May 4, 2007 By The 11 min read

Geibel beats Mikes, Pioneers to tighten Section 2-A playoff race Geibel Catholic muddied the waters in Section 1-A with a pair of victories Thursday, defeating Carmichaels, 1-0, in the continuation of a suspended game from April 26 before traveling on to West Green for a 10-5 win on the strength of a four-run fifth inning.

The loss to Geibel is the third this week for Carmichaels. On Monday, the Mikes fell to California, 4-1, and Tuesday, Bentworth won 5-4 over Carmichaels.

With the wins, Geibel edges one step closer for a section playoff berth.

Mike Ciarochi hurled the win for Geibel over Carmichaels. He went the distance with a strikeout and walk. Brendan Costantino singled twice for Geibel.

Tom Musgrove went home with the loss for the Mikes. He worked the last four innings with a strikeout and walk. Carmichaels’ Marcus Robinson doubled for the game’s lone extra base hit.

The Gator bats were in full swing in the nightcap with 15 hits led Nolan Zavora, Ryan Craft and Tyler Erdely who all doubled for Geibel. Zavora also singled twice, while Costantino and Ciarochi each ripped three singles.

Gary Anderson and Bob Raber doubled for the lone Pioneer extra base hits.

Craft picked up his third win on the mound for Geibel with 6 2-3 innings of action with six strikeouts and four walks.

Beau Nakutis went on record with the loss. He went the distance striking out one and walking two.

Geibel (7-4, 8-7) hosts Bentworth Monday. Carmichaels (6-4, 7-6) is back in action today at home against Frazier. California sits atop the section with an 8-2 record.

California 5, Frazier 2 – Zack Jeney doubled twice, while J.D. Hawk and Travis VanOlst each singled twice as the Trojans cruised to a Section 1-A win over visiting Frazier.

Teammate Ben Carson tripled for the winners.

Matt Hartman picked up his second win on the mound for the Trojans with a complete game, including nine strikeouts and four walks.

Dave Genua went on record with the loss for the Commodores.

The red-hot California team (14-2, 7-2) is back in action today at home against Mapletown starting at 4:15 p.m.

Laurel Highlands 11, Mount Pleasant 5 – Randy Rankin singled twice, scored two runs and drove in two en route a Section 2-AAA win over host Mount Pleasant.

Josh Myers drilled three singles, scored a run and drove in a run, and teammate Bill Work had a big game with a single, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Winning pitcher Mike Newhouse (2-0) went the distance with six strikeouts and a walk.

Brandon Baker went home with the loss with five innings of action.

Kevin Gmiter doubled for the lone extra base hit for the Mustangs, as did Mount Pleasant’s Derek Millars. Chet Welc and Ben Ketz singled twice for the Vikings.

Laurel Highlands hosts Brownsville in a non-section game Saturday.

Fort Cherry 4, Beth-Center 1 – Despite putting several runners in scoring position, the Bulldogs offense couldn’t get a hit when it counted most and dropped a Section 2-AA game to the Rangers.

Brett Gedman led the Rangers (3-8, 3-5) with a pair of singles.

Beth-Center (2-9, 2-6) will be back in action tonight when the Bulldogs host Albert Gallatin in a 6:30 p.m. contest. Fort Cherry will travel to Burgettstown tonight.

High school softball

Beth-Center 13, South Fayette 0 – Geri Whitman missed a perfect game by one out, when Lakala Desmet singled to right field with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Beth-Center still ended up with the shutout victory in Section 2-AA action.

Whitman (7-2) already has a no-hitter under her belt this season and has recorded 105 strikeouts.

Amanda Higinbotham tripled and singled to lead the offensive attack for the Lady Bulldogs, who posted 11 total hits. Teammates Megan Sowers and Tonya Carroll each doubled and singled.

Breigh Devecka kicked things off for B-C with a two-run single in the first inning.

South Fayette travels to Beth-Center (10-5, 8-4) today for a rematch.

Connellsville 6, Penn Trafford 3 – The Lady Falcons won’t reach .500 in section play this season, but swept the season series with the Lady Indians to clinch the third and final Section 1-AAAA playoff berth.

Connellsville goes to 6-8 in the section and 6-9 overall, and will close the section season on Tuesday, May 8, when the Lady Falcons host Albert Gallatin. The Lady Falcons finish the regular season at home on Wednesday, May 9, against Waynesburg Central.

Penn Trafford (7-9) slips to 5-9 in the section, and even a victory in the section finale against last-place Norwin and a Connellsville loss can’t help the Lady Indians because the Lady Falcons won a close 1-0 decision in the middle game after Penn Trafford won the opener, 2-1.

Connellsville was leading 2-1 through three innings, and added to its lead with four in the top of the fourth inning.

Brooke Hoffer’s double scored the second and third runs of the inning, and Hoffer later scored on Britany Marra’s single.

Penn Trafford rallied in its last at-bat, scoring two runs with runners at second and third, but winning pitcher Erica Bartholow induced a lazy fly ball to end the threat and game.

Bartholow (6-7) struck out seven and walked just one for the win. Hoffer had a pair of doubles, as did teammate Cassie Show. Briteny Kenney went 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Judy Nicholson and Megan Parsons both had two singles.

Belle Vernon 6, Ringgold 0 – Apryl Patterson doubled, singled twice and drove in two runs as Belle Vernon cruised to an easy Section 4-AAA win over Ringgold.

Emily Scapes was next in the offensive column with two singles and three RBIs.

Alana Lacey, Megan Chadwell, Ashley Dawson and Ashley Nichols each singled for the Lady Leopards.

Nichols also improved to 11-4 with the win. She scattered three hits in seven innings of action with six strikeouts and no walks.

Amber Crompton also went all seven innings with 10 strikeouts, nine hits and six runs.

Tabitha Leach, Jenna Hrubes and Kristi Boyd each singled for the Lady Rams.

Belle Vernon sits comfortably in the final days of the season with an 11-3 section record and 11-5 overall.

Brownsville 10, Charleroi 0 – Stacey Knox went the distance with nine strikeouts and a walk, as Brownsville blanked visiting Charleroi in a Section 2-AA contest.

At the plate, Knox doubled twice and singled. She improved to 6-9 for the season.

Teammates Emily Lucosh doubled, singled twice and drove in two runs, while Bethany Seelye knocked three singles and drove in four runs.

Losing pitcher Jenna Rakosky also went the distance with two strikeouts and two walks. Kelsey Stottlemyer doubled for Charleroi’s lone extra base hit.

The Lady Falcons (5-8, 6-9) host Burgettstown today at 4 p.m. Charleroi remains winless at 0-14 in the section and 0-16 overall.

West Greene 5, Frazier 3 – Mary Burns went 2-for-3 with a double and RBI as the Lady Pioneers rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a Section 2-A win.

Rachel Burns (11-4) hurled the two-hitter with five strikeouts and no walks. At the plate, Burns singled twice. Chelsey Jones (2-for-4) was a multiple hitter for the Lady Pioneers, and Sarah Burns drove in two runs.

Losing pitcher Angie Kirchner struck out six and walked three for Frazier. Kristen Joseph and Annie King accounted for Frazier’s lone hits, each with singles.

West Greene (11-4, 10-3) hosts Carmichaels today at 4:30 p.m.

Carmichaels 18, Geibel Catholic 0 – Carmichaels erupted for 12 runs in the fifth inning, highlighted by Taylor Nichols’ three-run home run, as the Lady Mikes steamrolled past Geibel Catholic in a Section 2-A contest.

Courtney Newland (12-1) went the distance for Carmichaels with seven strikeouts and a walk.

The Lady Mikes’ Ashley Chernisky doubled and singled for Carmichaels, while Memry Jordan and Melissa Workman hit three and two singles respectively.

Chelsey Lasosky struck out three and walked six for Geibel.

Carmichaels (12-1, 11-1) visit West Greene today at 4:30 p.m.

California 5, Avella 1 – The Lady Trojans kept their Section 1-A playoff hopes alive with a home victory over the visiting Lady Eagles.

California improves to 5-7 in the section and 7-9 overall. The Lady Trojans are one loss behind third-place Fort Cherry with three games remaining, a doubleheader at section-leading Chartiers-Houston Saturday afternoon and the season finale with Monessen on Tuesday.

Leading 2-0 after two innings, California scored three runs in the bottom of the third. Victoria Bennett’s double plated Amanda McKula, Chrissty Pankratz tripled home Bennett, and Shaw’s infield ground out allowed Pankratz to score. Tiffany Lee followed with a double, but was thrown out to end the inning attempting to stretch the hit into a triple.

Elizabeth Shaw (7-9) went the distance for the win, striking out 10 and walking two. Maria Wohar and Ashley Toia both had two singles in the win.

Yough 3, Laurel Highlands 2 – Shay Berggren ripped a solo home run in the fourth inning en route to a Section 2-AAA win over host Laurel Highlands.

Winning pitcher Angela Sleith went the distance, striking out three and walking two.

Stephanie Martin went on record with the loss. She pitched the final inning with two strikeouts and no walks.

Rebecca Williams started the game for the Fillies. She struck out 10 and allowed no walks in eight innings of action.

Laurel Highlands (8-7, 6-4) visits Albert Gallatin today.

Latrobe 2, Albert Gallatin 1; Latrobe 2, Albert Gallatin 0 – Despite two excellent pitching efforts from Jen Lewellen, the Lady Colonials were swept in a double-header against the Lady Wildcats.

In the first game, Latrobe (13-2, 12-2) posted a two-spot in the top of the sixth to overtake Albert Gallatin (5-10, 4-10), who got their only run of the twin bill from an Ashley Petrone homer in the bottom of the fourth.

In game two, the Lady Colonials were held to just three hits by Latrobe hurler Amanda Malnofsky.

Albert Gallatin is back in action tonight as it celebrates Senior Night with a non-section rivalry game against Laurel Highlands at Fairchance Community Park Field.

Boys tennis

California 3, Washington 2 – The Trojans won two singles matches and split the doubles matches on the road Tuesday to defeat the Prexies in Section 1-AA action.

California’s Maddie Vargo was swept in straight sets at No. 1 singles, but Brett Barbero tied the match at No. 2 singles with a 6-2, 6-4 victory. Adam Sutch kept the ball rolling at No. 3 singles, winning a 6-3, 6-3 decision.

Washington’s Andrew McCormick and Vishal Patel made things close with a 6-1, 6-2 win at No. 1 doubles over Nick Balla and Jacob Monroe. Tara Prentice and Nick Wohar lost the opening set at No. 2 doubles, but rallied for a 7-6 (4) win in the middle set and a match-clinching 6-3 win in the third set.

College baseball

Slippery Rock 8, California (Pa.) 2 – Slippery Rock erased a 2-1 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the fifth and added three runs in the seventh to post a win over the Vulcans in the second round of the PSAC Baseball Championship Tournament at SRU’s Jack Critchfield Park.

Lee Rohan led Cal’s six-hit attack with two singles, a run scored and stolen base. Chris Novia added a hit, walk and RBI while Jr. C Dave Sibenac had a double and run scored.

The Vulcans (34-14) return to action today against Kutztown at noon.

Cal jumped on top in the first inning when Rohan opened the game with an infield single and scored on a two-out hit by Novia.

Slippery Rock responded by putting their first three batters on base with two walks and a hit, but Cal starter Nick Schreiber got out of the inning by allowing just one run.

Cal regained the lead in the top of the fifth when Sibenac poked a two-out double to left and scored on Rohan’s line drive hit over the shortstop’s head.

The Rock again answered in the home half of the inning, this time with four runs on five hits and a walk.

Schreiber suffered the loss, falling to 5-3 for the season after allowing five earned runs on six hits and five walks in 4 1-3 innings.

College softball

Bloomsburg 5, California (Pa.) 0 – Freshman leadoff Kayleigh Braim had two of Cal’s four hits, but the Vulcans suffered a setback against the Huskies in the opening round of the 2007 PSAC softball championship tournament at Kutztown University.

California (14-16) returns to the field in the double-elimination tournament against Edinboro this morning at 10 a.m. Edinboro lost its first-round game to East Stroudsburg, 1-0, in eight innings.

BU’s Ashley Lynn held the Vulcans off the scoreboard on four hits and one walk while fanning nine to improve to 19-3 for the season.

Cal sophomore Meghan Johnson surrendered five runs, including four in the second inning, on eight hits and two walks. The Cal defense committed four errors behind Johnson, leading to two unearned scores.

Braim broke up a perfect game with a leadoff single in the fourth. In the fifth and sixth innings, Cal had two base runners but was unable to break up the shutout.