By Mark Kaboly
Brianna Lach knew something had to change when she came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. During her first two plate …
Serra’s playoff run ends with loss to Neshannock By George Guido
Defending PIAA Class A champion and top-seeded Neshannock showed no ill effects from a 16-day layoff in Monday afternoon’s WPIAL quarterfinal. The Lancers jumped on Serra Catholic (11-7) for seven runs in the first inning and rolled to a 14-0 victory at McIntyre Field in Ross Township. The game was …
North Allegheny holds off McKeesport in quarterfinals By Keith Barnes
Stuck in a tie late in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals against McKeesport, North Allegheny coach Rick Meister knew he needed an offensive spark to get his team a much-needed run. He also knew where to get it. He just had to pick the perfect time to insert sophomore Mackenzie …
Hempfield headed to semifinals after topping Shaler By Dave Mackall
Just another day at the office for the Hempfield softball team. “It was a typical ballgame for us,” coach Bob Kalp said Monday after the Spartans eliminated Shaler from the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs with a 4-1 victory in the quarterfinals at Plum. “We don’t, day-in and day-out, have a …
Riverside’s Wilson too much for Steel Valley in quarterfinals By Justin Criado
Playing powerhouse Riverside in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals was a thought few outside the Steel Valley dugout believed was possible at the beginning of the season, but that’s just where Matt Janov and his Ironmen found themselves Monday afternoon at North Hills’ McIntyre Field. Despite the 6-0 defeat at …
Redbank Valley softball, Karns City baseball earn top seeds in D-9 playoffs By Matt Grubba
District 9 kicks off its baseball and softball playoffs this week, and a pair of Armstrong County teams have the top seed in their respective brackets. Redbank Valley softball and Karns City baseball are the No. 1 seeds in Class AA, and both will attempt to turn the reward for …
Deer Lakes softball rolls after early deficit By Bill Beckner Jr.
The offensive machine that is the Deer Lakes softball team showed no ill-effects from a 10-day layoff when it finally opened the WPIAL playoffs Monday. …
13th-seeded Beaver comes from behind to beat GCC By Keith Barnes
At a cursory glance it might have seemed like Greensburg Central Catholic had a cakewalk into the WPIAL Class AA semifinals when 13th-seeded Beaver pulled off a first-round upset of No. 4 Seton-La Salle Not to the Centurions’ brain trust. “I actually thought they were a good team,” Greensburg Central …
Oberdorf brings heat as Greensburg Salem advances to semifinals By Dave Mackall
On a hot afternoon, Jayne Oberdorf was bringing the heat. Oberdorf pitched a four-hitter, and top-seeded Greensburg Salem pushed across single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to beat eighth-seeded Blackhawk, 2-0, on Monday at Plum, advancing the Golden Lions to the WPIAL Class AAA semifinals. “I was just …
Jeannette softball team looks to continue its impressive run By Paul Schofield
Jeannette softball coach Dee Dee Cortazzo didn’t know what direction the 2013 season was headed after the first four games. The team started 1-3 and wasn’t playing well. She also was still mourning the loss of her husband Chris, who died of a heart attack Feb. 11. He was by …
WPIAL softball playoff preview: Deer Lakes vs. McGuffey By Bill Beckner Jr.
Class AA quarterfinals No. 1 seed Deer Lakes (16-0) vs. No. 9 McGuffey (15-5) 5 p.m. Monday at North Allegheny Coaches: Craig Taliani, Deer Lakes; Bill Loar, McGuffey Winner plays: No. 14 Beaver (11-6)/No. 5 Greensburg Central Catholic (11-4) winner Wednesday in semifinals. Fastballs: Deer Lakes was the No. 4 …
WPIAL softball postseason newcomers making inroads By Mark Kaboly
There’s no denying that the Serra Catholic baseball team has been there, done that. The Eagles have won two WPIAL titles, a state championship and 140 games — including 27 in the playoffs — over the past seven years. The same can be said about Elizabeth Forward’s softball team. The …
Frazier, Shenango share disappointing memories at Fairhaven Park By Jason Black
When the WPIAL released the locations for the Class A softball quarterfinals, Frazier coach Paul Harvey and Shenango coach Amy Delaney may have each cringed a bit when they saw that the two teams will be playing each other at 4 p.m. Monday at Fairhaven Park. The complex is not …
Frazier, EF pass first tests By The Valley Independent
Frazier and Elizabeth Forward moved on to the quarterfinals after picking up contrasting first round wins in the WPIAL softball playoffs Thursday. In Class A, …
Home run lifts South Side Beaver girls over Leechburg By George Guido
One big hit. That’s all South Side Beaver needed Thursday afternoon in an opening round WPIAL Class A softball game against Leechburg at North Allegheny. …
Batterymates leading GCC softball into postseason By Brian Hunger
Greensburg Central Catholic softball assistant coach Tom Appleby knows how to make an entrance. An assistant under head coach Gary Ciarimboli, Appleby temporarily will take over the reins of the program as it heads into the WPIAL Class AA playoffs. Ciarimboli will not be available because of a family commitment. …
WPIAL softball playoffs roundup: Blackhawk tops Hampton in 10th By Staff Reports
Blackhawk sophomore Heather Barrett singled in Courtney Vannoy in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead the eighth-seeded Cougars to a 6-5 victory over Hampton in the opening round of the WPIAL Class AAA playoffs at North Allegheny. Bridgette Shaffer threw five innings in relief of Danielle Levato to …
Daily News roundup: Serra advances to softball quarterfinals By Staff Reports
The third-base line was a popular place for Serra Catholic runners Thursday afternoon. The Eagles softball team stole home three times and scored on a suicide squeeze en route to a 7-3 win over Bishop Canevin in the WPIAL Class A opening round at West Mifflin. Amy McNeill had three …
Lady Jays enter playoffs today By Dave Moio
Jeannette softball marks its return to the WPIAL playoff scene today at 3 p.m. when it faces Sewickley Academy at Plum Senior High School. Sewickley …
Mt. Pleasant softball prepared for West Mifflin By Jason Black
Mt. Pleasant first-year softball coach Monica Cox is doing her best to make sure her team is prepared for its WPIAL Class AAA playoff game …
Franklin Regional learns from difficult season By Doug Gulasy
The 2013 softball season turned out to be a learning experience in several ways for the Franklin Regional softball team. In their first season in …
West Mifflin softball coach Phillips has deep ties to South Hills By Brian Knavish
When West Mifflin takes on Mt. Pleasant in the opening round of the WPIAL Class AAA softball playoffs today, Thursday, the game will have a decidedly South Hills feel. And not just because of West Mifflin’s geographic location. The Lady Titans are coached by Casey Phillips, a man who is …
Frazier softball seeks elusive WPIAL semifinal berth By Jason Black
When the Frazier and Vincentian Academy softball teams met in 2010, the Royals were a team that had already forged a championship identity and they …
Walk-off grand slam sends Peters Township to quarterfinals By Adam Bittner
Carly Konopka made up for her walks in the pitcher’s circle with a walk-off at the plate. The Peters Township pitcher hit a game-ending grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday to lift the Indians to an 8-4 victory against Pine-Richland in the first round of the …
