Sports
2016 Hometown Softball Recap – Belle Vernon Leopards
May 10, 2016
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.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Lacrosse – 05/09/2016
May 9, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten boys and girls lacrosse teams in the WPIAL in both divisions every Sunday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings. Log on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for final match results with weekly broadcasts on your exclusive home for the 2016 WPIAL Boys and Girls Lacrosse Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/09/2016
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.net2016 WPIAL Boys Volleyball Standings
May 6, 2016
Here are the latest standings for the 2016 WPIAL Boys Volleyball season...including the latest WPIAL playoff clinchings. You can follow the WPIAL Boys Volleyball regular season with updated results and standings along with weekly rankings every Wednesday, plus regular season and postseason broadcasts only here on the MSA Sports Network. Top four teams in each section make the playoffs. If there is a tie for fourth place, head-to-head will be the tiebreaker. If there is a split in the head-to-head, both tied teams make the playoffs. # - Clinched Section Title * - Clinched Playoff Berth x - Eliminated From Playoff Race Only section records are shown.Scholastic Notebook – 05/06/2016
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.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Volleyball – 05/05/2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten boys volleyball teams in the WPIAL in both classifications every Wednesday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings. Log on Wednesday and Friday for updated results and standings on your exclusive home for the 2016 WPIAL Boys Volleyball Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.net Section records in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS AAA TOP TEN: 1. BETHEL PARK BLACK HAWKS (10-0) (Last Week #1) 2. NORTH ALLEGHENY TIGERS (8-1) (Last Week #3)
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)
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Brandon Buck
The Ambridge Area boys volleyball team has become a dynasty in recent years. The Bridgers have claimed seven of the past eight titles in Class AA, including each of the past four. Brandon Buck was instrumental in Ambridge securing several of those titles, and now he's a key member of the St. Francis program. Brandon is this week's focus of the WPIAL Alum Q&A. Following the Bridgers semifinals loss in 2011 when Buck was a freshman, the outside hitter helped propel Ambridge to three straight titles over the Derry Area Trojans. In all three of those campaigns, Buck was honored as an All-State performer.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Baseball – 05/02/2016
May 2, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten baseball teams in the WPIAL in all four classifications every Monday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings...including a NEW #1 team in Class AA. Log on every day for updated standings and game broadcasts on your exclusive home for the 2016 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.net WPIAL CLASS AAAA TOP TEN: 1. PLUM MUSTANGS (14-0) (Last Week #1) 2. SHALER TITANS (11-4) (Last Week #5) 3. PINE-RICHLAND RAMS (12-4) (Last Week #2)This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/02/2016
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.netMSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Lacrosse – 05/01/2016
May 1, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten boys and girls lacrosse teams in the WPIAL in both divisions every Sunday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings. Log on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for final match results with weekly broadcasts on your exclusive home for the 2016 WPIAL Boys and Girls Lacrosse Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at 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.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Boys Volleyball – 04/27/2016
April 27, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports will rank the top ten boys volleyball teams in the WPIAL in both classifications every Wednesday at www.MSAsports.net Here are this weeks rankings. Log on Wednesday and Friday for updated results and standings on your exclusive home for the 2016 WPIAL Boys Volleyball Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.net Section records in parenthesis. WPIAL CLASS AAA TOP TEN: 1. BETHEL PARK BLACK HAWKS (8-0) (Last Week #1) 2. PENN-TRAFFORD WARRIORS (9-0) (Last Week #4)North Allegheny & Sewickley Duos Win WPIAL Doubles Tennis Titles
For one team, history repeated itself on Tuesday afternoon. For another, history changed for the better. Don and Ryan Gex of Sewickley Academy repeated as WPIAL Class AA Doubles Tennis champions while after losing in the finals last year, Jared Isaacs and Richard Hofmann of North Allegheny won the elusive title in straight sets. For Ryan Gex, it was a third straight doubles crown while for Isaacs, it was his first title after losing in the doubles title match in 2014 and 2015. Here are all the results from the two day event. 2016 WPIAL CLASS AAA DOUBLES TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Jared Isaacs and Richard Hofmann (North Allegheny) over Naman Dua and Tanay Kumta (Shady Side Academy) 6-1, 6-0Hometown Softball Recap – Belle Vernon Leopards – 04/27/2016
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.
