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Steelers place Shazier on IR

The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed linebacker Ryan Shazier on injured reserve for the 2018 season to give him more time to recover from spinal stabilization surgery.

The team made the move on Wednesday, which will open up a roster spot for the AFC North champions as they begin organized team activities later this month.

Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert ruled Shazier out for 2018 earlier this year. Shazier, injured in a game at Cincinnati last December, walked publicly for the first time in nearly five months when he strode onto the stage to announce Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in last week’s NFL draft.

The 25-year-old Shazier has remained active in the organization during his rehabilitation.

High school baseball

Koby Bubash had two hits and scored a run and Ringgold clinched at least a share of the Section 3-AAAA title Wednesday when it held off Elizabeth Forward 3-2.

Ringgold (11-2, 12-2) can win the outright title by defeating McGuffey today if West Mifflin loses Friday at South Park.

The Rams built an early 3-0 lead against EF (2-11, 5-13), then needed a game-ending double play to fight off a Warriors comeback. EF scored twice in the sixth inning to close to within 3-2, then the Warriors’ Nate Cole was hit by a pitch with one out in the seventh. Jacob Schmidt lined out to Bubash, and the Rams’ shortstop doubled Cole off first base to end the game. It was Ringgold’s fourth one-run win of the season.

Bubash and starting pitcher Ryan Varley each doubled for Ringgold and Luke Winterbottom smacked a triple. Varley and Jake Mullen combined on a seven-hitter that included two doubles by Nate Homa.

  • Cameron Schaub belted a home run and Fort Cherry moved closer to clinching a playoff berth with a 9-3 victory over visiting Frazier in Section 1-AA.

The Rangers (8-3, 8-3) used two big innings, a four-run first and five-run third, to overwhelm the Commodores. Winning pitcher Blake McElhaney allowed six hits and one run over five innings. He struck out five and did not issue a walk.

Schaub opened the scoring with a solo homer off Frazier’s Mason Kelly two batters into the game. Max Paterni had a double and two RBI and Jake Tkach also doubled.

Frazier (2-8, 3-9) had 10 hits, including three by Shane McGavitt, but left 10 runners on base.

  • Kyle Steele threw a six-hitter on Senior Day, and Trinity used two triples in the fourth inning to break a tie and defeat winless Brashear 7-3 in Class 5A Section 2.

The teams were locked in a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fourth when Trinity (4-7, 4-8) scored three runs after having two outs and nobody on base. Cameron May belted a triple and scored on an error to give the Hillers a 4-3 lead. Zack Johnston followed with a run-scoring triple and scored on a single by Brandon Robaugh.

That was enough offense for Steele, who struck out seven.

  • South Fayette ran its winning streak to five games by defeating visiting Central Valley 9-6 in Section 2-AAAA.

The Lions (10-2, 12-4) scored six times in the second inning and led 8-3 in the third. Central Valley (4-8, 6-9) made the game close as Brendan Jugan hit a home run and double.

Matt Primm was 3-for-4 with a double for South Fayette. Winning pitcher Richie Dell doubled and drove in two, and Nolan Lutz had a double. Dell struck out eight over five innings.

South Fayette is in second place in the section and hosts leader Blackhawk today.

  • Brownsville clinched at least a share of the Section 3-AAA title by defeating host Waynesburg, 10-1.

Dylan Brosky had a big game for Brownsville (9-2, 10-2), tossing a four-hitter and driving in three runs. Brosky struck out nine and did not walk a batter. He needed only 90 pitches for the complete game.

Brody Bagwell had two hits, including a triple, and scored three times to lead the Falcons at the plate. Trevor Stephenson had a double for Waynesburg (6-4, 6-4).

  • West Mifflin kept its hopes alive for a share of the Section 3-AAAA title with a 14-2 victory over McGuffey in a five-inning game.

West Mifflin (10-3, 13-4) scored 10 runs over the first two innings and that was enough offense for winning pitcher Jonathan Taylor. Nick Ackerman hit a home run for the Titans.

Adam Blacharczyk had two of the six hits by McGuffey (1-11, 3-13).

  • Playoff-bound California defeated Bentworth 14-4 in Section 1-AA.

Brendan Sheehan had a double, single and three RBI to spark Cal (8-4, 8-5) at the plate. Payton Conte and Richie Stimmell each drove in two runs and Jacob Swartz was the winning pitcher.

  • West Greene split a pair of Section 2-A games and clinched a playoff berth in the process.

The Pioneers defeated Mapletown 6-3 before losing to Greensburg Central Catholic 20-2 in four innings.

Against Mapletown, the Pioneers trailed 3-0 until scoring five runs in the fifth inning to take the lead for the remainder of the game.

Zach Pettit hit a two-run triple to spark the offense in the fifth for West Greene. He went 2-for-4.

Christian Fox and Caleb Rice each had a double against Greensburg Central Catholic.

  • Mapletown also played a second game. After losing to West Greene, the Maples hammered Hundred (W.Va.), 17-2 in four innings.

Winning pitcher Lance Stevenson struck out eight and helped his cause by going 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI. Brandon Donley also was 3-for-3. He had a triple, four RBI and three runs. Dylan Rush hit an inside the park home run, scored three time and stole three bases, Lane Powell tripled and Noah Haines had three singles and three RBI.

Mapletown is 2-9 in section, 3-11 overall.

  • Joe Sabolek threw a two-hit shutout and Logan Seliga had a two-run single as Belle Vernon blanked host Uniontown 2-0 in Section 3-AAAA.

Sabolek struck out six, walked only one batter and needed just 92 pitches for the complete game. All the support he needed came in the third inning when Seliga’s two-out single scored Nolan Labuda and Jake Rathway.

Belle Vernon is 8-4 in section and 9-4 overall.

Chris Demoss threw a six-hitter in a losing effort for Uniontown (6-7, 8-8).

  • Seton-La Salle swept a Section 3-AAA doubleheader from Washington, 12-2 in five innings and 18-3 in four innings.

Seton-La Salle (6-6, 8-8) kept its slim playoff hopes alive by using an offense that had 26 hits, including 12 for extra bases. Trevor O’Donnellhad a home run and four RBI in the second game and winning pitcher Joe Grimm hit two doubles and drove in four.

Washington’s Jordan Swart was 2-for-3 2 with a double in the opener and doubled against in the seconds game. Cooper Sharp also doubled for the Prexies (3-8, 3-11).

  • Cory Fleming hit a solo home run to begin the sixth inning and break a 6-6 tie as Monessen defeated Jefferson-Morgan, 9-6, in a Section 2-A game.

Fleming’s leadoff home run sparked a three-run inning for the Greyhounds, who have won three straight to improve to 8-3 in the section and 9-5 overall.

Antonio Rhome had a pair of doubles for Monessen.

Colten Davidson hit a double and Bryce Bedilion had a triple for Jefferson-Morgan (4-6, 5-6).

  • Anthony Dellapenna only allowed two hits and struck out six in a five-inning, complete-game shutout to lead Beth-Center over Burgettstown, 14-0, in a Section 1-AA contest.

The Bulldogs provided Dellapenna with offense in the middle innings, scoring four runs in the third and eight in the fourth to reach the mercy rule. Bailey Lincoski had two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs for Beth-Center (6-5, 7-6). Andrew Bower also had two hits for the Bulldogs.

Burgettstown drops to 5-8 in the section and 6-9 overall.

High school softball

West Greene remained tied with Monessen for first place in Section 2-A with a 4-2 victory over visiting Carmichaels Wednesday.

The Pioneers (9-1, 13-3) took a 4-0 lead into the seventh but had to hold when Carmichaels (7-4, 10-6), which has clinched a playoff berth, scored twice and had the potential tying run at the plate when the game ended.

Madison Lampe hit a solo home run and added a sacrifice fly for West Greene. Winning pitcher Jade Renner had a double and threw an eight-hitter.

Gina Ranieri and Shelbee McCann each doubled for Carmichaels and pitcher Kylie Sinn allowed only five hits.

West Greene second baseman Kaitlyn Rizor cut short several Carmichaels rallies by throwing out two baserunners after Mikes hits reached the outfield.

  • Section 3-AA runner-up Chartiers-Houston used a seven-run third inning and eight-run fourth to defeat host Fort Cherry, 16-0.

Ella Brookman had a triple and three RBI, and Kaci Alderson drove in three runs, as Chartiers-Houston finished 8-2 in section. The Bucs are 12-2 overall. Winning pitcher Kaitlyn Dittrich struck out five with no walks. Kasey Scears and Madyson Smith each had a double.

Megan Felber had both of the hits for Fort Cherry (2-8, 3-10).

  • Kelly Larcinese took a shutout into the seventh inning as Elizabeth Forward defeated South Fayette 4-1 in Section 2-AAAA.

Larcinese threw a five-hitter and struck out seven for playoff-bound EF (7-3, 13-3). Anna Resnik led the EF offense, going 3-for-4 with two doubles.

Charley Cribben and Sydney Kormick each doubled for South Fayette (2-8, 4-11).

  • Belle Vernon won both ends of a Section 2-AAAA doubleheader from Carrick by forfeit as the Raiders did not have enough players to field a team. The games will not be rescheduled.

Belle Vernon is 9-2 in section and 13-2 overall. Carrick is 0-11, 1-11.

  • Southmoreland used a 20-hit attack to defeat Charleroi 20-5 in a four-inning Section 3-AA game. Katie Reed was 2-for-2 with a double and Sam Mavilla had two singles for Charleroi.
  • Marley Evans had four hits, including a double, as California defeated Beth-Center 5-2. Ashley Gush, Karen Watkins and Mylaina Pendo each had three hits for the Trojans.
  • Mapletown was stifled in an 11-0 shutout then rebounded with a 17-8 victory over Avella in the second game of a Section 2-A doubleheader.

In Game 1, Avella starter Emily Pollock allowed only three hits over five innings to earn the shutout win. Colleen Kinney had three singles for the Eagles.

In Game 2, the Mapletown (5-6, 7-6) lineup awoke for 21 hits, including three from Taylor Vanatta. Sara Chory had a single and a double for the Maples, who clinched fourth place and a playoff spot with the win.

Pollock nearly hit for the cycle for Avella (1-8, 2-10), only missing out on a home run to achieve the feat.

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