Hot-hitting North Allegheny uses 7-run inning to take section series from rival Seneca Valley

By: Chris Harlan
Friday, April 25, 2025 | 12:17 AM

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JJ Mancuso offered up a simple explanation for how North Allegheny suddenly scored 17 runs in two days, snapping a string of light-hitting losses.

Sometimes, it’s not too complicated.

“We swung the bats much better, obviously,” said Mancuso, who fueled a seven-run rally with two hits in one inning as North Allegheny defeated host Seneca Valley, 9-6, in the rubber match of a three-game series Thursday.

The series win left North Allegheny (10-5, 8-1) alone atop Section 1-6A, but the Tigers were also optimistic that they’d broken out of their doldrums. They’d lost 4-1 to Seneca Valley in Game 1 before winning 8-1 and 9-6 in the next two.

“We put up eight and nine after a one-run performance,” Mancuso said. “That was huge.”

Nine runs were a season high.

Second-ranked Seneca Valley (8-6, 5-4) slipped to third in the section standings, just behind Butler (9-4, 5-3). Top-ranked North Allegheny has three section games remaining against North Hills (6-10, 3-6).

“The biggest thing is you control your own destiny (for the section title),” North Allegheny coach Andrew Heck said. “That’s what you want. We did a really good job of coming back in this series.”

One really bad inning doomed Seneca Valley on Thursday.

Mancuso led off the fourth inning with a single, scored and later hit a three-run double as North Allegheny sent 11 batters to the plate. The Tigers used four hits and four walks to erase Seneca Valley’s 4-0 lead.

Mancuso, Grant Huskey and Sean O’Donnell started the inning with consecutive singles. The four walks also came in a row, three with the bases loaded despite a Seneca Valley pitching change.

Raiders starter Luis Torrenegra allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks in 3⅓ innings. After Torrenegra walked three straight, Elliott Murnock relieved him and walked another to force in a run.

Mancuso capped North Allegheny’s big inning with a double into the left field corner to score Nate Surman, Nate Persinger and Christian Simons for a 7-4 lead.

“I got a curveball and was able to drive it down the line,” Mancuso said. “It was a good swing.”

Winning pitcher Jackson Walsh allowed four runs on four hits, three walks and five strikeouts over four innings. Preston Howard and Surman earned the final nine outs in relief.

They were helped by a NA offense that collected 11 hits, including three doubles. Heck said his hitters made some adjustments since Game 1 that led to “more compete at the plate.” Mostly, Heck said, he wanted them to show less hesitation, maybe be less selective and trust their abilities more.

Mancuso went 3 for 4 with a run scored and three RBIs. Surman, Huskey and O’Donnell had two hits apiece.

“I’ve told these guys many times that we’re a much better offensive team than we’ve shown leading up to this series,” Heck said. “It’s just about making some slight adjustments, and we worked on a little bit of stuff after Monday’s game.”

Along with the 4-1 loss to Seneca Valley on Monday, North Allegheny also had losses to Fox Chapel, 4-1, and Penn-Trafford, 9-1, last week.

Heck said there was no switch to flip, but thought Mancuso’s success in the fourth inning embodied their aggressive mindset. His leadoff single came on the first pitch and his double was a two-strike swing.

“Those are two huge at-bats for him,” Heck said, “because it’s kind of two things JJ has been working hard on.”

Seneca Valley scored two runs apiece in the first, third and seventh innings. The Raiders had nine hits led by Wes Conville with three. Mason Fisher and Ryan Piekutoski had two apiece.

North Allegheny added one run each in the fifth and seventh innings. Mason Dratfinsky and O’Donnell hit back-to-back doubles in the seventh for a 9-4 lead.

“Now is the time to start hitting,” Heck said. “We’re headed to the end of section play, so now is the time to get hot.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny, Seneca Valley