South Allegheny grinds out win vs. Apollo-Ridge

By: Michael Love
Monday, April 14, 2025 | 9:19 PM

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South Allegheny used a big fourth inning to turn around its fortunes against Apollo-Ridge in a key Section 2-2A softball matchup Monday at Apollo-Ridge High School.

The Gladiators collected just five hits in the game, but they were opportunistic at the plate, and strong defense and the pitching of junior Ava Brown contributed to a 6-2 victory over the Vikings.

“I knew coming into the season that we had a good chance in the section,” South Allegheny coach Kevin Mosqueda said about his team, which dropped down from Class 3A.

“We knew Apollo-Ridge was going to be a tough opponent. We hadn’t seen them before, but just by looking at their numbers they had put up game after game, I knew it was going to be a challenge. Ava did an exceptional job in the circle today.”

South Allegheny was able to rally from an early two-run deficit and improve to 7-1 overall and 3-0 in the section.

Three of the Gladiators’ five hits, along with two walks, came in the fifth off Apollo-Ridge junior starter Jocelyn Snyder and freshman Mikaila Ditty.

With the Gladiators down 2-1, Brown helped her cause by leading off the inning with a single. With one out, freshman Emma Jackson singled and senior Gina Connors drew a walk off Snyder to load the bases.

Senior Cameran Colecchi then doubled to left to plate a pair of runs, which gave the Gladiators the lead. A walk by junior Cadence McBride reloaded the bases, and freshman Bailey Dececco drew another walk to plate Connors.

A sacrifice fly to center off the bat of junior Carrera Conley brought home Colecchi to make it 5-2.

“That totally changed the game, and the momentum turned quickly,” Mosqueda said. “The girls were waiting to break out. The at-bats were contagious where we were getting on base.”

South Allegheny added an unearned run in the top of the seventh as Colecchi reached on an error and came around to score on another sacrifice fly to center from Conley.

Apollo-Ridge put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh — senior Olivia Saxion singled, and Ditty walked with two outs — but Brown shut the door by inducing a pop up to short from senior Madison Butler.

Brown went the distance, gave up eight hits and two earned runs, struck out 13 and walked two. The Gladiators defense didn’t commit an error.

“The girls knew they had to have this game if they wanted the section title, and we knew the defense making plays was going to have to be a big part of us getting the win,” Mosqueda said.

Snyder allowed three hits and three earned runs, fanned eight and walked two over 4¹⁄₃ innings.

Ditty went the rest of the way and surrendered one earned run on two hits with a strikeout and three walks.

“Jocelyn was getting tired, and her back (sciatica) was starting to hurt a little bit,” Apollo-Ridge coach Ashtin Kirkwood said. “We had to make that quick change.”

Jackson finished with two hits to lead South Allegheny, which returns to action in section Friday at Brentwood.

Apollo-Ridge, which saw an eight-game win streak come to an end, fell to 8-2 overall and 3-1 in the section. The Vikings hope to bounce back Thursday on senior day at home against Springdale.

“South Allegheny is definitely a great team,” Kirkwood said. “It was a tough loss, but the girls battled hard. They didn’t give up at any point. We will see them again, and hopefully, the result will be different.”

Apollo-Ridge will travel to South Allegheny on April 28.

Apollo-Ridge opened the scoring in the bottom of the first as Ditty, who started at first base, crushed an Brown two-out offering over the left-center field fence.

Butler followed the Ditty home run with a single, and Snyder doubled to put runners on second and third, but Brown struck out freshman Kourtney Levesque to prevent any further damage.

Ditty struck again in the bottom of the third and again with two outs. With two strikes against her, she turned on a pitch belt high and in the middle of the plate and sent it over the fence in left to give the Vikings a 2-0 advantage.

“Ava pitched (Ditty) well, but she just has so much power,” Mosqueda said. “But now we know her.”

South Allegheny was able to get a run back in the top of the fourth.

Colecchi led off with a sharply hit ball to center that was misplayed. The ball rolled to the wall, and Colecchi ended up on third.

Snyder struck out the next two batters, but Colecchi was able to score on a fielding error in the infield of a ball hit by Conley.

The Vikings were thinking about adding to their slim lead in the bottom of the fourth as Snyder and junior Julie Bertino singled to put runners on first and second with one out. But Brown got a strikeout and an infield pop-up to end the threat.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, South Allegheny