Local roundup
Lady Leopards hold on for 6-5 victory over LH Belle Vernon held off visiting Laurel Highlands 6-5 in a back-and-forth non-section girls softball battle Monday.
The Lady Leopards jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before the Fillies rallied with single tallies in the second and third, and two more in the fifth to go up 4-3.
Belle Vernon tied it with a run in the bottom of the fifth, then surged back in front with two in the sixth on Emily Scapes’ two-run single.
Ashley Merella worked out of a tight jam in the seventh to earn the win.
“We made a couple errors and a couple base-running mistakes, and those hurt you in a close game,” LH coach George Kaiser said. “But the girls played a pretty good game for their first one of the season.”
Laurel Highlands got a one-out hit from Marissa Swartz and a bunt single by Jackie Gaddis before Kirsty Buckley hit a run-scoring double. With the tying run on third and the go-ahead run at second, Merella got Ashley Haragos on a game-ending ground out.
“We didn’t give up,” Kaiser said. “We got behind early, fought hard and came back. If we correct our mistakes, we’ll be OK.”
Merella gave up only two earned runs on five hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.
Ashley Dawson led an eight-hit Lady Lep attack with a double and a single, and Sarah Jolley also had two hits.
Buckley doubled twice for two of the Fillies’ five hits, and Ashleigh Conn smacked a triple.
Losing pitcher Rebecca Williams allowed five earned runs on nine hits with five walks and five strikeouts.
The Fillies host Albert Gallatin today.
Waynesburg Central 10, Carmichaels 0 – Waynesburg Central started quick, had a spurt in the middle and finished strong in rolling to a non-section win over host Carmichaels.
Courtney Orndorff held the Lady Mikes (0-1) to five hits and a pair of walks while striking out eight in throwing the shutout.
The Lady Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the first, put up three in the third and another in the fourth to make it 5-0.
Megan Summersgill, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, cracked a three-run double in a five-run seventh that capped Waynesburg’s scoring.
Alyson Johnson and Nicole Coleman both went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs as coach Lou Giachetti’s defending WPIAL Class AA champions improved to 2-0. Brooke Roberts also double and singled.
Courtney Newland gave up eight hits and four walks with eight strikeouts in the loss.
“Newland’s a good pitcher,” Giachetti said. “I thought we hit the ball pretty good today.”
The Lady Raiders host McGuffey today.
Baldwin 16, Uniontown 0 – Baldwin took advantage of seven Uniontown errors in cruising to a three-inning, non-section road win.
The Lady Highlanders (1-0) scored six runs in the first, four in the second and six more in the third.
The lone hit for the Lady Raiders (0-2) came off the bat of Katie Fisher in the second inning.
Uniontown jumps right back into action today with a non-section game at California.
Jefferson-Morgan 15, Charleroi 4 – Emily Cottle fanned 12 batters and doubled as Jefferson-Morgan made quick work of Charleroi in non-section action Monday.
The Lady Rockets (1-1) set the tone with five first-inning runs and never looked back as they scored runs in all but the fifth inning for their first win of the season.
Offensively, J-M came from all angles as Ashley Phillips doubled and added two singles, Lindsay Olson posted three singles and drove in three runs, while Charity McCann and Halie Hawk each singled twice.
Heather Collins came away with the loss. She worked four innings and walked four.
Jefferson-Morgan is back in action today at home against Bentworth.
Frazier 10, Brownsville 3 – Michelle Shanaberger tripled and drove in two runs, and teammate Jackie Higby doubled twice and drove in three en route to an easy non-section win over visiting Brownsville.
Katie Oldham went 3-for-3, highlighted by two doubles.
Winning pitcher Jessica Barcelo kept the Lady Commodores at bay with six strikeouts and no walks in seven innings.
Stacey Knox (0-1) came away with the loss. She fanned four and allowed six walks in seven innings of action.
Frazier led 3-2 through the first three innings, then picked up two in the fourth and then sealed the deal with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Frazier (1-0) takes on Carmichaels at home Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Mapletown 14, Turkeyfoot Valley 4 – Mapletown jumped out early against host Turkeyfoot Valley and picked up the 10-run rule victory in non-section action.
Ashley Chory picked up the win on the mound and Nichole Beachy took home the loss.
Brittany Buckhalter singled twice for the Lady Maples.
High school baseball
Albert Gallatin 10, California 5 – The Albert Gallatin bats were in full force as they downed California in the championship game of the Belle Vernon First-Pitch Tournament.
The Colonials knocked off host Belle Vernon in the first round.
Mike Kubitza led the offensive attack with a double and single, while teammates Logan Howard went 3-for-4 and Kevin Uglik singled twice.
Winning pitcher John Chahl worked three innings, allowed one hit and struck out three.
Mac Hartman (0-1) went home with the loss. He allowed four hits, five runs, one walk and a strikeout.
Brandon Rossi had the lone extra base hit for the Trojans with a double.
The Colonials (2-0) are back in action today at home against cross-town rival Laurel Highlands starting at 4 p.m.
Mapletown 10, Clay-Battelle (W.Va.) 0 – Zach Cumberland fired a three-hit shutout and Ashley Menear had a triple, two singles and two RBIs as Mapletown blasted host Clay-Battelle in a non-section contest.
Coach Jay Donley’s Maples (2-1) blew open a close, 1-0 game with four runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.
Cumberland struck out nine while walking just one in needing only 81 pitches to go the distance.
Cory Dillinger tripled and singled, Don Grim doubled twice, and Jesse Boord also doubled in an 11-hit Mapletown attack.
Losing pitcher Brad Rouse walked four and struck out four while allowing five runs in four innings.
Austin Ponderoff had two doubles for Clay-Battelle (2-1).
The Maples host Beth-Center today.
Frazier 2, Beth-Center 1 – Tony Battaglini went the distance striking out three and allowing eight hits as Frazier (2-0) edged past Beth-Center in non-section baseball action.
The Commodores needed just two hits and individual scores in the second and third innings for the victory.
Losing pitcher John Sherup (0-1) worked two innings, allowed a hit and struck out one. Despite the loss, Joe Tarley tripled and Todd Chisler doubled for the Bulldogs. Chisler also added two singles.
Beth-Center looks to put one in the win column today at Mapletown and Frazier hopes to make it three in a row Thursday at home against Charleroi.
West Greene 14, Cameron (W.Va.) 4 – West Greene erupted for four first-inning runs and never looked back as the Pioneers 10-runned visiting Cameron (W.Va.) in non-section action Monday.
Travis Crouse led the offensive attack with a three-run shot in the fifth inning and he added two doubles.
Teammate Keith Watson went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI’s, while Brandon Richter doubled and Cody Renner singled twice.
Justin White (1-0) picked up his first win this season with seven strikeouts, one walk and four hits in six innings pitched.
West Greene hosts Clay Battelle today at 4 p.m.
Bentworth 8, Waynesburg Central 5 – Joe Mucho went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in four runs as Bentworth downed the visiting Raiders.
Teammate Ryan Anderson went 2-for-4 with two singles.
On the mound, Zack Anderson came away with the win. He worked five innings, giving up five hits, striking out three and walking three.
Losing pitcher Brandon Rumbaugh (0-1) hurled 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and five walks. At the plate, Rumbaugh singled twice as did teammate J.D. Higgins.
The Raiders (0-1) are back in action at home against University High (W.Va.) at 4 p.m.
Boys tennis
Connellsville 5, West Mifflin 0 – The Connellsville boy’s tennis team picked up their first win of the season in convincing fashion with a shutout victory over host West Mifflin in Section 5-AAA action.
Scott Campbell set the pace in No. 1 singles with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Andy Bednar.
Brandon Stafford made quick work of Pete Gentile (6-0, 6-1) in second singles and Blake Michaux blanked Cory Yeshen (6-0, 6-0) in No. 3 singles.
“I was pleased with the way they performed today,” said Connellsville coach Don Campbell. “We are starting to do a little better hitting the ball.”
The Falcons kept things rolling in No. 1 doubles as the team of David Witt and Storm Grimm downed Jason Konifczka and Craig Savolskis 6-2, 6-1, while Jon Ambriso and Chase Hiltan defeated Jared Krupa and Tony Kellar in the second doubles match (6-3, 6-4).
“We have a long way to go, but I see a lot of improvement,” said Campbell.
The Falcons (1-1) host Brownsville today in non-section action. Brownsville is coming off a forfeit loss to Washington in Section 1-AA.