May 4, 2025 By the Herald-Standard 6 min read

The milestones keep coming for Brownsville’s Ava Clark.

The junior pitcher, who surpassed Stacey Knox’s school record of 376 strikeouts earlier this season, recorded career strikeout No. 500 in the playoff-bound Lady Falcons’ 12-5 win at California Thursday.

Brownsville improved to 6-3 in Section 4-2A and 9-5 overall.

Clark allowed two earned runs on five hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts and also helped her own cause with three singles.

Lady Falcons coach Jane Bock lauded her star player for her work ethic.

“Ava is a self-motivated athlete who has put the time and dedication into perfecting her craft,” Bock said. “I am so proud of her accomplishment and looking forward to her reaching her next milestone.

“Ave is the athlete who is always striving for perfection even when no one is looking.”

Jordyn Davis contributed three hits and two RBIs for Brownsville which also got a pair of singles from Lyla Gill and a double from Lena Rechichar.

The Lady Trojans (0-7, 2-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Maddy Morton doubled and scored on Kayla Saeli’s single to make it 1-0. Saeli later stole home.

The Lady Falcons surged in front to stay with a seven-run explosion in the third inning that included a two-run single by Mia O’Hern.

Brownsville had built up an 11-2 advantage by time Clark notched her 500th strikeout in the bottom of the fifth.

Morton had two hits for California.

Connellsville 10, Peters Township 1 – Cali Leichliter homered, doubled, singled and drove in four runs as the Lady Falcons rolled past the host Lady Indians in a Section 4-5A game.

Kendal King pitched a four-hitter with three walks and two strikeouts to earn the win.

Maggie Orndorff had two doubles and a single, Kalyn Cole doubled, singled and drove in two runs and Elizabeth Painter had two hits for Connellsville (7-4, 11-5) which also got a double from Rylee Dreves.

Madison Renda tripled and Makenzie Morgan doubled for Peters Township (1-11, 3-13).

Waynesburg Central 14, Bentworth 0 – Gina Tedrow tossed a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Kolbi Rastoka smacked a home run as the Lady Raiders blanked the Lady Bearcats in a five-inning, Section 4-2A game.

Aidan Snider had a single and three RBIs for Waynesburg (8-2, 11-5) which also got a double, single and an RBI from Ellie Makel and two RBIs apiece from Bre Kerr and Bria Stepheonson.

Zoie McDonald had the lone hit for Bentworth (7-8, 4-5) with a fourth-inning double.

The Lady Raiders combined nine walks, an error and three singles to score nine runs in the first inning.

Avella 15, Beth-Center 12 – Avrey Rado knocked in five runs with a triple, double and single as the Lady Eagles (4-6, 5-10) earned a playoff spot and eliminated the Lady Bulldogs from contention with a Section 2-A win.

Belle Stepp had two doubles and four RBIs for Beth-Center (2-8, 2-12) which also got a pair of triples from Allison Lynch.

Bethel Park 13, Albert Gallatin 1 – Madison Timms went 4 for 4, including a home run and a double, and knocked in four runs as the Lady Black Hawks topped the Lady Colonials in a five-inning, Section 4-5A game.

Courtney Roberts tripled, singled and also had four RBIs for Bethel Park (5-7, 9-7).

Jenna Myers had two hits for Albert Gallatin (1-10, 3-11).

Baseball

California 6, Brownsville 3 – Chase Cicchitto had Eli Carpenter each had a double and an RBI in the Trojans’ non-section victory over the Falcons.

Kaden Weston had two RBIs for California (6-8). Winning pitcher Logan Hartley gave up three unearned runs on one hit with four walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Weston and Chase Shemansky, who earned the save, combined to toss two hitless innings of relief.

Hunter Pelehac had the lone hit for Brownsville (4-10) and also had a stolen base, a walk and a run scored.

Carmichaels 12, Avella 6 – Brayden Andrews had two hits and three RBIs and Jordan Davis doubled and also knocked in three runs as the Mikes clinched a playoff spot with a Section 1-A win at Avella in the completion of a game suspended from April 29.

Colin Andrews had three hits, Parker Hewitt contributed two singles and two RBIs and Cooper Richards doubled, singled and drove in a run for Carmichaels (7-3, 10-4). Winning pitcher Jase Zdravecky gave up four earned runs with one walk and one strikeout in five innings.

Avella scored two runs in the first inning but the Mikes answered with five in the second and were never threatened again.

Losing pitcher Logan Fedak doubled, singled and drove in four runs and Bryce Wright had four singles and two RBIs for the Eagles (6-6, 10-6), who also got three hits from Hayden Gatewood.

Jefferson-Morgan 9, Washington 1 – Drew Adams hurled a three-hitter and John Woodward was 4 for 4 with a double and four RBIs as the Rockets romped over the visiting Prexies in a non-section game.

Adams struck out 11 and walked none.

Joe Bair had two hits and Brayden Ellsworth and Evan Kniha each had a double and an RBI for J-M (11-3) which also got a single, run and three stolen bases from Deakyn DeHoet and a single and two RBIs from Brenton Barnhart.

Isaac Charnik doubled and knocked in the only run for Washington (4-13).

Trinity 10, Waynesburg Central 0 – Matthew Robaugh tripled, doubled and singled in the Class 5A Hillers’ six-inning, non-section victory over the host Raiders.

Owen Samogala had two hits and two RBIs, Kaden Hathaway also knocked in two runs and Derek Falvo singled twice for Trinity (8-8). Winning pitcher Luke Poland allowed two hits and five walks with five strikeouts in four innings.

Alex VanSickle doubled for Waynesburg (14-2). Vince Maley took the loss.

Burgettstown 15, Frazier 3 – Brian Charles had a double and three RBIs as the Blue Devils (9-1, 11-1) beat the Commodores in a Section 1-2A game.

Aiden Hardy hit a home run for Frazier (3-7, 7-8).

Greensburg Central Catholic 10, Southmoreland 0 – Bobby Smithnosky and Jackson McMullen each pitched three innings in combining on a six-inning no-hitter for the Centurions (11-2) in a non-section game against Southmoreland (1-14).