Softball
FINAL 2016 WPIAL Softball Standings
May 14, 2016
Here are the FINAL WPIAL softball standings for the 2016 season...including all the FINAL WPIAL softball playoff clinchings. The standings will be updated daily through the regular season. You can follow the high school softball season with schedules, scores, weekly rankings every Tuesday and game broadcasts, including another year of the MSA Sports Hometown Softball Program here on the MSA Sports Network. The 2016 WPIAL Softball Playoffs ONLY on the MSA Sports Network will be sponsored by Carlow University. Teams in capital letters are part of the MSA Sports Hometown Softball Program.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Softball Playoff Teams – 05/11/2016
May 11, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports ranked the top ten softball teams in the WPIAL in all four classifications. Now that the district postseason field is (nearly) set, we rank ALL of the 60 playoff bound teams. HOWEVER, it is not a true ranking from #1 to whatever. Like the steering committee does, we seed the teams to avoid the teams from the same section playing each other in the First Round. You fill in the top four, then the next four, then you start plugging teams in. Not an exact science, but it makes the guess work fun.Belle Vernon Softball Forfeits Three Games, Out of Playoffs
Despite finishing in second place in the WPIAL Class AAA Section 3, 2015 district softball champion Belle Vernon will not get a chance to defend their crown. The Leopards must forfeit three section victories because of the use of two ineligible players. Those loses drop Belle Vernon to 6-6 in the section and in fourth place. Top three teams from each section make the WPIAL playoffs. The players in question are two freshmen who played for the Belle Vernon 'Junior High' team which consists of players in 7th, 8th and 9th grade. If the players were on an all Freshman or a JV team, they could be promoted to the varsity team at any time. However PIAA rules do not allow players from 'Junior High' to play varsity.
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Giorgiana Zeremenko
May 10, 2016
Giorgiana Zeremenko made headlines in helping guide Canon-McMillan to softball gold multiple times during her high-school career. Now playing at the University of Pittsburgh, Zeremenko has put herself in the record books with an incredible season for the Panthers. She is the focus of the latest installment of the WPIAL Alum Q&A. Zeremenko wasted no time in contributing for the Big Macs, as she earned All-District honors as a freshman, and was also named Canon-McMillan's defensive MVP in 2011. The following season, she was instrumental in guiding her team to the Class Quad-A WPIAL Championship, a 4-1 victory over Hempfield Area. It marked the first softball title in school history.2016 Hometown Softball Recap – Belle Vernon Leopards
Bailey Parshall tossed a two-hit shutout striking out 12 and walking only two as the Lady Leopards raised their Section 3 AAA record to 8-3 and overall record to 14-5. Parshall also went 4-4 at the plate with a double and three singles to key the Leopards 11 hit attack. Kourtney Gavatorta got Belle Vernon on the board with a bases loaded 2 run double in the bottom of the first inning to put BVA up 2-0 after 1 inning. It could have been worse, but West Mifflin pitcher Amber Cook was able to pitch her way out of a one-out bases loaded jam by getting back to back pop-ups to end the inning with the Leopards stranding 3 runners.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/09/2016
May 9, 2016
The final contests of the high school baseball, softball and lacrosse regular season will give way to postseason talk this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have WPIAL and District 6 high school baseball and softball regular season finales as well as WPIAL girls lacrosse and college baseball postseason play featuring the LaRoche Red Hawks, plus Rappin' on Racin', another edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes and the WPIAL Softball Pairings Show and the WPIAL Baseball Pairings Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 9th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/06/2016
May 6, 2016
It was against lowly competition, and each game lasted only five innings. But still, the recent pitching performances of Zach Bowen were ones for the national record book. Bowen is a sophomore at Serra Catholic who pitched back-to-back perfect games. Both games were blowouts and lasted only five innings because of the 10-run rule. Bowen’s first perfect game came April 27 against Clairton in a 17-0 win. Then this past Monday, Bowen pitched another perfect game in another 17-0 win, this time against Geibel Catholic. According to the National Federation of High School Associations record book, only two other pitchers are known to have thrown consecutive perfect games. Mike Bradley of Fort Bragg, Cal., did it in 1991 and Anthony Velasquez of Bayside, N.Y., in 2006.
Hometown Softball Recap – Elizabeth Forward Warriors – 05/05/2016
May 5, 2016
On senior day for Elizabeth Forward at William Penn Field, it was a junior who helped the Warriors overcome a deficit, ultimately prevailing 8-4 against the McKeesport Tigers. Junior Lauren Mathews pitched three scoreless innings in relief of Sarah Turek, and Mathews was also instrumental offensively, as she crushed a two-run homer. Despite her struggles pitching, Turek turned in a stellar performance at the plate, going 4-4. When the contest began after a lengthy rain and lightening delay, McKeesport immediately applied pressure to Turek, as the Tigers loaded the bases with just one out. Turek induced a pop up and a ground out to escape the jam, though.
Hometown Softball Recap – Baldwin Highlanders – 05/04/2016
May 4, 2016
As the old rock group Bachman Turner Overdrive once sang, Baldwin on senior day was 'Taking Care of Business' as they stayed on the heels of the AAAA-4 first place Canon-McMillan Big Macs with a 14-0 whitewash of the Upper St. Clair Panthers Tuesday evening. Baldwin scored six runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Senior Jaime Schleicher continued her amazing season (now hitting .750) with an RBI single to score Taylor Dadig to get the party started. Senior Ana Hale delivered an RBI single, two runs scored on wild pitches and Addy Tagg drove in a pair with a single as the Highlanders sent ten to the plate against starter Lillian Caudill of USC.
Hometown Softball Recap – Blackhawk Cougars – 05/04/2016
On Tuesday, Blackhawk honored its seniors of the softball team, who on the field, were looking to stay in the thick of things for a WPIAL Class AAA playoff spot against Hopewell, who also needed a win Tuesday. Blackhawk's Krystine Young, who will play at Mt. Union next season, registered two doubles, a RBI and three total hits in her four plate appearances in a 8-3 loss for the Cougars. Blackhawk held a 3-0 lead after four innings of play at home, scoring on a Breann Dickton RBI single in the first inning, a Young RBI double in the third and Kailey Rayz sacrifice fly in the fourth.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Softball – 05/03/2016
May 3, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten softball teams in the WPIAL in all four classifications every Tuesday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings...including a NEW #1 team in Class AAAA. Log on every day for updated standings and game broadcasts on your exclusive home for the WPIAL Softball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.net WPIAL CLASS AAAA TOP TEN: 1. SHALER TITANS (16-0) (Last Week #1) 2. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (13-1) (Last Week #3) 3. HEMPFIELD SPARTANS (14-2) (Last Week #2)This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/02/2016
May 2, 2016
Section play in the 2016 WPIAL baseball and softball seasons comes to an end, weather permitting, for most teams this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have 'Stretch Run' action from both WPIAL and District 6 high school baseball and softball as well as WPIAL girls lacrosse and WPIAL boys volleyball, plus Rappin' on Racin' and another edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 2nd: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net WPIAL High School Baseball - Plum vs Franklin Regional at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netHometown Softball Recap – Chartiers-Houston Buccaneers – 04/29/2016
April 29, 2016
Chartiers-Houston used timely hitting and a strong pitching performance to topple section for Jefferson-Morgan to take control of second place in section 1-A with an 8-2 victory over the Rockets. With the win. Chartiers-Houston secured a season-sweep over last season's District 7 champions. Jefferson-Morgan beat the Bucs 3-2 in the WPIAL title game last season. Char-Houston sophomore Kaitlyn Dittrich held the Rockets without a hit through the first four innings, and the Bucs opened up a lead thanks to a two-out three-run homer run by junior Kayla Alderson in the third inning. Sophomore Jessica Ford doubled home courtesy runner Macie Shober in the fourth to extend the Bucs advantage to 4-0.
Hometown Softball Recap – Blackhawk Cougars – 04/29/2016
Blackhawk's Krystine Young had two hits and reached base all three times in a 6-0 loss to Section 1 foe Central Valley Friday afternoon. Cougars Sarah Allison and Madisyn Lloyd also singled in the loss. Blackhawk was blanked by Warriors junior, Jordan Uhing who pitched all seven innings in scattering those four hits while striking out eight Cougars. Blackhawk starter, sophomore Breann Dickton, pitched very well early on in what was a cold, rainy day. She held Central Valley to one run through the first four innings. Dickton would walk only one against five strikeouts. Warriors Lean Treemarchi went 3/4 with a HR and four RBI on the afternoon.Scholastic Notebook – 04/29/2016
It’s unlikely that the Pittsburgh Central Catholic baseball team will make the WPIAL playoffs this season. That’s highly unusual. Central Catholic’s string of six consecutive playoff appearances would be broken. But that’s not what makes the Vikings’ situation unusual. What makes Central Catholic’s case so unusual is that Central Catholic is the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion. Since 2000, the WPIAL champion in the largest classification has missed the playoffs the following year only twice. Mt. Lebanon won in 2006 and missed the playoffs in 2007. Hopewell won in 2000 and missed the playoffs in 2001.Hometown Softball Recap – Belle Vernon Leopards – 04/27/2016
April 27, 2016
For the second time this season, Thomas Jefferson defeated the Belle Vernon Leopards in a low scoring contest. This time by way of a 3-0 final score at Washington Township Field on Tuesday afternoon. After forcing two walks in the first, including lead-off hitter Lindsay Kalup. Thomas Jefferson first-baseman Emily Schleidter popped up a softly hit ball that landed directly between second and short which scored the eventual game-winning run, that being Kalup from second.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Softball – 04/26/2016
April 26, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten softball teams in the WPIAL in all four classifications every Tuesday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings...including a NEW #1 team in Class AAAA. Log on every day for updated standings and game broadcasts on your exclusive home for the WPIAL Softball Playoffs sponsored by Carlow University, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.net WPIAL CLASS AAAA TOP TEN: 1. SHALER TITANS (14-0) (Last Week #2) 2. HEMPFIELD SPARTANS (11-1) (Last Week #1) 3. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (11-1) (Last Week #3)This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 04/24/2016
April 24, 2016
The 'Stretch Run' of the 2016 WPIAL Baseball and Softball seasons begins with two weeks left in the regular season starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have both WPIAL and District 6 high school baseball and softball as well as WPIAL boys and girls lacrosse and WPIAL boys volleyball, plus Rappin' on Racin' and another edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, April 25th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net WPIAL High School Baseball - Pittsburgh Central Catholic vs Woodland Hills at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netWPIAL Announces 2016-2017 Championship Sites
April 21, 2016
While major changes will be in the air with a classification increase starting in the 2016-2017 school year, there was concern about where the district would play its championship games with the increase in title games. However outside of a split in football, the WPIAL Finals in several sports will remain at the same venues that have been hosting the title events.
Hometown Softball Recap – Baldwin Highlanders – 04/21/2016
A outcome of a critical Class Quad-A Section 4 showdown changed in a matter of just a few moments, as the Canon-McMillan Big Macs used a few key plays to notch a 5-1 victory against the host Baldwin Highlanders on Wednesday. With the Highlanders threatening in the bottom of the fourth inning, Baldwin appeared to tie the game at 2-2 on a sacrifice fly by Anastasia Hale that plated Samantha Wampler from third. An appeal by Canon-McMillan resulted in Wampler being called out, however, as the umpires determined that she left the bag before the ball was caught in center field. As a result, the inning concluded and the lead remained intact for Canon-McMillan.
