Apr 18, 2016 5 min read

Bentworth has played several close games with rival California in recent seasons and each time the Trojans found a way to win – until Monday, when it was the Bearcats who pulled out a thrilling victory that ended California’s long Section 1-A winning streak.

Jake Maimone’s double to the fence in left centerfield with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Ty Mitchell and Hunter Neely – the latter from first base – and gave Bentworth a 7-6 come-from-behind win.

The victory leaves Bentworth (5-0, 7-2) with a 1½-game lead over California (3-1, 9-2) in the section standings. The loss snapped California’s 28-game section winning streak. The last time the Trojans lost a section game was three years to the day, April 18, 2013, a 9-6 setback at Jefferson-Morgan.

Bentworth led 5-3 after two innings but California scored twice in the fourth to tie and pushed across a run in the seventh to take a 6-5 lead.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Mitchell and Neely reached on consecutive infield singles, setting up Maimone for the game-winner.

Josh Hughes was the winning pitcher, throwing three innings of relief. Brandon Powell threw four scoreless innings of relief for Cal. Louden Conte pitched the pivotal seventh inning for the Trojans.

Conte had two doubles for California and Powell also had a double. Neely was 2-for-4 for Bentworth.

• Ryan Mele capped Chartiers-Houston’s comeback with a run-scoring single in the Bucs’ five-run bottom of the sixth inning as C-H rallied for an 8-7 victory over Washington in Section 2-AA.

Washington (2-4, 2-5) scored five runs in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth to take a 7-1 lead. Chartiers-Houston (5-1, 8-2) scored two in the bottom of the fifth and five in the sixth. The Bucs tied the score at 7-7 on Tyrone Wormsley’s RBI-single. After Wormsley stole second base and moved to third on a groundout, Mele dropped a single into right field to give C-H the lead.

Winning pitcher Ryan James, the third C-H pitcher, threw two innings of hitless relief, striking out four.

Wash High outhit Chartiers-Houston 17-8 but the Prexies stranded nine baserunners. Jordan West had a triple, and Kurt Adkins and Connor Bedillion each contributed a double.

Matt Whitfield doubled and drove in two runs for the Bucs.

• Eli Rafail scored on a bases-loaded grounder with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to give Jefferson-Morgan a 5-4 victory over Carmichaels in a Section 1-A game.

Rafail led off the inning with a single, Isaac Dean got on by an error and Dave Blaker was intentionally walked. Jake Bissett hit a slow roller to third and Rafail just beat the throw for the Rockets (1-3, 4-4). Gage Clark struck out nine in eight innings and had a two-run single in the second inning.

Reed Long, Joel Spishock and Darren Krause each had a double for the Mikes (2-2, 6-3).

• Josh Davison had two doubles, scored three times and drove in three to power Brownsville to an 11-3 victory over Beth-Center in a Section 2-AA game.

Jaryn Addis had a bases-loaded triple and double for the Falcons (5-0, 7-3).

Lane Ziker had three hits and Dom Fundy two and an RBI for the Bulldogs (1-5, 7-2).

• Eden Christian scored five times over the first three innings on the way to a 7-5 victory over Avella in a Section 5-A game.

Dylan Kingan had a triple for Eden Christian. Garrett Geresti hit a tow-run home run and Tyler Fraysier a double for Avella (1-4, 2-8).

• Jake Baird went 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI to help Fort Cherry rout Burgettstown, 15-0, in a six-inning Section 1-AA game.

Nate Higham went 3-for-4 and knocked in three runs for the Rangers (2-3, 5-4). Hunter Douglas and Austin Wood each added a double.

Burgettstown is 2-9, 1-6 in the section.

• Nick Herrnberger pitched a three-hit shutout, Trinity scored five runs in the third inning and the Hillers picked up their first Section 3-AAA win of the year by defeating host McGuffey, 8-0.

Trinity (1-4, 3-7) had nine hits off three McGuffey pitchers. Zack Johnston scored two runs and hit two doubles, including one that produced a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. Blake Rohrbacher also doubled.

Herrnberger scattered three singles and three walks. He struck out six.

McGuffey fell to 0-3 in the section and 2-4 overall.

• Dylan Shields hit two doubles and drove in three runs, winning pitcher Mike Howard struck out 10 and West Greene won its second game in a row, defeating host Mapletown 16-8 in a Section 1-A slugfest.

West Greene (2-3, 3-5) forged a 9-1 lead in the third inning and that was enough offense for Howard. Tyler Baker hit a triple for the Pioneers.

Losing pitcher Garret Kiger hit a home run and Dylan Rush had a triple for Mapletown (0-4, 1-6).

• Devon Judy scored two runs and drove in another as host Belle Vernon overcame an early two-run deficit and defeated Elizabeth Forward 5-2 in Section 4-AAA.

Belle Vernon improved to 5-2 in section and 9-2 overall. The Leopards fell behind 2-0, then tied the score with a two-run second inning and won it with a three-run fifth.

Winning pitcher Evan Johnston threw a seven-hit complete game. He struck out three.

EF is 1-6 in section and 1-9 overall.

• Brady Gulakowski hit a solo homer and retired the side in the seventh inning for a save in Chartiers Valley’s 5-3 win over visiting South Fayette in a showdown of top teams in Section 3-AAA.

CV (3-0, 8-2) broke a 2-2 tie by scoring single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

Spencer Barber hit two doubles and scored a run for South Fayette (3-1, 4-5). Tyler Reyes also had a double, and Geavonie Love had three singles and an RBI.