Lady Warriors blank Waynesburg, 4-0
By the Herald-Standard Kristen Hawkins went the distance with four strikeouts, as Elizabeth-Forward blanked host Waynesburg Central, 4-0, in girls Section 4-AAA softball action Saturday.
It was the first shutout loss for the Lady Raiders this season and marked the first time E-F defeated Waynesburg this season. In the first two meetings this season, Waynesburg won by the scores of 1-0 and 5-3.
Despite the loss, Waynesburg will still win the section crown.
Hawkins doubled for the lone extra base hit in the game.
Lauren Minor went on record with the loss with six strikeouts and three walks. Rachel Rohanna and Alyson Johnson singled for the only Waynesburg hits.
The Lady Raiders are back in action on Monday at home against McGuffey.
Laurel Highlands 7, Albert Gallatin 4 – Ashley Fenchur, Rachel Georgiana and Victoria Kears each doubled twice, as Laurel Highlands defeated Albert Gallatin Friday in exhibition play.
Gabby Ross tripled for the Lady Colonials, and Ashley Petrone doubled.
The Fillies visit Southmoreland on Monday.
College softball
Bethany (W.Va.) 2, Waynesburg 1; Waynesburg 3, Washington & Jefferson 2 – Senior Heather Immesberger struck out a career-high 12 batters to lead Bethany to a victory over Waynesburg in the PAC Championship game, which gave the Bison their 12th conference title in school history.
The Yellow Jackets finish the season with a 19-19 record with the victory total the highest in the program’s history. Bethany improves to 22-21, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, their fifth in the program’s history.
Waynesburg Central graduate Autumn Minor stepped up to the plate and drove a 2-2 pitch over the fence down the left field line for a solo home run, her sixth of the season, to give Waynesburg a 1-0 lead.
In the third inning, Bethany junior Brittany Leslie cracked a home run deep to left-center for a solo blast. It was the first home run in Leslie’s collegiate career. The Bison scored the winning run when Chelsea Butler’s double scored pinch runner Nikki Gillis.
The Yellow Jackets had runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings, but couldn’t bring the tying run home.
Freshman Amanda Baughman (6-9) took the loss, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out three and walking none.
Minor (11-8) threw her 17th complete game of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning, Waynesburg rallied with three runs on three hits and two errors. Minor and Bre Kokladas both had bases-loaded, run-scoring singles with Krista Jackson scoring the third run on an error.
The Presidents (26-11) scored an unearned run in the fifth.
High school baseball
Laurel Highlands 8, South Park 2 – The Mustangs turned a triple play in the fourth inning, building on the momentum of 5-run spurt in the bottom of the third, to beat the visiting Eagles for a non-section victory.
Trailing 2-1 heading into the bottom of the third inning, Laurel Highlands (14-3) scored five times, sparked by Nick Erminio’s two-run home run. The Mustangs added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
With runners at first and second in the top of the fourth, Laurel Highlands third baseman Mike Newhouse fielded a grounder and tagged third to start the triple play. His throw to first baseman John Boskovich recorded the second out, and Boskovich’s throw to shortstop Erminio tagged out the late-breaking runner from first base.
Erminio added a double to his game stats. Kevin Gmiter and Ethan Mildren both added a pair of singles.
High school track & field
Baldwin Invitational – The day was long Friday at the Baldwin Invitational, but was worth the effort for many local athletes as the attention turns to the individual.
Connellsville’s Rodney Richter stood on the awards podium twice, finishing first in the discus with a throw of 173-0 and third in the shot put with his best effort of 54-9. Teammate Nick Zurawski finished eighth in the pole vault after clearing the bar at 13 feet.
Uniontown’s Darius Reeves reset his mark in the triple jump with his third-place finish of 45-1/4. He placed eighth in the 110 high hurdles. The Red Raiders’ James Pratt was eighth in the triple jump with a leap of 42-10.
The Lady Raiders’ 3200 relay team finished seventh in a time of 9:58.55, and Kelsie Herring was eighth in the 800 with a time of 2:22.6. Uniontown’s Mallory Sanner was sixth in the javelin with a top throw of 119-5.
Belle Vernon had a strong showing with Shaina Vasquez finishing fourth in the 300 intermediate hurdles in a time of 46.32 seconds and Matt Green jumped 21-31/4 to place eighth in the long jump.
Albert Gallatin’s Anthony Stevenson matched his county record 6-6 to finish second in the high jump, and grabbed a second medal with a sixth-place finish in the long jump (21-91/2).
Waynesburg Central’s Nick Patton also won a pair of medals, finishing fourth in the pole vault after clearing 13-6 and sixth in the javelin with a throw of 174-0.