May 18, 2022 4 min read

As the No. 14 seed in the WPIAL Class 2A softball playoffs, Bentworth wasn’t given much of a chance against third-seeded Ligonier Valley.

That didn’t stop Bentworth and pitcher Jaclyn Tatar from giving Ligonier Valley, last year’s third-place team in the WPIAL, an early exit from this year’s postseason.

Kyleigh Glaze hit a third-inning RBI single and Tatar fired a four-hit shutout as Bentworth stunned Ligonier Valley 1-0 Wednesday in a first-round game at Norwin High School.

The only run of the game crossed home plate in the top of the third when Glaze’s single drove in Jocelyn Babirad.

That was all the offense Tatar needed as she held Ligonier Valley (14-4) to four hits. Tatar did not walk a batter and struck out four as she kept LV hitters off balance the entire game.

Ligonier Valley did get a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh and a bunt advanced the runner to second base. A groudout left the Rams with the potential tying run at third base with two outs but Tartar kept the shutout intact and the Bearcats (6-9) move on to the quarterfinals to play Our Lady of the Sacred Heart on Monday at a site and time to be determined.

Chartiers-Houston 10, Riverside 0: Paige McAvoy homered and drove in three runs, Meadow Ferri tossed a three-hitter and Chartiers-Houston shut out Riverside 10-0 in five innings in a Class 2A first-round game at Sewickley Academy.

The win sends Chartiers-Houston (16-3) into the quarterfinals Monday against Laurel.

McAvoy went 2-for-2 with a home run, double and three RBI to lead C-H at the plate. Nicolette Kloes went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI. Hannah Richey had a double and leadoff hitter Bella Hess scored three runs and stole three bases.

Ferri allowed only three singles and one walk.

Pine-Richland 1, Canon-McMillan 0: Sophomore Mackenzie Gillies hit a solo home run with one out in the second inning and that was all Pine-Richland pitcher Gabriella Aughton needed as the Rams blanked Canon-McMillan 1-0 in the Class 6A quarterfinals at Montour.

Aughton pitched a four-hitter and struck out 12.

The game was final pitching matchup as Canon-McMillan’s Brooke Perri also fired a four-hitter. Perri struck out six and also did not issue a walk. Perri retired the final 12 Pine-Richland batters.

Pine-Richland (12-4) had a chance to add on to its lead in the third inning when it had a leadoff triple but Perri was able to work out of the jam.

Perri then hit a one-out triple in the fourth inning but the Big Macs (5-6) also failed to score.

Belle Vernon 10, New Castle 5: Belle Vernon did all its scoring in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat New Castle 10-5 in a Class 4A first-round game.

The Leopards trailed 2-0 in the fifth, when they erupted for seven runs.

Lexi Daniels led Belle Vernon with a home run, single and four RBI. Ashley Joll and Mia Zubovic each drove in two runs and Abby Fabin and Olivia Kolowitz had doubles.

Winning pitcher Talia Ross allowed only four hits – two went for home runs – and struck out 10.

Laurel 11, Burgettstown 0: Autumn Boyd fired a one-hitter and fifth-seeded Laurel defeated Burgettstown 11-0 in five innings in a Class 2A playoff game at North Allegheny.

Laurel (15-3) led 2-0 before scoring three runs in the fourth inning and six in the fifth.

The lone hit for Burgettstown (9-8) was a single in the fifth inning by KatieRose Smith. It came after Kaylin Caffardo was hit by a pitch and gave the Blue Devils runners on first and second with no outs. Boyd, however, worked out of the situation with a ground ball, strikeout and popout.

Boyd struck out 12 and walked one.

In other games: Top-seeded Neshannock was an 11-1 winner over Fort Cherry in Class 2A. No game details were made available by press time.