Sports
This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/02/2015
June 2, 2015
As we swing into June, the diamond action turns from the district postseason to the state playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have PIAA Baseball and Softball First Round and Quarterfinals action as the 2015 spring scholastic sports season winds down. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 1st: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA First Round - Shaler vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/29/2015
May 29, 2015
Spring is the time for things to bloom, right? This spring has been a time for a group of young WPIAL athletes to sprout. One of the storylines for spring sports in the WPIAL has been the young blood that has flowed through the league and made an impact. In case you didn’t notice, it has been a spring where an unusually a number of sophomores or freshmen did some terrific things in a few different sports. Let’s examine:2015 WPIAL SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
May 28, 2015
A tip of the cap to the WPIAL Softball Steering Committee. Three of the four title game matchups were #1 vs #2-seeds with the fourth being a #1 vs #3. And after the dust settled at Lilley Field. three of the four champions crowned were top-seeds who went the distance. While Jefferson-Morgan celebrated a first time championship, its was the second softball title in school history for Deer lakes and Belle Vernon and a third golden crown for Hempfield. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Softball Playoffs. All results marked with (MSA) after the score can be heard archived at any time at MSAsports.net 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Hempfield Shuts Out North Allegheny For AAAA Softball Title
Morgan Ryan is not going to let a scorekeeper’s decision keep her up at night. Though polishing her gold medal just might. Ryan, a sophomore pitcher for No. 1 ranked Hempfield (18-2), allowed just one, controversial hit in a complete game, 3-0 shutout of No. 2 North Allegheny (21-2) for the WPIAL AAAA Softball Championship on Thursday night at California University of Pennsylvania’s Lilley Field. With the win, the Spartans claim their third WPIAL Softball Championship and first since 2009. The impressive title run comes a year after Hempfield failed to qualify for the postseason.
4-run 7th Helps Belle Vernon Stun Yough 5-4 for AAA Gold
The Belle Vernon Leopards had one out in the bottom of the seventh of the Class AAA championship game with no runners on base and trailed 4-1. Five batters later the Leopards had a 5-4 victory after a two-run single by Emily Frederick capped a four-run rally to give Belle Vernon (20-2) its 17th straight win and its first WPIAL championship since 2007. "This is so unreal," Frederick said after the game seemingly trying to grasp what just transpired at California University of Pennsylvania's Lilley Field . Belle Vernon actually didn't have a hit through the first five innings as Yough pitcher Macy Mularski held the Leopards in check, only allowing four walks in the first five frames.
Deer Lakes Hands Mohawk First Loss With 13-5 Win in AA Finals
Maria Taliani belted three home runs, and Deer Lakes used a six-run explosion in the fourth inning to capture the Class AA softball title, defeating Mohawk 13-5 at Lilley Field at California University of Pennsylvania. The victory marks the second championship for the Lancers, who captured the crown in 2012, and finished in second place in each of the past two seasons. Top-seeded Deer Lakes (21-1) collected 13 hits, and Taliani and Katie Gozzard combined for 11 RBIs in the Lancers’ offensive onslaught. Both players homered in the crucial fourth inning, as the Lancers turned a 4-3 deficit into a five-run lead.
Emotional Jefferson-Morgan Edges Char-Houston for WPIAL Class A Softball Gold
Maddie Ludrosky struck out a dozen batters and Morgan Simkovic doubled home the go-ahead run as Jefferson-Morgan topped Chartiers-Houston, 3-2, Thursday, winning the school's first WPIAL softball championship. The Rockets have won 11 straight games since losing to the Bucs April 1st. Chartiers-Houston had won seven in a row since Ludrosky no-hit the Bucs April 24th.2015 WPIAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
2015 turned out to be the year of the First Time champions as three of the four district winners had never won a baseball crown before. Pittbsurgh Central Catholic in AAAA. Knoch in AAA and Greensburg Central Catholic in A all made school history by winning inaugural WPIAL baseball gold. The lone exception was powerhouse Neshannock, who became only the third school to win six WPIAL baseball championships by claiming AA gold. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs. All results marked with (MSA) after the score can be heard archived at any time at MSAsports.net 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Knoch Takes Down West Allegheny For First WPIAL Baseball Title
May 27, 2015
The WPIAL Baseball Championships had a first-timers flair to them already. All that the Knoch Knights did was join the party. No. 2 Knoch (19-2) only recorded three hits, but plated five runners in a 5-1 win over No. 5 West Allegheny (16-6) in the WPIAL AAA Baseball Championship on Wednesday night at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, Pa. The win for Knoch is their first in the program's 25-year history and is the first major WPIAL team Championship since Knoch’s football team won the 1978 title. The Knights joined first-time Champions Greensburg Central Catholic (Class A) and Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Class AAAA), as well as six-time Champion Neshannock (AA) as baseball kings in 2015.
Central Catholic Shuts Out Norwin for First WPIAL Baseball Crown
For the first time in school history, Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings has won a WPIAL baseball championship. The Vikings defeated the Norwin Knights, 2-0, on Wednesday night at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, PA. The Vikings (12-7) had not been to the championship game since 1979. It took 36 years and great pitching, timely hitting and solid defense to add a baseball trophy to the storied sports program at Central Catholic. Jack Tumulty went the distance on the mound for the Vikings, allowing no runs on six hits, while striking out six batters and walking only one.WPIAL Baseball Consolation Wednesday Recaps 2015
Four Class AAAA and Class AAA baseball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Those four returned back to the diamond Wednesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Greg Kuntz and Scott Majesky for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:
Greensburg CC Dethrones California To Win First WPIAL Baseball Crown
May 26, 2015
Greensburg Central Catholic scored three times in the fifth inning to break open a tie game en route to a 6-4 victory against California, capturing the Class A Championship at Consol Energy Park. Tommy Pellis and Collin Liberatore led the way for the Centurions, who captured their first baseball title in school history. Pellis went 3-4 at the plate and scored three times, and also added a pair of sparking defensive plays at shortstop. Liberatore notched the victory for No. 2 GCC, as he threw a complete game, yielding four runs while striking out 12. Liberatore’s final strikeout came against California cleanup hitter Aaron Previsky with the tying run in scoring position.
Neshannock Shuts Out Quaker Valley for 6th WPIAL Baseball Title
The cruel and quick ending to their championship dreams in 2014 was a driving force during the entire 2015 campaign for Neshannock. A year ago, the Lancers won their section, finished 18-1 in the regular season and were a clear cut top-seed in the Class AA playoff brackets. But Neshannock was stunned by Seton-LaSalle in their first postseason game and while bitter at first, the seeds for success this spring were planted. In fact, it turned into a golden crop for Mike Kirkwood and the Lancers this year after they blanked Quaker Valley Tuesday 4-0 at CONSOL Energy Field in Washington.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Tuesday Recaps
Eight baseball teams and eight softball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Now 12 of those 16 teams are in action Tuesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Sean Meyers, Mike Azadian, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:2015 WPIAL BOYS VOLLEYBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
Fox Chapel was the last team to win a Class AAA district boys volleyball title before North Allegheny went on a eight year run and the Foxes reclaimed their spot on top after the Tigers run ended in the Quarterfinals. Meanwhile, the run continues for Ambridge and the Bridgers claimed a fourth straight Class AA crown and the schools seventh championship in the last eight years. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Volleyball Playoffs. 2015 WPIAL BOYS VOLLEYBALL CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Fox Chapel Foxes 3 - Seneca Valley Raiders 1 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS AAA Consolation: Bethel Park Black Hawks 3 - Plum Mustangs 12015 WPIAL BOYS LACROSSE PLAYOFFS – Results
The odd championship run continued for Mount Lebanon in D-I while it was back to the top after a couploe of year abscence in D-II for Hampton. The Blue Devils won a thriller over North Allegheny in double overtime to give the school their fourth boys lacrosse crown and keep the odd year streak going of titles in 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, after dominating Division II in winning three of the first four district championships, the Talbots are back on top after knocking off top-seed Canon-McMillan. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Boys Lacrosse Playoffs. 2015 WPIAL BOYS LACROSSE DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:2015 WPIAL GIRLS LACROSSE PLAYOFFS – Results
May 25, 2015
The two winners of the girls lacrosse finals are now three time district champions. The Shaler Titans captured a third consecutive Division II crown while last years runner-up in Division I, the Quaker Valley Quakers won their first D-I title after winning back-to-back D-II championships in 2009 and 2010. Here are ALL of the results from the 2015 WPIAL Girls Lacrosse Playoffs. 2015 WPIAL GIRLS LACROSSE DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Quaker Valley Quakers 11 - Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 9 (MSA) WPIAL Division I Consolation: Shady Side Academy Indians 15 - Chartiers Valley Colts 8 WPIAL DIVISION I Semifinals:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/25/2015
After broadcasting the WPIAL Boys Volleyball and Boys & Girls Lacrosse championships last week, we'll have end to end coverage of the battles for WPIAL diamond gold in both baseball and softball making this another memorable week this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have WPIAL Baseball and Softball Championship action from CONSOL Energy Field and California University of Pennsylvania, along with all eight consolation games from both sports and District 9 baseball and softball postseason play. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro softball with the 2015 start of the Pennsylvania Rebellion season, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show on a special night of Thursday evening and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.netPIAA Track & Field – Saturday Highlights
May 23, 2015
A baseball field sits next to the track at Shippensburg University, and Beaver Falls’ Dom Perretta turned a double play at the PIAA track and field championships Saturday. Perretta won two events – the Class AA 800 and 1,600 – on the final day of the two-day competition. He was one of only two WPIAL athletes to win two events. Knoch’s Jordan Geist won the Class AAA boys shot put Saturday, one day after he won a gold medal in the discus. For Perretta, it was the second year in a row he won both the 800 and 1,600. Perretta is only a junior, which means he could finish his career with a half dozen gold medals. No opponent could keep up with Perretta in either race this year. “I’m happy I won, but I really wanted that record in the 800,” said Perretta.
Mount Lebanon Beats North Allegheny in 2OT Thriller for Boys Lax D-I Gold
The Mount Lebanon Blue Devils scored with just six seconds left in double overtime to win the boys lacrosse championship 9-8 on Friday night. Mount Lebanon captured their fourth title in the last seven years. This was a rematch from last years semi final win when they defeated North Allegheny 10-9 also in double overtime.
