Hometown Softball Program Game Recap – South Allegheny – 04/25/2012

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, April 25, 2012 | 12:18 AM

On a day that saw three one run games broadcast among the  Hometown Softball teams. The game that had the Jeannette Jayhawks visiting  the South Allegheny Gladiators may have been the best one all day. South Allegheny played in their third straight one run game and pulled out a come from behind 8-7 win over the Jayhawks.

South Allegheny head coach Hal Minford said before the game” this could be a wild one with the wind blowing out today “. How right he was as the teams combined for 23 hits, and 4 HR in the ball game. Before the game outfielders had a lot of trouble with fly balls during practice, and the wind was gusting thru the early part of the game.

Gladiator pitcher Sara Jacobs mowed down Jeannette in the first with three strike outs. That would be her only one, two, three inning of the game South A scored first in the bottom of the 2nd as Ashley Spells hit a one our double and score on an errant throw when Jamie D’Angelo stole second after her walk. Jeannette had a two out solo HR from Sarak Pitzer to tie it at 1-1. In the bottom of the third the Gladiators would score twice on six hits, all singles. In between they had a runner thrown out at 3rd , and home, as they were being aggressive. Jeannette however played good defense early in the game to keep the game close. However the Jayhawks would make seven total errors on the game despite the great early defense. These errors would eventually cost them the game.

In the top of the fourth the Jayhawks hit back to back solo HR’s to lead off the inning. Star SS Delany Cortazzo, and pitcher Nicole Hall hit shots to CF to tie the game at 3-3. The ball was jumping off the bat for the Hawks with three HR, but all were solo shots. The game would remain tied at three until Jeannette plated three runs in the top of the 6th on 3 singles, a double and a fielders choice to take a 6-3 lead.

South Allegheny would come back though with three in the bottom of the sixth inning. Danielle Viehl reached on an error, Spencer Lawson reached on a fielders choice erasing Viehl at 2nd. With one our Marissa D’Angelo blasted a 2 run HR over the left field fence to make the score 6-5.   ” Seriously I was just trying to get a single, but  got all of  it” she said after the game. She did get all of it and then some as she hit it well over the left center field fence. After a ground out Taylor Geary single and reached second on an error, then score on a single by Sara Jacobs.

With the score tied at 6-6 Jeannette would score to take a 7-6 lead. An error, two walks and a Sacrifice fly did the job and the Jayhawks were three outs away from getting the win and gaining in the playoff race.

In the bottom of the 7th it didn’t look good for South Allegheny as the first batter grounded out. With one out Viehl reached on an error, then with two outs the Jayhawks pitched around D’angelo walking her and putting the tying run on base and chose to pitch to Nicole Mihalic. She promptly singled in Viehl and that  put runners on first and second. During this hit is when the controversy started. As Mihalic rounded first base she suddenly realized D’Angelo stopped at second, she had to get back to first, the throw looked like it it got her at first base but the umpire ruled safe. While this was going on D’Angelo took off  for third and again it looked like the throw got her, but she was safe. Jeannette coaches and fans were not happy but the end result was 1st and 3rd with two outs and the winning run on third base. Geary walked to the plate and the Jayhawks pitched around her to load the bases. This brought up Jacobs who hit a two hopper to second base and it looked like extra innings for the second time at South Allegheny for the Home Town broadcast crew but the Jeannette second baseman threw the ball over the first baseman’s head and the winning run scored to cap of a wild 7th inning and a fun game for the Gladiators.

Jacobs gave up 7 run, on 9 hits, she struck out five and walked one for the win. The hitting stars for South Allegheny were  D’Angelo who went 2 or 4 with a HR. single, 2 RBI, and 3 runs scored. Mihalic was 3 for 5 with 3 singles, and  an RBI. Geary had another fantastic day as she reached base 5 times, went 3 for 4, had three singles and a walk, scored 2 runs and had 1 RBI. She also announced she will be attending Point Park College in the fall to play softball. She had been considering a few other schools but liked that the Pioneers were close to home. Jacobs went 3 for 5 with 3 singles and 2 RBI to go along with the pitching win. Finally Spells went 2 for 4 with a double and single.

The Gladiators improve to 6-5 overall, 5-3 in AA section 4 and are one game behind second place Greensburg Central Catholic. South A has a two game lead over 4th place Southmoreland. Jeannette saw its playoff hopes fade as they fell to 3-8 overall and 2-5 in the section. They are 2 1/2 games out of third place.

For South Allegheny they have three games remaining, Thursday at Southmoreland, then next Tuesday versus first place Mount Pleasant, then they wrap the season up at East Allegheny next Thursday.