Local roundup
Mustangs win pair, clinch Section 2 crown Laurel Highlands baseball team clinched the Section 2-AAA crown with a pair of wins, beating Kittanning and Mount Pleasant.
The Mustangs downed Kittanning 14-4 in the first game and defeated Mount Pleasant 8-5 in the nightcap.
Laurel Highlands (15-2, 11-2) currently sits one game up on Yough in the section. Win or lose today against Uniontown and the Mustangs remain the section champions.
Zach Dascenzo set the pace with a three-run shot in the first inning.
The Mustangs jumped out to an early 7-0 lead through the first three innings and never looked back as they ten-run ruled Kittanning in six innings.
Winning pitcher Ethan Mildren (7-0) remains undefeated on the mound with a three-hit complete game under his belt with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Bret Conaway went home with the loss. He saw four innings of action with eight runs on seven hits, two strikeouts and three walks.
The Mustang bats were in full swing with Nick Erminio (three singles), Randy Rankin (two singles) and Mike Newhouse (two singles) each with multiple hits.
In the nightcap, Rankin gave LH the quick 3-0 lead with a three-run homer in the first inning.
Dascenzo drilled two doubles and Jake Barnhart added one.
Kevin Gmiter (2-1) worked four innings on the mound for the Mustangs with one strikeout, eight hits, one walk and four runs.
Mike Katz doubled for the lone Viking extra base hit.
Mount Pleasant falls to 1-12.
Brownsville 18, Charleroi 5 – Randy Smithberger nearly hit for the cycle, highlighted by a three-run home run in the first inning as playoff-bound Brownsville cruised to an easy Section 2-AA over host Charleroi.
In addition to Smithberger’s home run, he also doubled and singled.
P.J. Lanzi and Nick Eadie were next in the offensive column, each with a triple, while Justin Gibson ripped three doubles.
Lanzi also doubled as did teammate Eric Landman.
Mike Michalsky and Dan Harvey each singled twice.
The Falcons totaled 16 hits, compared to Charleroi’s five.
Jeremy Kopacko (2-1) worked two innings for Brownsville with three runs on three hits, a strikeout and two walks.
Losing pitcher Cory Ramsdell saw an inning of action with six runs on five hits, a strikeout and two walks.
Brownsville (10-1, 11-5) host Beth-Center today at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs are fresh off a 5-3 win over Washington.
Carmichaels 20, West Greene 3 – First place Carmichaels put another one in the win column with an easy win over host West Greene.
Joby Lapkowicz paced the Mikes with a solo home run to lead off the second inning, and added a two-run shot in the third.
Lapkowicz posted three RBIs, as did teammates Ethan Virgili and Marcus Robinson.
Winning pitcher Bill Musgrove worked four innings, allowed three runs on three hits, with five strikeouts and a walk.
Errett Mahle relieved Musgrove in the fifth with three strikeouts and a walk.
Buck Raber put West Greene on the scoreboard with a three-run homer in the third.
Uniontown 10, Derry 6 – After dropping three straight games last week, the Uniontown boys baseball team has come roaring back with wins Monday over Kittanning and Tuesday over Derry.
Nick Apicella paced the Red Raiders with two singles and six RBIs, while teammate Brandon Rumbaugh tripled.
Corey Sawka doubled as part of a 3-of-4 outing at the plate, while Jason Guthrie singled twice.
Mike Dvorchak had a busy day for Uniontown with three singles and the win on the mound. He went the distance striking out five and walking four.
Uniontown (6-10, 5-8) close out the season today with cross-town rival Laurel Highlands at home starting at 4 p.m.
Penn-Trafford 10, Albert Gallatin 5 – Chris Rasky and Mike Kochasic ripped a pair of home runs for Penn-Trafford as they cruised past visiting Albert Gallatin in a Section 2-AAAA match-up.
The Colonials ran out of steam through four innings with the score tied at 5-5, when Penn-Trafford erupted for five runs in the bottom of the fifth.
It could be in part that AG has played eight games in 10 days.
Tim Cortazzo and Eric Rasky also doubled for the Warriors.
Gene Franks and Colin Packroni had the hot bats for the Colonials. Both doubled and singled, while Franks added three RBIs.
Winning pitcher Curtis Tucak came on in relief and pitched three and two-thirds innings with six strikeouts and two hits.
Justin Swaney went on record as the losing pitcher. He saw five innings of action with 10 hits, 10 runs (5 earned), two walks and a strikeout.
Albert Gallatin (5-11, 2-9) are back in action today at Connellsville and then they return home Thursday against Laurel Highlands.
Burgettstown 6, Waynesburg Central 5 – Mitchell Monas drilled a solo home run in the second and a two-run shot in the fourth, but Burgettstown had ended up on top with a Section 2-AA win.
Despite the loss, the Raiders clinched a playoff berth and currently sit in sole possession of second place.
Not to be outdone, teammate Scott Throckmorton also homered.
Nick Donati hurled the win for the Blue Devils. He went the distance striking out five and walking one.
Corey Titchenell hurled the loss for Waynesburg with six innings, five strikeouts and no walks.
The Raiders (7-4, 6-7) visit the Little Prexies of Washington today at 4 p.m.
Beth-Center 5, Washington 3 – Todd Chisler fanned seven Washington batters and allowed three runs on 10 hits en route to a Section 2-AA win over host Washington.
Matt Stotka and Ryan Butka doubled for Brownsville. Stotka also singled and John Lowden singled twice.
Washington’s Mike Damerow went on record with the loss. He was among four Little Prexie pitchers that faced B-C.
Beth-Center (5-10, 4-7) has three remaining games on the schedule. Today, the Bulldogs travel to Brownsville for a 4 p.m. start.
Chartiers-Houston visits B-C Thursday and the final game of the season is Friday at home against Mapletown.
Frazier 14, Geibel Catholic 6 – Frazier’s season ended on a high note Tuesday with a Section 2-A win over Geibel Catholic.
Kristen Miller led the Lady Commodore offense with three singles and three runs scored.
Teammate Marissa Pasquale singled twice.
Geibel’s Sabrina Szabo was 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs scored, and Marion Laurion ripped two singles.
Winning pitcher Angela Kirchner went the distance striking out six and walking four.
Chelsea Lasosky went home with the loss. She saw six innings of action, with four walks, 10 hits and five strikeouts.
Softball
Albert Gallatin 4, Connellsville 1 – Megan Angelo doubled and singled en route to a Section 1-AAAA win over host Connellsville.
After three scoreless innings, the Lady Colonials put up two runs in the fourth and two in the sixth for the win.
Jen Lewellen went home with the win for AG. She went the distance striking out seven and walking one.
Connellsville’s Brooke Hoffer doubled and singled, while teammates Josie Miller and Judy Nicholson each doubled.
Losing pitcher Erica Barthalow also went the distance striking out nine and allowing a walk.
Waynesburg Central 2, McGuffey 0 – Courtney Orndoff led off the third with a triple and Kaylie Barger singled her in, en route to a shutout win over host McGuffey in Section 4-AAA action.
In the fourth inning, Waynesburg’s Molly Henderson reached third after a two-base error.
Teammate P.K. Kennedy put the ball in play and scored Henderson for the second Lady Raider score.
Winning pitcher Lauren Minor worked six innings with five strikeouts and three walks.
Emily Bosworth came on in the last inning and struck out two McGuffey batters.
The Lady Raiders (10-5, 13-5) clinched a playoff berth Monday against Ringgold. They square off against Connellsville today in exhibition action.
McGuffey falls to 4-11.
Beth-Center 4, Brownsville 3 – Amanda Higinbotham homered, singled and drove in two runs as Beth-Center edged past Brownsville in Section 2-AA action.
The playoff-bound Bulldogs locked up second place behind Washington with the win.
Winning pitcher Geri Whitman was flawless on the mound for B-C with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
Whitman singled twice at the plate and drove in two runs, while Megan Sowers knocked three singles.
Stacey Knox went home with the loss. She struck out five and allowed one walk.
Rebecca Bruschi tripled for Brownsville’s lone extra base hit.
Beth-Center visits Mount Lebanon Friday in exhibition play.
Carmichaels 5, Mapletown 3 – Memry Jordan and Beth May tripled as Carmichaels downed Mapletown in a Section 2-A showdown.
Jordan also singled, while Laci Ludrosky ripped three singles and Taylor Nichols two singles.
Courtney Newland racked up another win for the Lady Mikes with seven strikeouts and a walk.
Miranda Shipley suffered the loss with a strikeout and no walks.
Heather Shook doubled for the lone Lady Maple extra base hit.
Carmichaels (14-2, 13-2) looks forward to post-season play.
West Greene 6, Jefferson-Morgan 3 – West Greene jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, as they rolled past visiting Jefferson-Morgan in Section 2-A action.
Rachel Burns picked up yet another win for the Lady Pioneers with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Jefferson-Morgan’s Emily Cottle suffered the loss with six strikeouts and no walks.
West Greene’s Allison Clark and Sarah Beltry had three and two singles, respectively.
In the losing effort, Heather Herbert doubled and singled.
The Lady Rockets (8-6) host Geibel Catholic today.
West Greene sits at 11-4 in the section.
Belle Vernon 1, Elizabeth-Forward 0 – Kayla Nuccetelli singled up the middle followed by a Megan Chadwell slap bunt which put runners safely on first and second.
Alana Lacey bunted safely to load the bases.
Heather Sellew singled to right and scored Nuccetelli for the game’s lone run in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Section 4-AAA win over visiting Elizabeth-Forward.
Sellew led the Lady Leopards with two singles and the winning RBI.
Winning pitcher Ashley Nichols (13-4) went the distance with 13 strikeouts and five hits.
Lindsay Smith also worked all eight innings with seven strikeouts, six hits, two walks and one run.
Hilary Holets doubled and singled for Elizabeth-Forward, while Kristen Hawkins also doubled.
Teammates Jen McClay and Taylor Reese each singled.
Belle Vernon (12-3, 15-5) look forward to post-season play.
Boys track & field
WPIAL Class AAA Central Regional Qualifier – Connellsville had a good day in its WPIAL individual qualifier at Norwin High school, sending seven individuals and two relay teams to next week’s WPIAL Championships.
Rodney Richter and Scott Jones qualified in two events each.
Richter advanced in the shot put (54-8) and discus (137-8), while Jones continued his season in the 110 high hurdles (14.7) and long jump (20-3).
Dan Martin made the grade in the discus (140-½). Aaron Meade grabbed one of the eighth qualifying berths in the triple jump with a top effort of 42-½. Nick Zurawski cleared 12-6 in the pole vault to advance with Arlo Helms running 10:24 in the 3,200 for a spot in the district finals. Jason Pirl ran the 400 in 52.2 seconds.
The 400 relay team of Richie Miller, Jarrett McCutcheon, Jones and Jerel Coles ran 44.6 to advance, and the 3,200 relay team of Nathan Richter, Helms, Zurawski and Nick Miller advanced with a time of 8:48.