Mar 29, 2022 3 min read

High school softball

Maren Metikosh had three hits and drove in three runs, winning pitcher Olivia Kolowitz struck out eight and Belle Vernon won at Thomas Jefferson 7-4 in a non-section game Tuesday.

Metikosh had a double and two singles, helping the Leopards (1-0-1) overcome an early 4-2 deficit. Lexi Daniels and Ashley Joll also doubled.

• Mackenzie Borkovich fired a two-hit shutout and struck out 17 as Fox Chapel won at Peters Township, 5-0, in non-section play.

Fox Chapel (2-0) did all its scoring in the fifth inning, which included a two-run single by Hunter Taylor, which gave the Foxes the lead. Borkovich had a double, the game’s only extra-base hit.

Borkovich issued six walks but the only hits she allowed were singles by Dana Marchisotto and Madison Renda.

• West Mifflin built an early six-run lead and held on for a 10-5 win over visiting Ringgold.

Emma Nolff and Dani Vecchio hit back-to-back home runs for Ringgold (2-2) in the fourth inning, which pulled the Rams to within 6-4. Nolff’s home run was a three-run shot.

Ringgold’s Amy Petersen, Olivia Vecchio and Karlie Russell each had a double.

High school baseball

South Allegheny broke open a close game by scoring seven times in the fourth inning and going on to a 15-3 win over Washington in five innings Tuesday.

South Allegheny led 5-3 before its big inning, which was aided by three Washington errors.

Wash High’s Michael Shallcross smacked a triple, the only extra-base hit in the game. Shallcross went 2-for-3.

• Austin Hall had a triple and drove in two runs to help McGuffey to a 10-6 victory over Steel Valley in a non-section game.

Lincoln Johnson and Logan Hatfield each drove in two runs for McGuffey. Winning pitcher Brock Wallace had a double and Logan Carlisle tripled.

College baseball

Pitching dominated as Washington & Jefferson swept Chatham, 5-1 and 9-2, in a Presidents’ Athletic Conference doubleheader Tuesday.

Winning pitcher Henry Litman tossed a four-hitter in the opener and Scout Zaas drove in two runs with a double.

Tyler Horvat and two relievers combined on a six-hitter in the second game. Evan Sante belted a two-run homer for W&J.

Cruz to minors

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Oneil Cruz will start the season in the minors. The team optioned the towering 6-7 shortstop to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

While the 23-year-old Cruz had put together a solid spring training – going 5-for-15 with two home runs – manager Derek Shelton said the team believes Cruz needs a little more experience before being called up for good.

“It was a development decision,” Shelton said. “We feel he’s going to have a major impact on the Pirates. But right now, we feel like there’s things for him to do (in Indianapolis).”