Apr 3, 2023 5 min read

Lucas Judy scored from third base on a balk with two outs in the top of the ninth inning, giving Belle Vernon a 2-1 victory over Ringgold in Class 4A Section 2 on Monday.

The win keep the Leopards unbeaten in the section at 2-0.

The game was a pitchers’ duel as there were only two hits for each team. Judy began the ninth with a single and moved up on a walk. A bunt put runners on second and third. Following an intentional walk and strikeout, the balk sent Judy home with the go-ahead run.

Belle Vernon took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the seventh, but Ringgold (0-1, 1-3) forced extra innings on Lorenzo Glasser’s RBI single with two outs in the bottom fo the seventh.

Glasser pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed one hit and one unearned run.

Belle Vernon starter Colton Lee threw six no-hit innings with eight strikeouts. Seth Tomalski was the winning pitcher in relief.

• Ryan Opfer fired a five-hit shutout and Chartiers-Houston remained undefeated with a 2-0 victory over visiting Burgettstown in the Class 2A Section 1 opener for the Bucs.

Opfer walked three and struck out seven. The Bucs (1-0, 5-0) did all their scoring in the fourth inning, getting a two-run double by Paul Williamson.

Burgettstown starter Andrew Bredel allowed only two hits and struck out seven. Brodie Kuzior doubled for the Blue Devils (2-1, 3-1).

• Ryan Wilson-Jones hit a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning that gave Carmichaels a 6-3 win at Fort Cherry in Class A Section 1.

Fort Cherry (0-1, 1-3) led 3-2 entering the sixth before Wilson-Jones’ blast with one out put Carmichaels (3-0, 4-0) in front.

Winning pitcher Aydan Adamson threw a four-hit complete game with five strikeouts. Tyler Richmond, Jake Fordyce and Peyton Schooley doubled for the Mikes.

Luke Sweder had a single and double for the Rangers.

• Mapletown scored two runs in the first inning and used stellar pitching by Spencer Yeager and A.J. Vanata to knock Avella from the undefeated ranks by edging the Eagles 2-1 in Class A Section 1.

Daniel Fox hit an RBI triple in the first inning and Vanata followed with a double to account for Mapletown’s scoring. Avella (2-1, 4-1) scored in the second inning but was blanked the rest of the way. Yeager went 6 1/3 innings and Vanata got the final two outs for a save as Mapletown improved to 1-2 in section and 1-2 overall.

• Tyson Mead pitched 4 1/3 innings of one-run relief for his first win and Amdrew Kocan and Sam Meredith each drove in three runs as Canon-McMillan defeated Mt. Lebanon 9-4 in the Class 6A Section 2 opener.

The Big Macs trailed 3-0 in the first before scoring in five consecutive innings. Nick Hilbert and Mason Fixx each doubled for Canon-Mac and Kocan smacked a triple.

• Mason Switalski struck out eight in a complete game as Waynesburg defeated Brownsville 7-2 in Class 3A Section 4.

Lincoln Pack hit a double, drove in two and scored twice to lead the offense for Waynesburg (1-2, 1-3). Alex VanSickle and Austin Surber also doubled.

• West Greene scored three times in the fifth inning to rally for a 6-4 win over visiting Sewickley Academy in a non-section game.

West Greene trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the fifth and tacked on an insurance run in the sixth.

Winning pitcher Morgan Kiger threw a complete game, striking out five. Johnny Lampe, Aaron Knight and lane Allison each doubled for the Pioneers (1-3).

• California scored six runs in both the first and fifth innings in a 14-1 Class 1A Section 1 victory at Jefferson-Morgan.

The Trojans’ Ricky Lawson was 3-for-3 with a home run, double and five RBI. Aidan Lowden had two hits, including a double, for California (3-0, 3-3). Chase Cicchitto had two hits for the visitors.

Caden Monticelli was the winning pitcher after yielding one run on five hits in four innings.

Mason Sisler had two hits for the Rockets (0-3, 1-4).

• Ben Shields fired a two-hit shutout in Charleroi’s 6-0 triumph over Beth-Center in Class 2A Section 1 action.

Shields struck out 14 and walked one in seven innings.

Ethan Hadsell connected for a two-run double in the third, as the Cougars (1-2, 2-2) built their lead to six. Teammate Nico Rongaus had two RBI.

• Despite two doubles and three RBI by McGuffey’s Lincoln Johnson, Mount Pleasant pulled out a 9-7 win over the Highlanders in a Class 3A Section 4 game at Wild Things Park.

Mount Pleasant scored four runs in both the first and third innings and then held off a late charge by McGuffey. Ryan keith drove in a pair of runs for McGuffey.