briefs
Scheuneman reveals choice
Amy Scheuneman, who resigned her job as WPIAL executive director last week, will join P3R, which organizes races in Western Pennsylvania, including the Pittsburgh Marathon.
Her title will be youth programming director.
“I immediately thought the right person would be me,” Scheuneman said. “It wasn’t something I was seeking out, but certainly something that made me stop and evaluate where I was. I enjoy working with all of you and I love the WPIAL, but I am not the WPIAL – you are, we are, everyone is.
“I would not just leave my position if I didn’t believe it was in a good position to do so; nor would I just leave for any random job. I believe this is where God is leading my career and I am excited to follow His prompting. Trust me, this decision did not come without major consideration, deliberation and prayer.”
Scheuneman will remain in her current position through the spring championships.
In high school baseball
Bentworth scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to pull away from visiting California for a 10-2 home victory in Section 1 Class 2A action.
The Bearcats improve to 3-0 in the section and 3-1 overall, and sweep the series from the Trojans. California slips to 1-3 in the section and 1-5 overall.
Landon Urcho, Noah Martin, Seth Adams and Ayden Bochter all drove in a run in the sixth inning for the Bearcats.
Bentworth led 2-1 after three innings on Colton Brightwell’s two-run single and 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning on run-scoring hits from Lucas Burt and Urcho.
Burt sparked the Bearcats with two doubles, a single and three runs. Martin and Urcho each had a single and double, and Brightwell finished with two singles.
Urcho started and pitched 5 1/3 innings for the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Brightwell pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the save. He retired five of the six batters he faced, hitting one and striking out one.
Jordan Kearns was the losing pitcher for California.
n The Connellsville Falcons scored the deciding run in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 10-9 non-section win over the visiting Belle
Bentworth plated six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday to pull away from visiting California for a 10-2 home victory in Section 1-AA action.
The Bearcats improve to 3-0 in the section and 3-1 overall, and sweep the series from the Trojans. California slips to 1-3 in the section and 1-5 overall.
Landon Urcho, Noah Martin, Seth Adams and Ayden Bochter all drove in a run in the sixth inning.
Bentworth led 2-1 after three innings on Colton Brightwell’s two-run single and 4-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning on run-scoring hits from Lucas Burt and Urcho.
Burt sparked the Bearcats with two doubles, a single and three runs scored. Martin and Urcho both had a single and double, while Brightwell finished with two singles.
Urcho started and pitched 5.1 innings for the win, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with five walks and five strikeouts. Brightwell came on and pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the save. He retired five of the six batters he faced, hitting one and striking out one.
Jordan Kearns was the losing pitcher for California.
Bentworth travels to Frazier Monday for a makeup game.
Connellsville 10, Belle Vernon 9 – The Falcons scored the deciding run in the bottom of the sixth inning for a non-section win over the visiting Belle Vernon Leopards.
Connellsville scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning and Belle Vernon came back with two in the top of the second inning.
The Falcons extended their lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Both teams scored twice in the fourth inning, but Belle Vernon cut the gap to 9-8 with four runs in the top of the fifth inning and tied the game with a run in the top of the sixth.
Connellsville’s Jake Puskar finished with three singles and a run. Kace Shearer had a double and drove in two runs. Jared Hough finished with a double, single and two RBI. Jim Bob Domer had a triple, RBI and two runs scored.
Matthew Firestone pitched two innings for the victory, allowing one run on two hits. Jonathan Kelly picked up the final out for the save.
Ryan Hamer and Aidan Ochs each had two singles and scored three runs for Belle Vernon. Evan Morrow, Jake Gedekoh and Zach Jackson each drove in two runs. Gedekoh and Adam LaCarte doubled.
In college baseball
The California Vulcans were swept by the Mercyhurst Lakers in PSAC West Conference play.
California goes to 7-9 in the conference and 22-13 overall. Mercyhurst improves to 11-5 in the PSAC West and 22-8 overall.
The Vulcans had the bases loaded and the game-tying run at the plate in the seventh inning of the second game, but the Lakers ended the threat with a strikeouts.
Anthony Venezia had two hits in the secodn game for California. Jacob McCaskey and Chris Brady hit solo home runs.
Troy Lincavage took the loss in the second game.
McCaskey and Brady hit doubles in the first game.
In college track & field
Wheeling’s Brian Vandusen set a personal-best Friday in the long jump at the Bison Outdoor Classic at Bucknell.
The Ringgold graduate covered 7.30 meters on his first attempt of the competition. Vandusen finished second by only .38 meters.
California University’s Divonne Franklin broke the stadium mark in the 100 and won two races.
Franklin won the 100 in 11.67 seconds, lowering the stadium mark by .46 seconds. The senior sprinted to victory in the 200 with a time of 24.05 seconds, improving on her school record by four-tenths of a second.
Anna Ebersole set a school record in the heptathlon with 4,449 points.
Beth-Center graduate Sydney Urbine and Malia Anderson qualified for the conference championship in the 800. Urbine finished with a personal-best time of 2:21.44.