Apr 8, 2019 7 min read

Trinity scored two runs with two outs in the third inning and winning pitcher Camden Zaken made sure they were enough as the Hillers handed visiting Laurel Highlands its first loss of the season, 2-1, Monday in a battle for the top spot in Class 5A Section 3 baseball.

The win is the third in a row for Trinity (3-0, 7-3), which began the day in a three-way tie for first place with Laurel Highlands and West Allegheny. The latter was idle Monday.

Trinity took a 2-0 lead when Jax Banco’s single scored Clarence Pomykayla and Nicholas Phillips raced home on a passed ball.

That was all Zaken needed as he scattered seven hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out four.

Tyler Becker’s RBI double in the fifth cut Trinity’s lead to 2-1, but Zaken retired eight of the next 10 Mustangs to end the game.

LH’s record is 2-1, 5-1.

Canon-McMillan 2, Chartiers Valley 0: Three Canon-McMillan pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout and Brycen Virgili belted a solo home run as the Big Macs blanked Chartiers Valley 2-0 in a non-section game at Wild Things Park.

Nick Popielarczyk pitched the first four innings, Michael Murano pitched the fifth and Brandon Adams closed the game with a two-inning stint and the Big Macs (6-2) extended their winning streak to four games.

The Big Macs scored the only run their pitching staff would need in the second inning on an RBI single by Austin Able. Virgili hit a solo homer in the fourth inning for an insurance run.

Cam Weston had a double for C-M.

Chartiers Valley’s record fell to 1-6.

Waynesburg 18, Southmoreland 3: Jesse Johnson, Trevor Stephenson and Tyler Switalski – the top three hietters in Waynesburg’s lineup – each drove in three runs and scored two as the raiders cruised to an 18-3 five-inning victory over host Southmoreland in Class 3A Section 3.

Waynesburg (1-1, 2-2) scored 13 runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Raiders did plenty of damage with singles and walks. Waynesburg had 13 hits, 12 of which were singles, and drew seven walks off four Southmoreland pitchers. Johnson’s double was the lone extra-base hit in the game.

Kyle Shriver threw four hitless innings for Waynesburg and struck out six.

Southmoreland is winless int he section (0-2) and 3-3 overall.

Chartiers-Houston 9, Bentworth 0: Austin Kuslock spun a complete game and Destin Weiser hit a two-run homer as Chartiers-Houston defeated Bentworth 9-0 in Class 2A Section 1.

The win keeps Chartiers-Houston (3-0, 4-2) alone in first place in the section. The Bucs led 3-0 and then broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning that include Weiser’s home run. Weiser also had a double. Jimmy Sadler had a double among his three hits and Alex Siege smacked three singles.

Kuslock struck out and did not walk a batter. He threw only 79 pitches.

The loss was the first in section play for Bentworth (1-1, 4-3).

Carmichaels 8, Fort Cherry 3: Winning pitcher Gavin Pratt and reliever Matthew Barrish combined on a six-hitter and Carmichaels scored six runs in the second inning en route to an 8-3 victory over visiting Fort Cherry in a Class 2A Section 1 game.

Pratt allowed one unearned run and and three hits over six strong innings. He struck out eight.

At the plate, Pratt was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs. He also had one of Carmichaels’ five stolen bases. Barrish went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and Al Cree drove in two runs for the Mikes (2-1, 5-1).

Hunter Terpack doubled for Fort Cherry (1-1, 4-3), which committed six errors that led to four unearned runs.

Frazier 10, Burgettstown 0: Jacob Olbrys went 3-for-4, drove in three runs and scored four times, and Trevor Hayes threw a two-hitter as Frazier defeated visiting Burgettstown 10-0 in a five-inning Class 2A Section 1 game.

Frazier (1-2, 3-3) led 2-0 before scoring four times in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Hayes struck out 10 and issued only one walk. One of the two hits for Burgettstown (0-3, 2-4) was a double by Luke Lounder.

Losing pitcher John Baronick struck out eight in four innings.

West Greene 12, Avella 4: West Greene used a trio of four-run innings to beat host Avella 12-4 in a Section 2-A.

The win keep the Pioneers (2-0, 4-1) undefeated in the section. Winning pitcher Caleb Rice led the Pioneers at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and four RBI. Ben Jackson also had a double.

Nick Pollock had two singles and drove in two runs for Avella (1-2, 1-3).

South Fayette 4, Hampton 3: Tyler Sharp scored from third base on a two-out error, capping South Fayette’s two-run sixth inning and giving the Lions a 4-3 victory over visiting Hampton in Class 5A Section 2 game.

South Fayette (1-0, 3-1) trailed 3-2 entering the fifth but tied the score on a sacrifice fly by Ryan McGuire. An infield error on a ball hit by Joey Alcorn allowed Sharp to score the go-ahead run.

Alcorn, who was 2-for-4 with two runs, was the winning pitcher with two shutout innings of relief.

Thomas Jefferson 6, Ringgold 1: A five-run first inning was all Thomas Jefferson needed for a 6-1 victory over Ringgold in a Section 3 game in Class 4A.

McClain Flinn allowed five hits and one run over five innings for TJ (2-0, 4-2). Flinn also drove in two runs with a single. Cam Dimidjiann singled and scored twice. Dylan Mallozzi worked two shutout innings in relief and added double.

Koby Bubash went 2-for-3 and drove in a run for the Rams (2-1, 3-3).

Monessen 16, Geibel 1: Monessen used 12 hits to pound out 16 runs in a 16-1, three-inning victory over Geibel in a Section 2-A game.

Vin Rhome had two hits and drove in four runs for Monessen (2-1, 3-2). Marcus Tansmore had two hits and two RBI. Tyler Swann picked up the win and also doubled. Zach Evans doubled.

Geibel fell to 0-2 and 0-4. It was the first run Geibel scored all year. The Gators have been outscored 73-1 so far.

McGuffey 9, Beth-Center 3: Ryan Sullivan struck out nine and did not issue a walk in McGuffey’s 9-3 win over Beth-Center in a Section 3-AAA game.

Jake Orr had a single, double, two RBI and scored three times for McGuffey (3-0, 4-2). Seth Burgdolt also doubled. Chad Fleischauer doubled and drove in two runs. Brock Wallace drove in two runs. McGuffey is 3-0 in the section for the first time in school history.

Ryan Ross had single, double and scored a run for B-C (2-1, 2-3). Losing pitcher Cameron Palmer struck out seven.

Brownsville 15, Jefferson-Morgan 0: D.J. Zymkoski hit a three-run home run in the third inning, part of a five-RBI day, as Brownsville routed Jefferson-Morgan in a four-inning, non-section game.

Austin Lincoski, Nick Keeney and Rocco Frisco each had a double for the Falcons (5-1). Cam Brosky allowed two hits over four innings to pick up the win.

Jefferson-Morgan fell to 1-4.

Keystone Oaks 11, Washington 0: Sam Tortorella pitched a perfect game in Keystone Oaks’ 11-0, six-inning win over Washington in a Section 3-AAA game.

Tortorella retired all 18 batters, 14 by strikeouts, for KO (2-1, 3-2). He also drove in four runs with two singles and a sacrifice fly. Nate Brooks went 3-for-4 with three runs and Ben Kvederis went 3-for-3 with a run and RBI.

Washington fell to 0-3 and 1-6.

Belle Vernon 11, West Mifflin 1: Max Gauden fired a four-hitter and drove in three runs, leading Belle Vernon to a 11-1 six-inning victory at West Mifflin in Class 4A Section 3.

Gauden hit a triple and double to spark the Leopards’ offense. Joshua Hoffman scored three runs, Cole Naylor smacked a triple, and Mason Pascoe and Tyler Steadman each doubled as Belle Vernon improved to 2-1 in section and 2-3 overall.