Apr 20, 2021 10 min read

High school baseball

Trinity’s long-dormant offense came to life Tuesday and the Hillers pounded out a 10-8 win at Mars in a non-section game.

The Hillers (2-6) erupted for five runs in the top of the first inning, then had to fight off a pair of comebacks by Mars (5-4) before scoring twice in the top of the seventh inning to nail down the victory.

Ty Banco’s double drove in Brandon Robaugh with the go-ahead run in the seventh and an insurance run scored when Chad Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Doubles by Banco and Robaugh were the only extra-base hits for Trinity. Robaugh was the winning pitcher in relief and Johnson pitched a scoreless bottom of the seventh for a save.

John Wetherholt homered and doubled for Mars and Mitchell Schultz hit a solo homer.

• Maddox Gratchen’s two-out single in the top of the eighth inning scored Jackson LaRocka and gave Burgettstown a 5-4 win over Brentwood in Class 2A Section 4.

Burgettstown (4-2, 6-2) swept the two-game series and ran its winning streak to four games.

The Blue Devils trailed 3-0 before scoring twice in both the fifth and sixth inning to take the lead. Brentwood (3-5, 3-7) scored in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.

A.J. Kuzior went 3-for-3 with a home run for Burgettstown and winning pitcher A.J. Kuzior threw 52/3 innings of relief. Andrew Brendel got the final out of the game for a save. He also doubled, as did LaRocka.

• Carmichaels defeated Bentworth 13-1 in five innings to sweep the two-game series in Class 2A Section 1.

Liam Lohr went 3-for-3 with four RBI for the Mikes (4-0, 7-1), Gavin Pratt smacked a triple and Nick Ricco doubled.

Winning pitcher Dylan Rohrer and Lohr combined on a four-hitter. Three of the Bentworth hits were doubles, two by Colton Brightwell and one by Noah Martin.

• One day after an unlikely come-from-behind win over Chartiers-Houston, Seton LaSalle completed a two-game series sweep of the Bucs, winning 10-0 in five innings in Class 2A Section 4.

Brian Reed drove in four runs and winning pitcher Sam Georgiana threw a one-hitter with eight strikeouts as the Rebels improved to 6-0 in section and 9-1 overall.

A single by Chase Bitz was the lone hit for C-H (5-3, 8-3).

• Avella scored in five consecutive innings and unleashed a 16-hit attack to beat Cornell 11-6 and sweep the two-game series in Class A Section 1.

Brian Humensky and Ty Jaworowski led the offense for Avella (2-6, 2-8), each collecting a double and two singles. Blaze Allen doubled for the second consecutive day and Braden Rankin doubled to back the winning pitching of Camden Georgetti.

• Nine different Yough players drove in at least one run and the Cougars rolled to a 14-0 win in five innings at Charleroi in Class 3A Section 4.

Christian Park threw a five-hit shutout as Yough swept the two-game series to move to 3-2 in section and 3-4 overall. Charleroi is 0-6, 2-7.

• Brownsville scored in every inning to beat Waynesburg 14-4 in Class 3A Section 4 and sweep the two-game series.

The Falcons (3-2, 4-3) had 15 hits. The first three batters in the lineup combined to go 9-for-14 with seven runs and five RBI.

Lincoln Pack was 3-for-4 with a triple for Waynesburg (2-4, 2-6).

• Greensburg Salem scored three times in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 victory from Ringgold and a split of its two-game series in Section 3 of Class 4A.

Ringgold won Monday night with a run in the seventh inning,

Hayden Teska doubled and scored twice and the leadoff hitter Dylan Sarsfield had two singles and drove in a run for Greensburg Salem (2-6, 2-7). Dom Falvo drove in thre runs with a base-loaded single.

Joey Shumaker doubled and drove in two runs for Ringgold (1-5, 5-6).

• Central Valley scored a run in the seventh inning for a 6-5 victory over Fort Cherry in a non-section game.
• John Gmys hit two doubles and drove in five runs as Bishop Canevin downed Mapletown 15-8 in a Section 2-A game.

The game was stopped in the seventh inning because of darkness.

Landon Stevenson had two doubles and drove in two, and A.J. Vanata doubled, for Mapletown (0-4, 0-4).

High school softball

West Greene ran its winning streak to four games and remained perfect in Class A Section 2 with a 13-0 five-inning win over Jefferson-Morgan on Tuesday.

Winning pitcher Kiley Meek had a big game, tossing a two-hit shutout in the circle and belting a home run and double at the plate. Meek drove in four runs.

London Whipkey, who is batting .568 for the season, also homered. Jersey Wise had a triple, and Katie Lampe and Taylor Karvan doubled. Lampe, Whipkey and Olivia Kiger each had three hits.

Jasmine Demaske doubled for J-M (2-2, 3-4).

• Chartiers-Houston scored at least two runs in every inning and rolled to a 16-1 win over host Carlynton in a five-inning Class 2A Section 1 game.

Winning pitcher Nicolette Kloes twirled a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and helped her cause by going 4-for-4 with a triple. Lexie Brodnik had a triple and Hannah Richey doubled. Bella Hess went 4-for-5 as the Bucs improved to 2-3 in section and 4-4 overall.

• Emma Holaren pitched another strong game and Carmichaels used two big innings to defeat Beth-Center 8-4 in a Class 2A Section 2.

The Mikes (3-1, 6-4), who have won four of five, scored five runs in the third inning and three more in the fifth. That was enough for Holaren, who threw a three-hitter and struck out 11.

Grace Brown’s double was the only extra-base hit for the Mikes. Madison Ellsworth drove in two runs.

• Taylor Dunn struck out five and allowed three hits, and Regan Miller hit a grand slam in a four-run fifth as Trinity shut down Upper St. Clair, 5-0, in a Section 4 game in Class 5A.

The grand slam was the first of the season for the Hillers (2-3, 3-3).

• Julia Jazstrezbski twirled a three-hitter with 10 strikeouts, Aubrey Krivax homered and Kaylan Cafardo drove in three runs as Burgettstown defeated Fort Cherry 10-1 in a battle for second place in Class 2A Section 1.

Burgettstown (4-1, 4-5), which has won three straight, pushed a run across in the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead, then scored six times in the fifth.

Krivax had a home run and a double, and Cafardo and Madison Kozares doubled to lead the Blue Devils at the plate.

Jazstrezbski gave up only one unearned run and three hits, two of which were doubles by Anika Rinehart and Kaylee Weinbrenner. Jazstrezbski did not issue a walk.

Fort Cherry dropped to .500 at 2-2 in the section and 4-4 overall.

• South Fayette dropped its third straight, losing 3-2 to Class 5A Section 4 leader Chartiers Valley.

All the scoring was done at opposite ends of the game. Chartiers Valley (5-0, 6-3) scored three unearned runs in the top fo the first inning and South Fayette (4-2, 7-3) tallied two runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Lions closed to within 3-2 on a run-scoring single by Hanna Binek and had the tying run in scoring position before winning pitcher Jenna Boneysteele’s sixth strikeout ended the game.

Madison Crump had a double for CV. Stephanie Binek doubled for South Fayette.

• Kyle Quigley fired a two-hit shutout as Charleroi blanked Bentworth 8-0 in Class 2A Section 3.

Quigley was dominant as she struck out 15 and did not issue a walk. She needed only 97 pitches to complete the shutout. Quigley helped her cause by hitting a double.

McKenna DeUnger and Riley Jones tripled for Charleroi (4-2, 6-5). DeUnger went 3-for-4.

• Class 4A Section 2 leader Elizabeth Forward blanked Ringgold 10-0 in five innings, snapping the Rams’ two-game winning streak.

The Warriors (6-0, 8-2) led 2-0 before scoring six times in the third inning.

Winning pitcher Kailey Larcinese fired a one-hitter, did not walk a batter and struck out 13. A double by Karlie Russell was the lone hit by Ringgold (1-5, 2-7).

• West Mifflin moved into second place in Class 4A Section 2, ahead of Belle Vernon, by defeating the Leopards, 11-5.

Alyssa Schmidt and Aurora Rosso each drove in three runs for West Mifflin (4-1, 8-1) and Emily Buchleitner pitched a four-hitter. Lexi Daniels belted a home run and Ava Zubovic tripled for Belle Vernon (4-2, 7-4).

Wild Things complete trade

The Wild Things acquired two players Tuesday to complete a previous trade with Trois-Rivières that sent outfielder Steve Brown to the Aigles in late January for two players to be named. Those two players are pitcher Kevin McNorton and infielder/catcher Joe DeLuca.

McNorton, a right-handed pitcher, is familiar with the Frontier League, having spent parts of four seasons (2014-17) with the Joliet Slammers before continuing his career in the Can-Am League with Trois-Rivières. McNorton comes to Washington sporting a career ERA of 3.78 in 142 games (43 starts).

DeLuca began his professional career with Fargo-Moorhead of the American Association before splitting time there and in Evansville in 2018.

McNorton’s reaction to the deal was mixed. He had just found out, according to him, that there would no longer be an Aigles’ season, which the league announced Saturday night.

“I was pretty bummed and sad for myself, teammates and my friends who now have to wait another year until baseball is back,” said McNorton. “Then I was told myself that I would be traded to Washington. I am super excited to join the Wild Things.”

College softball

Washington & Jefferson extended its winning streak to six in dominating fashion Tuesday. The Presidents swept Thiel, 8-0 in six innings and 8-0 in five innings. The wins improve W&J to 7-5 in PAC play and 15-12-1 overall.

In the NHL

Tuukka Rask recorded his first shutout of the season and the Boston Bruins extended their winning streak to five games with a 2-0 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night.

Rask made 32 saves including a highlight-reel save on Dylan Cozens in the first period that helped give the Bruins their seventh win in nine games.

Huggins’ father dies

The father of West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins has died. Charlie Huggins, who led high school basketball teams to three Ohio state championships, was 87.

Charlie Huggins won Ohio small-school titles as a coach in 1967, 1972 and 1976. He compiled a 398-74 career record in 20 seasons, including a 26-0 mark during Bob Huggins’ senior season at Indian Valley South High School in Gnadenhutten, Ohio, in 1972.

Charlie Huggins was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016.