Apr 6, 2021 10 min read

High school baseball

Andrew Kocan hit a tiebreaking home run, Matt Graeber and Brandon Adams combined on a five-hitter and Canon-McMillan defeated Mt. Lebanon 5-2 Tuesday in a Class 6A Section 2 game at Wild Things Park.

Kocan’s solo home run gave C-M (1-0, 2-2) a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning. The Big Macs added single runs in the fifth and sixth inning and Adams, who threw four shutout innings in relief, kept the Big Macs in the lead.

C-M’s Andrew Mantalis had a double for the game’s only other extra-base hit.

• Monessen stunned Bishop Canevin by rallying for seven runs over the final two innings to defeat the Crusaders 7-6 in a Class A Section 2 game.

Monessen, which trailed 4-0 in the sixth and 6-3 in the seventh, won the game in amazing fashion, scoring twice in the seventh on an errant pickoff throw and winning the game on a botched squeeze play. With Chas Mrlack on third base and the score tied, the Greyhounds tried to push the winning run across with a squeeze bunt. The batter was unable to bunt the pitch and Mrlack was caught in a rundown. After six throws, Mrlack beat the toss to home plate to give Monessen (1-0, 1-2) the victory.

Jack Sacco was the winning pitcher, throwing a complete game. Mrlack had a double.

• Burgettstown scored multiple runs in every inning and pasted host Carlynton 21-0 in a four-inning Class 2A Section 4 game.

Nathan Klodowski went 4-for-5 with three doubles and six RBI to power the Burgettstown attack. The Blue Devils (1-1, 1-1) led 10-0 after three innings and scored 11 times in the fourth.

Jackson LaRocka, Maddox Gratchen and Klodowski each scored four times, and Andrew Bredel drove in three runs.

Winning pitcher John Baronick allowed one hit, did not walk a batter and struck out eight.

Carlynton is 0-1 in section, 0-4 overall.

• Bryce Bedillion took a no-hitter into the sixth inning as Jefferson-Morgan downed Mapletown 5-3 in a Section 2A game.

Landon Stevenson broke up the no-hitter in the sixth.

Bedillion had 10 strikeouts and four walks. Kyle Clayton had two hits for J-M (2-1, 3-1).

AJ Vanata drove in two runs for Mapletown (0-1, 0-1).

• Josh Greiner pitched a five-hitter and did not allow an earned run as Brentwood edged host Chartiers-Houston 3-1 in Class 2A Section 4.

The Spartans (1-2, 1-3) scored single runs in the first, fourth and seventh innings.

Chase Bitz had a double for Chartiers-Houston (1-1, 2-1).

• Unbeaten Fort Cherry used an 11-run second inning to rout Clairton 19-3 in four innings in Class 2A Section 4.

The win moves the Rangers to 3-0 in the section and 3-0 overall. Henry Karn had a triple and scored twice for FC, Reilly Allen doubled and drove in a pair of runs and Mitchell Cook added a double and drove in a team-high three runs.

Winning pitcher Luke Miller struck out seven through three innings.

• Tyler Pitzer struck out 12 batters in 6 2/3 innings to secure South Fayette’s 5-1 win over Moon in a Section 3 game in Class 5A.

Pitzer now has two wins and 29 strikeouts in two starts.

All but one South Fayette player had a hit, and Ryan McGuire had a triple and double and knocked in two runs. He also scored a run. Tristan Bedillion added a double for South Fayette (1-0, 4-0).

Moon fell to 0-1 and 2-2.

• Eric Chalus and Nathan Vargo combined on a two-hitter as Bethel Park defeated visiting Trinity 4-0 in Class 5A Section 4.

Trinity (0-1, 1-2) received another strong pitching outing from Forrest Havanis but again couldn’t give him any offensive support. Havanis and Chalus were locked in a pitchers’ duel with Bethel Park leading 1-0 in the sixth before the Black Hawks struck for three runs.

Chalus struck out 10 and walked only one over six innings. Havanais allowed three hits in six innings. All four Bethel Park runs were unearned. Ray Altmeyer had a three-run triple for BP.

• McGuffey unleashed a 15-hit attack and won at Charleroi, 13-1 in a six-inning Class 3A Section 4 game.

Jacob Ross was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs, and Jake Orr was 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI to lead the Highlanders (1-0, 1-1). Luke Wagner and brock wallace also doubled. The Highlander4s led 3-1 after three innings and scored six times in the fourth to break open the game.

Austin Hall and Austin Beatty combined on a four-hitter.

• Waynesburg made a late push but fell short at Southmoreland, 5-3, in the Class 3A Section 4 opener.

Southmoreland (1-0, 1-1) led 5-0 in the fourth but Waynesburg (0-1, 0-1) pushed across three runs in the sixth on a bases-loaded double by Devin McCall.

Winning pitcher Anthony Govern struck out nine over six innings and helped his own cause with a triple and two runs.

• Alexander McClain drove in four runs and Carson Broadwater pitched a complete game as Laurel Highlands defeated host Ringgold 10-2 in Class 4A Section 3.

LH (2-1, 2-1) used a five-run fifth inning to build a 7-0 lead and that was more than enough for Broadwater, who threw a five-hitter and struck out five.

McClain and Nicholas Kumor each tripled for LH and Kadin Early smacked two doubles. Hunter Mamie had two hits including a double for Ringgold (0-1, 2-2).

• Cameron Palmer fired a complete game with 12 strikeouts as Beth-Center defeated host Washington 11-3 in Class 2A Section 1.

Ryan Ross homered and drove in three for the Bulldogs (1-0, 1-3). Four different B-C players drove in at least two runs.

Asa Charnik doubled for Washington (0-1, 2-1).

• Rochester used a pair of four-run innings to beat visiting Avella 8-6 in Class A Section 1.

Rochester (1-0, 1-0) scored four times in the first and third innings to take am 8-2 lead. Avella (0-3, 0-4) battled back and scored four times over the next three innings.

High school softball

Undefeated South Fayette scored eight runs in the sixth inning to finish off visiting Butler 14-3 Tuesday in a non-section game.

The Lions (4-0) took the lead for good at 5-3 in the fourth, added a run in the fifth and ended the game in the sixth. Lexie Vetter had a double and three RBI, Allya Schraeder went 2-for-3 with a triple, three runs and two RBI.

• Fort Cherry scored nine runs in the middle innings and defeated host California 9-3 in a non-section game.

Dana Sinatra hit two doubles and drove in a pair of runs and winning pitcher Adryanna Herbst struck out eight as Fort Cherry improved to 2-0. Annika Rinehart and Cadence Gargillio also doubled for the Rangers and Kaylee Weinbrenner had two RBI.

Losing pitcher Kera Urick struck out 13.

• Kendra Franks struck out 14 Charleroi batters and Brownsville overcame an early two-run deficit for an 8-4 victory in a non-section game.

Brooke Evanchak went 2-for-4 with a double and five RBI to spark Brownsville (1-2), which trailed 2-0 in the third inning. Franks tossed a five-hitter. Two of the Charleroi hits were by Jocelyn Polonoli, who doubled. Emma Stefanick also doubled for the Cougars (1-2).

• Alexis Snyder belted a three-run triple to power Beth-center to a 5-4 victory over visiting Monessen in a non-section game.

Snyder’s blast was part of a four-run second inning for B-C (1-0). The Bulldogs led 5-2 after three innings and winning pitcher Gianna Peterson made the lead stand. Monessen (0-1) made it interesting when Sydney Caterino hit a two-run homer in the seventh.

• McGuffey unleashed a 15-hit attack, which included three home runs, and rolled to a 20-7 win over host Chartiers-Houston in a non-section game.

Clara Barr went 4-for-5 with home run, four RBI and five runs to lead the McGuffey offense. Winning pitcher Shelby Dobrzynski drove in four runs, and Sydney Francis and Roxanne Painter each hit a home run.

Nicolette Kloes smacked two home runs and went 3-for-3 for C-H (1-2). Paige McAvoy also homered.

• Jefferson-Morgan withstood five extra-base hits by Greeneburg CEntral Catholic in a 9-3 Rockets’ victory in a Section 2A game.

Winning pitcher Jasmine Demask had two doubles and Payton Farabee and Madison Wright each had one for J-M (1-0, 1-1).

Losing pitcher Emma Henry had 10 strikeouts and a triple as did Bailey Kuhns. Henry, Rianna Booher abd Lauren Sukay had doubles for Greensburg CC (0-1, 2-1).

College softball

Washington & Jefferson opened Presidents’ Athletic Conference play Tuesday at Brooks Park, dropping a doubleheader to undefeated Westminster, 6-0 and 11-1.

W&J is 0-2 in league play and 8-9-1 overall. The Titans are 18-0 overall.

Wild Things added experienced pitcher

The Washington Wild Things continued to build their roster for the upcoming Frontier League season by signing lefthanded pitcher McKenzie Mills to a contract.

Mills, an 18th round draft pick by the Washington Nationals in 2014 out of Sprayberry High School (Ga.), advanced to the Class AA leve4l in the National’s system. His best year was 2017, when he had a 12-2 record for Class A Hagerstown. He played for three different organizations during six seasons: Washington, Philadelphia (traded with international pool money for Howie Kendrick) and Miami (traded for Justin Bour).

“McKenzie was a guy we discussed for the past few months. He’s been valued by many organizations over the years and his experience with over 75 pro starts is meaningful,” said Wild Things president and general manager Tony Buccilli. “McKenzie brings us another lefthander to balance out the rotation and a demeanor with something to prove.”

Manager Tom Vaeth said the acquisition is a “huge addition.”

“This is a guy who was a top prospect that was included in major-league trades a few years ago and is looking to regain that form and get back on track to reach the big leagues,” said Vaeth. “I know from talking to him that he is coming in with a huge chip on his shoulder and is eager to prove that he is ready to take the necessary steps to reach the next level. We are looking for him to pitch at the top of our rotation and to be one of the premier left-handers in the league.”

Date changed for Pitt spring game

Pitt’s Blue-Gold Spring Football Game, originally scheduled for April 17, will be played April 24 at 1 p.m.

The change was made following the recent week-long practice pause because of COVID-related protocols.

Pitt anticipates the opportunity to host a limited number of fans for the game and ticket information will be announced in the near future.