Canon-McMillan Repeats in WPIAL Quad-A Softball

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, May 30, 2013 | 9:07 PM

Junior Giorgiana Zeremenko came thru in a big way as the Canon McMillan Big Macs repeat as WPIAL champions with a 5-2 victory over the North Allegheny Tigers in the Quad-A WPIAL championship game at California University’s Lilley Field. Zeremenko hit a three run homer in the fourth and drove in four runs in the game. Senior Alayna Astuto allowed just four hits and struck out nine to pick up her 21st win of the season without a loss.

North Allegheny actually took a 1-0 lead in this game, scoring in the bottom of the first. Laura Cotter led off with a double to left, with one out Christine Scherer singled to left, scoring Cotter. But pitcher Alayna Astuto shut down the inning, getting a pair of fly outs to right to end the inning.

Canon Mac took the lead in the fourth with two outs, Abby McCartney singled to right center field, Olivia Lorusso was hit in the knee with a pitch and that set the stage for Zeremenko, who powered a shot over the left field fence for the three run dinger.

The Big Macs added to the lead in the top of the sixth, Linda Rush singled thru the left side, McCartney tripled to left center  to score Rush, then after one out, Zeremenko singled to left and gave Canon Mac a 5-1 lead.

After the first inning, Astuto allowed just one base runner over the next four innings as Rachel Pecanis was hit by a pitch in the second. The Waynesburg recruit said she was able to mix her pitches well and keep the Tigers hitters off balance all night.

North Allegheny had life in the sixth, Cotter reached when Astuto bobbled a comebacker, Logan Woodley singled up the middle and Christine Scherer singled to load the bases with no one out. But Astuto was able to limit the damage, Bonnie Pierson’s fly ball to left scored Cotter. Mary Funderlich grounded into a force out at second and pinch hitter Elizabeth Scherer hit a sinking liner to right that McCartney avoided a collision with second baseman Alison Bellaire to catch for the final out.

Astuto  said after the game that it seemed like her teammates were more comfortable this time around. The Big Macs will meet Hempfield in the first round of the PIAA tournament on Monday. Canon McMillan split with Hempfield, falling 17-6 on April 5th but defeated the Spartans 5-0 in the semifinals. Astuto did not pitch in the first game. Coach Michele Moeller said that she is happy the PIAA is now taking three teams from the WPIAL into the state tournament but there are no secrets between Hempfield and Canon Mac, that the Spartans are a great team and her team will have to be ready. Canon Mac is now 21-1 and has won 19 straight games. McCartney also had two hits, scored twice and drove in the other run.

Christine Scherer was 2 for 3 for North Allegheny, now 17-5. Cotter scored both runs for the Tigers, Sami Beining was the losing pitcher, allowing eight hits, she struck out three. North Allegheny takes on Dubois on Monday, a 1-0 winner over Erie McDowell in a PIAA sub regional game today.

CANON MCMILLAN BIG MACS 0 – 0 – 0 – 3 – 0 – 2 – 0   5 – 8 – 1
NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS 1 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0  – 1 – 0    2 – 4 – 0
 

Tags: Canon-McMillan