Softball
Neshannock Wins First Ever PIAA Class AA Softball Gold
June 15, 2012
It took a wild pitch in the bottom of the eighth inning to propel the Neshannock Lancers to their first PIAA softball championship with a 4-3 victory over the Warrior Run Defenders at Beard Field on Friday afternoon.PIAA Softball Class A, Class AAAA and Class AAA Finals Recaps
The PIAA softball championships are took place Friday at Nittany Lion Softball Park on the campus of Penn State University. Here are recaps from the Class A, Class AAAA and Class AAA state softball finals.PIAA CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP: Fannett-Metal Tigers 1 - Southern Columbia Tigers 0PIAA Class AA Softball Title Game Preview
June 14, 2012
Just like baseball, it is slim pickings for the WPIAL in PIAA championship play. Only one team is taking the trip to Penn State, the Neshannock Lancers will make their first venture ever for championship gold. Here is a preview of that game, all the action can be heard right here on the MSA Sports Network.Neshannock Lancers (23-1) vs. Warrior Run Defenders (24-2) Friday at 3PM on the MSA Sports Network A match up of first timers in the state championship game, neither team has played for a PIAA title.Neshannock Head Coach: Tracy KimmelPIAA Softball Semifinals Recaps for Monday
June 11, 2012
It was a rough day for WPIAL softball champions on Monday, fortunately for Neshannock fans, the Lancers did not win a district title this spring. Canon-McMillan, Montour and Chartiers-Houston all lost, however Neshannock will carry the WPIAL banner to Penn State as the Lancers play for a Class AA state softball title on Friday. Here are recaps from all four Western Finals in the PIAA Softball Playoffs on Monday afternoon.A special thanks to Mark Uriah, Josh Rowntree, Mike Azadian and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AAAA SEMIFINALS:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/11/2012
As the state high school baseball and softball postseason winds down, so does the 2011-2012 high school sports season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the Semifinals and select Championship Games from both the PIAA baseball and softball state playoffs along with pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things, plus all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin ALL here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 11th:TALK SHOW - Rappin on Racin at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netPIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAA Semifinals - West York vs Blackhawk at 3:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 06/11/2012
Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia must decide whether or not to bring back standout pitcher Brendan McKay on only three days rest for the PIAA semifinals Monday. But Blackhawk’s opponent also has an ace who pitched a complete-game Thursday. Blackhawk (22-2) will meet West York (21-4) in a Class AAA Semifinal 3 p.m. Monday at Hollidaysburg. West York features Kaden Hepler, who will be pitching Division I college baseball next year at Winthrop. Hepler has been superb this season with a 12-0 record. He has a 0.54 ERA and has struck out 116 in 78 1/3 innings. He has allowed only 46 hits.PIAA Softball Quarterfinals Recaps for Thursday and Friday
June 8, 2012
It was a mixed bag for the six WPIAL softball teams on Thursday in the PIAA Quarterfinals. Three teams were victorious, including two district champions, one saw their season come to an end, one was in the lead when the game was suspended and another didn't even see a first pitch. Here are recaps from the PIAA Quarterfinals on Thursday involving those six WPIAL teams.Thanks to Brandon Showers and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:PIAA Softball First Round Recaps for Tuesday, June 5th
June 6, 2012
It was a rough day Monday for PIAA baseball and softball opening round contests as Mother Nature wiped out most of the action with games delayed until Tuesday. However, the west had a clean slate on Monday...with the exception of two softball games played at Penn State University. Rain suspended one game and postponed the other, forcing two for Tuesday in Happy Valley. Here is a recap of both of those First Round contests.Thanks to Todd Brown for his help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AA First Round:PIAA Softball First Round Recaps for Monday, June 4th
June 4, 2012
Hatboro-Horsham, Philipsburg-Osceola and Minersville were joined in the state softball winners circle last year by one WPIAL team, the Valley Vikings in Class AAA. Valley did not qualify for the postseason this year, but the 2012 WPIAL champs are all off an running in the 2012 version of the state softball tournament. Here are recaps from the First Round of the 2012 PIAA Softball Playoffs from Monday, June 4th.Thanks to Bob Gregg, Josh Rowntree and Jason Tennant for their help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AAAA First Round:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 06/04/2012
With the district high school baseball and softball postseason behind us, the focus switches to the diamond state playoffs starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the First Round and the Quarterfinals from both the PIAA baseball and softball state playoffs along with pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things, women's pro football featuring the Pittsburgh Passion and mens semi-pro football featuring the Tri-State Steel Storm, plus all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin ALL here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 4th:Scholastic Notebook – 06/01/2012
June 1, 2012
After Blackhawk’s Brendan McKay pitched a shutout in the WPIAL Class AAA championship Thursday, Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia said there is no stage too big for McKay. But as sophomores go, McKay has the entire stage to himself. The way McKay has pitched this season brings about a question. Has there ever been a sophomore pitcher in the WPIAL who has enjoyed this much success in one of the largest classifications? McKay, a sophomore left-hander, has been tremendous for a pitcher in any year, let alone one in his sophomore season. His statistics go beyond impressive.Canon-Mac, Montour, Deer Lakes & Char-Houston Are Golden in WPIAL Softball
There was plenty of excitement in this softball postseason all the way down to the wire with half of the championships games being decided on a walk off hit in extra innings. One team successfully repeated as champion while another won their second title in three years. The other two that sit atop the district softball hill are celebrating first time ever WPIAL golden crowns. Here are ALL of the final scores from the 2012 WPIAL Softball Playoffs.All archived broadcasts (MSA after the score) from the softball postseason are exclusively here on the MSA Sports Network is sponsored in part by Carlow University.Big Macs Tasty in Winning First WPIAL AAAA Softball Championship
Canon McMillan won their first-ever WPIAL softball championship with a 4-1 victory over Hempfield Thursday night at Lilley Field at California University. Big Macs' pitcher Alayna Astuto gave up only 3 hits in 7 innings, walking two and striking out one. Hempfield starter Karilyn Null retired the first 9 Canon McMillan batters, and the game was scoreless until Abby McCartney doubled home Maddie Engel in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Big Macs a 1-0 lead. Olivia Lorusso followed with a three-run homer to left field to make it 4-0, which was all Astuto and Canon McMillan would need. Pinch hitter Sarah DiOrio drove home Michaela LaDonne with an RBI ground out in the top of the 7th for Hempfield's only run.Montour Blanks EF For 2nd WPIAL AAA Softball Crown in 3 Years
At the University of California of PA in the WPIAL girls AAA Softball Championships, the Montour Spartans defeat the Elizabeth Forward Warriors by a score of 7-0 to claim their second title in the last three years.They put on a hitting display and kept the foot on the gas making sure the Warriors could not come back late in the game.The scoring started for the Spartans in the 3rd inning as the number nine hitter, Junior Alyssa McMurtrie led off with a line drive home run to CF to make it 1-0. One out later Megan Vacco started a string of three straight singles, the other two by Kaitlyn Kutchman, and Alllison Hryadil and they led 2-0.The score grew to 4-0 Spartans in the 5th as Tori Roman and Stephanie Seibert singled then Olivia Dixon reached on an error.
Deer Lakes Comes Back Late to Claim First WPIAL AA Softball Championship
May 31, 2012
In unlikely fashion, the Deer Lakers Lancers rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and a run in the eighth to claim their first ever Class AA Softball championship with a 3-2 eight inning win over the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions.Becca Babincak bunted to lead off the inning and stole second, after one out, Candace Scanga hit a grounder to first that Alie Perz could not handle, putting runners at first and third. Greensburg Central Catholic brought the outfield in with Siera Sarver at the plate, she drove a deep fly ball to right center over the head of the outfielders to score the game winning run.Chartiers-Houston Rallies in 9th for Dramatic WPIAL Class A Softball Title
In another classic in the Class A softball championship game at California University's Lilley Field, the Chartiers-Houston rallied in the bottom of the ninth to claim back to back titles with a walk-off win. With two outs and trailing 2 to 1, Piper McLaughlin tripled past centerfielder Megan Bayles to bring home both the tying and winning runs to give the Buccaneers their ninth WPIAL championship.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Recaps
May 30, 2012
In the midst of all of the WPIAL baseball and softball championship games are five contests on Wednesday with the postseason future of ten district teams up for grabs. Three softball consolation games at California University of Pennsylvania and a pair of baseball consolation games at the Washington & Jefferson Sports Complex were broadcast on The Network with the five winners earning a berth in the PIAA state playoffs that begin next week. Here are the recaps from those games.Special thanks to Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps!This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/29/2012
May 29, 2012
Plenty of Diamond Gold will be up for grabs post holiday this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have EXCLUSIVE coverage of all eight 2012 WPIAL Baseball and Softball Championship Games and all five WPIAL baseball and softball consolation games along with a pair of District 6 Softball Championship Games, plus news from the world of auto racing with Rappin on Racin, pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things and women's pro football featuring the Pittsburgh Passion ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 28th:HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY FROM ALL OF US HERE AT THE MSA SPORTS NETWORK!WPIAL Softball Playoff Recaps for Wednesday, May 23rd (and Thursday, May 24th)
May 23, 2012
The Final Four nail-biting continued Thursday afternoon at Fairhaven Park in the final Round Three game in the WPIAL Softball Playoffs. On Wednesday, two extra inning contests, a couple of walk-off hits and tying and wining runs left on the bases or at the plate highlighted a busy and exciting day. More of the same happened Thursday with yet another walk off hit leading to the demise of the top team in Quad A. Here are recaps from all eight Semifinals games as Canon-McMillan, Hempfield, Elizabeth Forward, Montour, Greensburg Central Catholic, Deer Lakes, Chartiers-Houston and Carmichaels all had their ticket punched to Championships TWPIAL Softball Playoff Recaps for Monday, May 21st
May 22, 2012
Five Quarterfinals games were played on Friday, so the other eleven second round games in Class AAA, Class AA and Class A had to wait until Monday afternoon to determine which teams would qualify for the Final Four in their respective classifications. Here are the recaps from all eleven of those WPIAL Softball Playoff games as heard here on the MSA Sports Network.A special thanks to Mark Schaas, Josh Rowntree, Bob Orkwis, Steve Nagler, Bobby Fox and Jason Tennant for their help on these recaps.WPIAL SOFTBALL CLASS AAA QUARTERFINALS:
