’s solo home run in the bottom of the second inning spotted the Lady Cougars a 1-0 lead, but Laurel Highlands rallied with four runs in the top of the third for its first lead.
Berggren struck again in the third inning, this time with a two-run homer.
Yough scored another run in the fourth inning before the Fillies’ offense came alive again. Chelsea Grimm drove home the first run of the rally, and then came around to score the eventual winning run on a wild pitch.
Yough scored a run in the bottom of the sixth, but had the tying run thrown out at the plate.
Laurel Highlands (4-2, 4-4) batted in the top of the seventh, but the game was stopped in the bottom of the inning.
The Fillies travel to Greensburg Salem Monday afternoon.
Frazier 7, Geibel Catholic 0 – Jessica Barcelo scattered two hits and Jackie Higbee smacked a solo home run in the first inning to lead the Lady Commodores to a Section 1-A victory.
Barcelo helped her cause with a two-run single in the five-run fifth inning. On the mound, Barcelo (5-3) struck out seven and walked one. Kristen Miller went 3-for-3 with a double and triple.
Frazier improves to 3-2 in the section and 6-3 overall while the Lady Gators fall to 2-3 in the section and 6-4 overall.
California 17, Monessen 3, susp. – The Lady Trojans were on their way to a Section 1-A victory when rain suspended the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs. The game will be resumed on May 5 at 3 p.m. with the regularly scheduled game to follow.
Elizabeth-Forward 7, Belle Vernon 1 – Kristen Hawkins had three hits and drove in two runs as the Lady Warriors defeated the Lady Leopards in Section 4-AAA action.
Elizabeth-Forward broke open a close game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Winning pitcher Lindsey Smith scattered nine hits through seven innings, struck out seven and walked two.
Ashley Merella (7-2) suffered the loss, allowing nine hits over six innings. She struck out four and didn’t walk a hitter.
Brittany Bruce drove in two runs for E-F, while Smith, Erin Lawnizak and Destiny Roehrig each had RBI-singles.
For Belle Vernon (9-3, 4-1), Sarah Jolley had a three hits, including a triple, and drove in a run, while Ashley Dawson added a pair of singles.
The Lady Leopards returns to action Monday, traveling to Thomas Jefferson.
Waynesburg Central 4, Brownsville 0 – Nikki Coleman was 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs as Waynesburg Central blanked host Brownsville in a Section 2-AA game called after five innings due to rain.
Winning pitcher Courtney Orndoff tossed a two-hitter with no walks and two strikeouts. The only hits she allowed were singles by Rebecca Bruschi and Rae Sheridan.
Coach Lou Giachetti’s Lady Raiders (8-1-1, 5-1) scored three runs all with two outs in the first inning off losing pitcher Stacey Knox.
Alyson Johnson started the rally with a triple and came home on Coleman’s double. Brooke Roberts doubled in Coleman and Rachel Rohanna followed with an RBI single.
Coleman drove in the only other run of the game in the fifth.
Both teams continue section play on Monday at 4 p.m. as Brownsville (2-7, 0-4) hosts Fort Cherry, while Wayensburg travels to South Fayette.
Connellsville 4, Albert Gallatin 0 – Alexis Dolde threw a one-hit shutout and Connellsville scored all its runs in the third inning as the Lady Falcons defeated visiting Albert Gallatin in a Section 1-AAAA game that was called after six innings due to rain.
Dolde struck out four to out-duel Jennifer Lewellen, who surrendered just three hits in taking the loss for coach Tricia Maddas’ squad.
One of those hits was a two-run single by Brooke Hoffer, which highlighted the four-run third for coach Max Bukovac’s Lady Falcons.
Connellsville hosts Ringgold in another section contest Monday.
Albert Gallatin is scheduled to play a non-section game at Baldwin today, weather permitting, then continues 1-AAAA action Monday at Latrobe.
Other scores – In other games involving area teams that were not reported to the Herald-Standard, Southmoreland (1-6, 1-4) lost to visiting Mount Pleasant (7-4, 3-2), 2-0, and Uniontown (2-9, 0-5) was routed at McGuffey (5-3-1, 4-1), 15-0.
High school baseball
California 11, Bentworth 3 – The Trojans built up a big enough lead before the rains came for a Section 1-A road victory.
Zack Jeney (5-0) went the distance for California, striking out 12 and walking two. He also came through at the plate, joining Ben Carson, Jason Britton and Matt Hartman with three singles apiece. Six of nine starters had at least one hit in the Trojans’ 14-hit attack.
Carson led the way with three RBIs.
California will play Frazier on Tuesday, a game originally scheduled for Friday.
Mapletown 2, Carmichaels 0, susp. – The Maples were leading 2-0 with a runner on second with two outs when the rains forced the game to be suspended. The Section 1-A game will be continued at Carmichaels on Monday starting at 4 p.m.
Other scores – In other games involving area teams that were not reported to the Herald-Standard, Belle Vernon (2-9, 1-6) lost at Elizabeth-Forward (8-2, 5-1), 8-7, and Southmoreland (4-6, 3-3) lost at Charleroi (5-6, 2-3), 7-5.
Boys tennis
Connellsville 5, McKeesport 0 – The Falcons rearranged the lineup in preparation of Monday’s Section 5-AAA doubles tournament and returned home with a section victory.
Scott Campbell and Brandon Stafford, usually the top two singles players, teamed up for a 6-1, 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles. Storm Grimm and Dave Witt, the No. 1 doubles team through the season, were given the opportunity to play singles. Grimm won a 6-1, 6-1 decision at No. 2 singles with Witt dropping only one game at No. 3 singles.
Blake Michaux won a 6-3, 6-3 decision at No. 1 singles and the No. 2 doubles team of Chris Coffman and Joe DeBerry finished the shutout with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Women’s golf
Golden Bear Invitational – Simone DeSouza shot a 10-over 84 for the lead after the first day of the invitational hosted by Kutztown University. The Vulcans are in second place in the team standings.
Amy Vellinga and Rundell both carded 89 for the Vulcans.
The second round begins today at 10 a.m. at the Berkleigh Country Club.
College baseball
California (Pa.) 5, Lock Haven 3; California (Pa.) 3, Lock Haven 1 – The Vulcans clinched a PSAC playoff berth with a doubleheader sweep at Falconi Field.
California (28-14) moved into a tie atop the PSAC West standings with Slippery Rock at 12-2 in the conference standings. The Vulcans’ will be in the conference tournament for the sixth straight year, the longest such streak in the PSAC.
California led 2-0 in the first game through the first three innings and 3-1 through four, but the visitors rallied with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game.
California broke the tie in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of runs and Andrew Rafalski made the lead stand with a scoreless seventh inning.
Rafalski came on in relief of Jefferson-Morgan’s Adam Dukate in the fifth inning. Rafalski (3-4) struck out four and walked one in three innings.
Dustin Woodring went 3-for-4 for the Vulcans. Lee Rohan, Drew Aniceti, Ryan Yost and Alex Lefcakis all had an RBI in the winning effort.
California again took the early lead in the nightcap, carrying a 3-1 advantage after the first inning into a doubleheader sweep.
Aniceti had another strong effort at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Jon Selby was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Jon Squeglia (5-0) went the distance, allowing five hits while striking out one and walking two.
The Vulcans’ doubleheader scheduled at Lock Haven today has been pushed back to Sunday.
Thiel 6, Waynesburg 3 – The visiting Tomcats went ahead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning for a Presidents’ Athletic Conference road victory.
The Yellow Jackets (4-6, 13-13-1) led 1-0 after two innings, but Thiel (6-7, 16-15) rallied with three runs in the fourth.
Waynesburg closed the gap to 5-3 with two runs in the sixth inning only to have the Tomcats score an insurance run in its next at-bat.
Landon Sinclair (5-3) went the distance in the loss, striking out eight and walking two.
Brian Gerginski, Phil Anderson and Bryce Allen all had two singles for the Yellow Jackets. Drew Denham, Chad Litten and Brandon Dittmar drove in Waynesburg’s runs.
Boys track & field
Connellsville 101, Belle Vernon 49; Connellsville 94, Elizabeth-Forward 56; Belle Vernon 94, Elizabeth-Forward 57; Belle Vernon 93, Elizabeth-Forward 57 – The Falcons clinched at least a share of the Section 2-AAA title Thursday by sweeping a triangular at Elizabeth-Forward.
The Falcons’ Lance Straughters finished first against both squads in the 100 (11.21) and 200 (23.2). Straughters joined Jarrett McCutcheon, Aaron Hixson and Aaron Meade to win the 400 relay in 45 seconds.
Rodney Richter defeated all comers in a pair of events, winning the shot put (46-1) and discus (130-10). Aaron Meade was a double winner with first places in the triple jump (40-2) and long jump (19-3).
Tyler Nicholson won the pole vault with a top effort of 11 feet. The 1,600 relay team of Joe and Justin Villaneuva, Brad Showman and Straughters beat both teams with a time of 3:48. Arlo Helms took first in the 3,200 in 11:22.
Belle Vernon’s Mike Pohlot has yet to lose an 800 or 1,600 this year, and he kept his streak alive against the Falcons and Warriors. Chris Sillence was victorious in the 400.
The 3,200, 1,600 and 400 relays, Shane Curran (200), Shawn Dilmore (3,200), C.J. Bell (long jump) and Brian Layhue (shot put, high jump) also defeated Elizabeth-Forward.
Girls track & field
Belle Vernon 90, Connellsville 56; Elizabeth-Forward 85, Connellsville 64; Elizabeth-Forward 75, Belle Vernon 74 – The Lady Leopards split a Section 2-AAA triangular Thursday while the Lady Warriors managed a split at home with a win over Connellsville.
The 3,200 relay team of Danielle Rohland, Whitney Ferita, Cory Stark and Aimee Radic put together a winning time of 10:46 against the Lady Falcons. Shauna Vasquez won the 100 high (16.9) and 300 intermediate (52.4) hurdles, as well as the 100 (13.2). Rohland came back with wins in the 800 and 1,600 against Connellsville. Radic added a win in the 400. Chanelle Lash finished first in the 200 and long jump with Kelly Popp taking first in the 3,200.
Connellsville’s Shauna Staranko beat everyone in the triple jump (28-3). Alex Bigham (pole vault), Kayla Barkley (discus), Leslie Odroneic (shot put), Heather Zelinsky (javelin) and Sarah Giles (high jump) took firsts for the Lady Falcons.