May 1, 2014 By The 5 min read

The Falcons maintained a share of first place in Section 2-AA with an 11-4 home win Thursday afternoon against Bentworth in a game that was suspended Monday due to weather.

The Falcons (11-4) are tied in first place with Washington at 9-2.

Ryan Novotney pitched the first five innings over the two days to improve to 4-1. He allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits, struck out six and walked one.

Brownsville scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning, two scoring on Jacob Rechichar’s double and one on Shane Roebuck’s triple.

After the Bearcats plated two runs in the top of the fourth inning, the Falcons pieced together a few singles, a couple hit-batsmen and a walk for five more runs.

Bentworth scored single runs in the fifth and seventh innings, and Brownsville added a single run in the bottom of the sixth.

Rechichar had two hits and drove in three runs. Roebuck went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Kenny Ryan also doubled.

Brownsville travels Beth-Center today, hosts Fort Cherry on Saturday, and entertains Charleroi on Monday.

Avella 11, Jefferson-Morgan 1 — Winning pitcher Santino Paris hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and doubled twice to help Avella end Jefferson-Morgan’s post-season hopes with an 11-1 win over the Rockets Thursday.

Paris struck out six and walked three, as the (5-3, 6-3) Eagles pounded out 11 hits and scored in every inning but the second.

“Avella hit the ball,” JM coach John Curtis said. “We didn’t pitch well and we didn’t hit well.

Paris limited the Rockets (3-5, 3-9) to three hits. Austin Clark took the loss.

The Rockets close the season by hosting California today and traveling to Mapletown on Monday.

High school softball

Beth-Center 8, Chartiers-Houston 7 — Londyn Brown’s one-out single in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday lifted Beth-Center to a Section 2-AA victory over visiting Chartiers-Houston.

The victory keeps Beth-Center’s playoff hopes alive. The Lady Bulldogs (5-7) are 5-4 in the section, one game behind Bentworth (9-8) and the Lady Bucs (8-6) in the win column. Beth-Center’s final three games are on the road against Washington (today), Waynesburg Central (Saturday), and Bentworth (Monday).

Victoria White led off the bottom of the eighth with a single and moved to second on Alayna Mickoloff’s single. Both runners moved up on a passed ball with White racing home with the game-winning run on Brown’s single.

Beth-Center trailed by four runs heading into the bottom of the seventh inning and a little two-out lightning forced extra innings.

Abby Gustovich’s two-out double brought home the first run. Jasmine Wadsworth’s single moved Gustovich to third and Gustovich came home on Ebony Douglas’ double. Torin Fisher’s single brought home Wadsworth and Douglas to force extra innings.

Beth-Center led 3-1 after three innings, but Chartiers-Houston moved ahead with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth. The Lady Bucs added three runs in the top of the seventh.

Gustovich (5-5) struck out 10 and walked none, and went 4-for-4 with four doubles and three RBI. White went 2-for-4 and Fisher finished with three singles.

Chartiers-Houston’s Megan Kraushar legged out a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning.

West Greene 15, Mapletown 1 — The Lady Maples’ Jordan Adams RBI double in the top of the first inning spotted the visitors the early lead, but it was all West Greene after that for a Section 2-A home victory.

West Greene improves to 6-6 in the section and 7-9 overall, and keeps its slim playoff hopes alive. Mapletown slips to 2-10 in the section and 2-11 overall.

The Lady Pioneers’ Bailey Bennington scattered two hits, struck out 11 and walked none for the win. She also went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.

Alyssa Raber had a double and two singles for West Greene. Autumn Widdup also had a double.

Lauren Adams struck out two and walked one in the loss.

Jefferson-Morgan 5, Monessen 2 — Jess Taylor doubled and scored in the Lady Rockets’ three-run top of the second inning Thursday afternoon as Jefferson-Morgan clinched a Section 2-A playoff berth.

Jefferson-Morgan is 10-2 in the section and 13-2 overall. Monessen goes to 4-8 in the section and 6-9 overall.

Maddie Ludrosky scattered two hits, struck out 14 and walked two for the victory.

Norwin 5, Connellsville 2 — The Lady Knights scored two runs in the top of the second and added three more in the seventh inning Thursday afternoon for a Section 1-AAAA road victory over the Lady Falcons.

Jena Bukovac’s two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning accounted for Connellsville’s runs.

Hannah O’Block scattered five hits, struck out four and walked one for the victory. She also had three singles.

Emily Keslar allowed 14 hits, struck out five and walked three in the loss.

Connellsville slips to 4-7 in the section and overall, while the Lady Wildcats improve to 8-2 in the section and 10-2 overall.

High school tennis

Southmoreland 4, Riverside 1 — Southmoreland swept the doubles and took 2-of-3 singles matches Thursday afternoon to advance in the WPIAL Class AA boys tennis team playoffs with a win against Riverside.

The Scotties advance to play Blackhawk on Monday.

Henry Riley won his No. 2 singles match, 6-2, 6-4. Davis Simon needed three sets at No. 3 singles, dropping the first, 6-2, but rallying in the final two, 6-1, 6-3.

Isaac Proach and Adam Snyder dropped only one game in their straight sets victory at No. 1 doubles. Adam Hernley and Brock Grabiak won No. 2 doubles, 6-2, 6-2.