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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY SOFTBALL

*WPIAL RUNNERUP*

*SECTION CHAMPIONS*

Photo by Al Durick, Portraits Plus Studios

LENART SELECTED AS THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR BY THE PG NORTH

Junior catcher Nicole Lenart was chosen as the PG North Player of the Year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Lenart batted .360 with 10 doubles, 3 triples, and two homers good for 22 runs batted in.  Junior pitcher Becca Rich and junior third baseman Dori Nunley were named to the PG North All-Star team.

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
PG NORTH ALL-STAR TEAM

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LENART NAMED TO TRIB ALL-STAR TEAM

Junior catcher Nicole Lenart was selected as a member of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Softball All-Stars.  Lenart batted .360 with 10 doubles, three triples and two home runs.  The NA junior also had 22 runs batted in and scored ten runs.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
SOFTBALL ALL-STARS

* - Player of the Year

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TWO LADY TIGERS CHOSEN AS P-G 2004 ALL-STARS; FOUR PICKED FOR ALL-SECTION TEAM

Junior pitchers Becca Rich and junior catcher Nicole Lenart were selected by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as members of the 2004 Softball All-Star team as announced on Sunday.  They were the only juniors on the ten-member squad.  Rich and Lenart were also named to the 2004 All-Section team along with junior Dori Nunley and junior center fielder Maddie Nestor.  

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
2004 SOFTBALL ALL-STARS

* - Player of the Year

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
2004 ALL-SECTION TEAM

CONGRATULATIONS TO BECCA, NICOLE, DORI AND MADDIE!!!!!

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LADY TIGERS FALL FROM PIAA PLAYOFFS AFTER 2-0 LOSS TO BELLEFONTE

Box Score

Lady Tiger shortstop Amy Phillips had the only NA hit as Bellefonte knocked NA from the PIAA playoffs with a 2-0 victory at Hess Field in Boalsburg on Monday afternoon.  Junior right hander Becca Rich allowed only six hits to the Lady Raiders, but the NA bats never got started as NA finished with a record of 17-5.

The Tigers went down in order in the first four innings as they could not solve Lady Raider pitcher Laura Caldwell.  In the bottom of the first, Jess Davis led off with a bunt single.  After two were out, junior catcher Nicole Lenart threw out Davis trying to steal to end the inning.  In the bottom of the second after two were out, Kerri Grey reached base on an infield single.  Rich was able to get the next batter on a comebacker to the mound.  The Lady Raiders went down in order in the third and fourth innings, and the game remained scoreless going into the top of the fifth.

Phillips led off the fifth with a base hit to short left center field.  Pinch runner Megan Mather went to second on a wild pitch, but Caldwell got the next three batters to keep the game scoreless.  The Lady Raiders scored twice in the bottom half of the inning.  Caldwell led off with a double to deep left center field.  After Capparelle came in to run for Caldwell, Rich struck out Gray.  Danielle Grove followed with a single to left center field moving Capparelle to third, with Grove moving to second on the throw to the plate.  Rich then got Missy Clouser on a pop fly back to the mound for the second out.  Dana Grove came through with a base hit up the middle to drive in both runs and give Bellefonte a 2-0 lead after five innings.

Caldwell was able to get the Tigers in order in the sixth and seventh innings to preserve the victory.  It was a tough loss for NA but a good season overall.  With a young team, the Lady Tigers were able to win the section and advance to the WPIAL title game.  

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH MEISTER AND THE LADY TIGERS FOR A GREAT SEASON!

GAME SUMMARY
BELLEFONTE - 2  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

WP - Laura Caldwell     LP - Becca Rich (15-4)

2004 PIAA CLASS AAA SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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LEBO EDGES LADY TIGERS, 1-0, TO WIN WPIAL TITLE

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Scoring an unearned run in the top of the 8th inning, the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils defeated the Lady Tigers, 1-0, to win their first ever Class AAA championship.  Junior right hander Becca Rich had limited Lebo to no runs and just two hits over the first seven innings, but an errant throw on a possible double play allowed the game's only run to score.  Sophomore Aimee Dassner led NA with two hits.

Both pitchers and good defense dominated the game.  Each team had one scoring opportunity over the first seven innings.  In the top of the third inning, left fielder Natalie Gentile singled to center field.  After Gentile moved to second on a passed ball, a ground out by center fielder Lacee Griffith moved her to third.  Rich was able to get right fielder Katie Bowler to ground out to senior second baseman Amanda Howard to end the inning.

The Lady Tigers had their chance in the bottom of the sixth.  Until that point in the game, Mt. Lebanon pitcher Megan Rigos had allowed only two hits, a bunt single by Howard in the fourth and a base hit to center field by Dassner in the fifth.  Senior right fielder Sarah Piranian led off with a bunt single.  After junior CF Maddie Nestor sacrificed her to second, Piranian moved to third on a ground out.  Junior catcher Nicole Lenart grounded to deep short, but a good throw and a good stretch by first baseman Abby Merz just beat Lenart for the third out of the inning.

In the top of the eighth inning, catcher Katie Gilboy singled to right field to lead off the inning.  After DP Mary Bubenheim sacrificed her to second, Merz beat out an infield single but Gilboy had to stay at second.  Gentile followed with a hard ground ball near second base.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips made a good stop and got the ball to Howard for the second out, but the throw to first base to try to get the double play was wide and allowed Gilboy to score.

In the bottom of the eighth, the Lady Tigers threatened.  Dassner led off with a line drive single to left field.  Pinch hitter Heidi Ptacek dropped down a sacrifice bunt moving pinch runner Lauren Vrabel to second base.  Piranian followed with a line shot that Rigos somehow stabbed out the air and threw to second base to double Vrabel and end the game.

It was an outstanding championship game played by two top teams.  The Lady Tigers put up a great effort but came up a run short in their attempt to be only the second team in WPIAL Class AAA history to win three consecutive championships.  For her efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Aimee Dassner as the Player of the Game.  NA will enter the PIAA playoffs as the #2 team from District 7 and will play Bellefonte in the first round of the playoffs on Monday.  NA defeated Bellefonte, 5-1,  in the Western Regional final last spring.  The site and time of the game have not been announced.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON - 1  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

WP - Megan Rigos (23-1)     LP - Becca Rich (15-3)

WPIAL SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
CLASS AAA

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LADY TIGERS TOP TITANS, 8-1, TO ADVANCE TO WPIAL FINAL

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In a game that was delayed almost two hours by rain and lightning, the Lady Tigers defeated Shaler, 8-1, at Hampton Community Park on Tuesday afternoon in the WPIAL semifinals.  Junior catcher Nicole Lenart slammed two triples and a double to pace a 14-hit NA attack to back up the five-hit pitching of junior right hander Becca Rich.  Junior 3B Dori Nunley and senior right fielder Sarah Piranian had three hits each for the Lady Tigers.

The Lady Tigers got on the board in the top of the first inning.  Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor beat out an infield single to lead off and was sacrificed to second by senior 2B Amanda Howard.  Lenart followed with a drive off the right-center field fence for a triple, scoring Nestor as NA led, 1-0, after one inning.

In the top of the second inning, NA added a pair of runs.  With one out, sophomore first baseman Aimee Dassner lined a single to left field.  Junior left fielder Rachel Songer then lined a shot down the right field line that got past right fielder Niki DeRenzo.  Songer raced all the way to third for a triple that scored Dassner with the second NA run.  Piranian slapped a sharp single to left field to score Songer and give the Lady Tigers a 3-0 lead after an inning and a half.

In the bottom of the second, Shaler put runners on first and second with one out on an error and a walk.  Rich struck out catch Megan Lynch and DeRenzo to stop the Titan rally.  In the top of the third, Lenart led off with a line drive that bounced to the center field fence for a double.  After junior shortstop Amy Phillips sacrificed Lenart to third, Nunley laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit that scored Lenart.  NA took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the third.

Piranian led off the fourth with a single and was forced at second by Nestor's ground ball.  After Nestor stole second, Howard's ground out moved her to third.  With Lenart batting with a count of 2-0, lightning forced a delay.  After a delay of almost forty minutes, the teams took the field to resume play but lightning again was spotted in the area.  This time, rain followed and the game was halted.  After a total delay of almost two hours, play resumed at around 6:50 pm.  Lenart walked but NA was unable to score.

In the bottom of the fourth, third baseman Jen Popinski led off with a drive into the left center field gap.  Nestor ran the ball down, hit Phillips with a good throw, and Phillips then gunned down Popinski at third with a perfect toss to Nunley who blocked the base and got the out.  Rich was able to retire the Titans without a run.

The Lady Tigers were not finished scoring.  Nunley led off the top of the fifth with a base hit to left center field.  After a walk to sophomore DP Sam Goettman, Nunley moved to third on an error that allowed Dassner to reach and load the bases.  Songer hit a long drive to deep center field that center fielder Valery Valeriano ran down with a  one-handed catch that allowed Nunley to score on the sacrifice fly.  After five and one half innings, NA held a 5-0 advantage.

In the top of the sixth, the Lady Tigers added on another pair of runs.  After Lenart walked and was sacrificed to second by Phillips, Nunley singled to left field.  Goettman followed with a line drive into the right center field gap for a triple that scored both runners.  NA picked up an unearned run in the seventh.  After Howard reached on an error with one out, Lenart hit her second triple of the game, this time to left field, scoring Howard to make it an 8-0 lead going into the bottom of the seventh.

Shaler was finally able to break through and score a run in their final time at bat.  Lynch led off with a triple and scored on a ground out.  Rich got the final two batters on ground balls to end the contest as the Lady Tigers earned an 8-1 victory.  The win was the fifteenth against only two losses for Rich.  For her efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Nicole Lenart as the Player of the Game.

With the victory, the Lady Tigers advanced to the WPIAL championship game for the third straight year.  The Lady Tigers improved their record to 17-3.  NA will meet Mt. Lebanon at California University of Pennsylvania tomorrow.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 11:45 am.  Game time is scheduled for 12 noon. 

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 8  SHALER AREA - 1

WP - Becca Rich (15-2)     LP - Angela Mastrean

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CANON MAC FALLS TO LADY TIGERS, 5-0

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A five-run third inning did in Canon-McMillan as the Lady Tigers defeated the Big Macs, 5-0, in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL tournament on Tuesday afternoon at Fairhaven Park in Kennedy Township.  An error opened the door allowing NA to score five unearned runs.  The big hit was a two-run homer by junior third baseman Dori Nunley as junior pitcher Becca Rich allowed only four hits in earning her 14th victory of the season.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips had two hits for the winning Tigers.

Canon McMillan threatened in the top of the first when first baseman Lauretta Wallace bounced a single off Nunley's glove and was sacrificed to second with two outs.  Rich was able to get cleanup hitter Jessica Schreffler to ground out to senior 2B Amanda Howard to retire the side.  NA countered in the bottom of the second when Phillips led off with a single to right center.  After Nunley sacrificed her to second, Canon Mac pitcher Becca Petros recorded two strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.

 In the bottom of the third inning, NA scored all five runs.  With one out, senior right fielder Sarah Piranian dropped down a bunt single.  After junior center fielder Maddie Nestor sacrificed her to second, Howard beat out an infield single to put runners on first and third.  After Howard stole second, Lenart hit a ground ball to second that was booted allowing both runners to score.  Phillips followed with a single up the middle scoring Lenart to make it a 3-0 NA lead.  Nunley then hit a drive over the center field fence for her third home run of the season as the Lady Tigers took a 5-0 lead after three innings.

The Big Macs threatened in the top of the fourth when Schreffler doubled to right center field with one out.  Rich was able to retire the next two batters on ground outs to keep Canon Mac off the board.  In the top of the fifth, freshman left fielder Sam Melone doubled to center field with one out.  Once again, Rich was able to get out of the inning with a ground out and a strike out.  In the bottom of the fifth, Lenart slammed a long double to left center field, but the Lady Tigers could not get her home.

Rich allowed a walk in the sixth and a two out single in the seventh on the way to her 14th win against two losses.  Rich struck out twelve in earning the victory.  For her home run blast that put NA safely ahead, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Dori Nunley as the Player of the Game.  The Lady Tigers improved their overall record to 16-3 and advanced to the semifinals where they will play section rival Shaler.  The Titans defeated NA twice during the regular season.  The game will be played on Tuesday, June 1, at a site and time to be determined.  The North Allegheny Sorts Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet.  Stay tuned!

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5  CANON McMILLAN - 0

WP - Becca Rich (14-2)     LP - Becky Petros 

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EIGHT-RUN THIRD INNINGS DEFEATS MONTOUR FOR LADY TIGERS

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Coach Rick Meister's Lady Tigers exploded for eight runs in the third inning on their way to a 9-0 victory over Montour in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs at the Senior High field on Thursday afternoon.  Junior catcher Nicole Lenart lined a three-run double and junior third baseman Dori Nunley slammed a two-run homer to pace NA.  Junior right hander Becca Rich allowed only three hits as she improved her record to 13-2.

Neither team was able to score in the first two innings with Montour shortstop Holly Smith picking up the only base hit.  After Rich set down the Spartans in order in the top of the third, the Lady Tigers went to work.  After going without a hit against senior Brenna Reed in the first two innings, NA punched out eight hits in the bottom of the third.  After junior 1B Aimee Dassner worked a walk, Rich hit a single to center field.  With one out and sophomore Ali Morse running for Rich, junior center fielder Maddie Nestor beat out an infield single to load the bases.  Senior 2B Amanda Howard followed with a line single to left scoring Dassner with the game's first run.  Lenart then hit a long drive over center fielder Allison Babish's head to score three runs and push the NA lead to 4-0.  With two outs, Nunley hit a long drive over the left center field fence for her second home run of the year to extend the margin to 6-0.  After junior LF Rachel Songer singled to left, Dassner and Rich followed with base hits to load the bases.  Senior right fielder Sarah Piranian dropped a single into right field to score two more runs.  After three innings, the Lady Tigers had a commanding 8-0 lead.  

Rich continued in control, allowing single hits and no runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.  In the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Tigers had the bases loaded but did not score.  NA added an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth.  After reaching on an error, Howard went to second on a ground out.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips lined a single to center field scoring Howard with the ninth Tiger run.  After six innings, NA led by a 9-0 count.  For her efforts on the mound and at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Becca Rich as the Player of the Game.  It was a team effort for the Lady Tigers as each of the starting players had a base hit as NA piled up nine hits.

Rich struck out two, including the final batter, to retire Montour and earn the victory.  With the win, the Lady Tigers move on to the quarterfinals where they will meet Canon-McMillan, a 1-0 winner over West Allegheny on Thursday.  The Tigers and Canon-Mac will play on Tuesday at Fairhaven Park at 2:00 pm.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 1:45 pm.    

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  MONTOUR - 0

WP - Becca Rich (13-2)     LP - Brenna Reed

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PLAYOFFS AWAIT VICTORIOUS LADY TIGERS

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The Lady Tigers knocked off Plum, 6-2, at the Senior High field on Thursday afternoon to complete their regular season with a 14-3 record and the section championship.  Junior third baseman Dori Nunley slammed two doubles and a single, driving in three runs, while junior right fielder Nicole Lenart had a double and a single good for two RBIs.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips had a pair of hits and RBIs for the winning Tigers.

Neither team scored in the first two innings, although NA threatened in the bottom of the second.  After sophomore left hander Aimee Dassner retired Plum in order in both the first and second innings, Nunley grounded a single to left field with one out.  After another out, senior 1B Crystal Ptacek lined a single over second base to put runners on first and second with two outs.  Senior pitcher Sheila Bigenho was able to get senior catcher Sara Piranian on a fly ball to right field to end the inning.

In the top of the third, first baseman Ali Carr singled off the pitching hand of Dassner.  After throwing several warm-up pitchers, Dassner continued pitching and struck DP Erin McGrath.  After a walk, Dassner retired the side on a ground out and another strikeout.  In the bottom of the third, the Lady Tigers took the lead.  After a walk to junior CF Maddie Nestor, senior second baseman Amanda Howard sacrificed her to second.  After Nestor advanced to third on a ground out, Phillips brought her home with a single to left field.  NA held a 1-0 advantage after three innings.

Neither team scored in the fourth inning as the Lady Tigers wasted a leadoff double by Nunley.  In the bottom of the fifth, NA increased the lead.  With one out, Howard and Lenart both singled to left field.  Phillips followed with a single up the middle to score Howard and make it 2-0.  Both runners advanced on the throw to the plate.  With two outs, Nunley came through with a long double into the left center field gap to score both runners and give NA a 4-0 lead after five innings.

Plum was able to get one run back in the top of the sixth.  Left fielder Shannon Bradburn led off with a bunt single.  After Dassner got the next two outs, Bigenho hit a long double to center field to score Bradburn with the first Plum run.  In the bottom of the sixth, the Tigers answered.  Junior pinch-hitter Steph Hillenbrand led off with a line drive single to center field.  After Piranian walked, Nestor lined out to short.  Lenart then hit a long drive to deep center field for a double that scored both runners as NA took a 6-1 lead into the seventh inning.

Shortstop Brittany Bradburn led off with a double to left center field.  The Lady Tigers then committed two uncharacteristic errors that allowed Plum to pick up an unearned run.  Dassner finished by getting a strike out and a foul pop up to Piranian to end the game.

The Lady Tigers improved the overall mark to 14-3 as the regular season ended.  For her hitting prowess, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Dori Nunley as the Player of the Game.  NA will be back in action again next week as the WPIAL Playoffs begin.  We will post the pairings as soon as they are released.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6   PLUM - 2

WP - Aimee Dassner (2-1)     LP - Sheila Bigenho

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LADY TIGERS TOP LATROBE, 3-1, IN NON-SECTION CLASH

Box Score

Coach Rick Meister's Lady Tigers traveled to Latrobe on Wednesday afternoon to meet the third-ranked Wildcats and came home with a 3-1 victory.  Junior Becca Rich scattered seven hits to earn her 12th victory of the season.  Junior Nicole Lenart had a triple and a single good for an RBI to pace NA.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips singled home a run for the winning Tigers.

Pitcher Ashley Frederick set the Lady Tigers down in order over the first three innings.  With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Wildcat first baseman Stefanie Brown drove a triple to deep center field.  Rich was able to get a strike out and a ground out to second base to stop the scoring threat.  In the bottom of the third with one out, third baseman Jenna Pennisi reached on an infield single.  After a sacrifice moved Pennisi to second, Rich ended the inning on a ground out to third base. 

The Lady Tigers were able to take the lead in the top of the 4th.  With one out, senior 2B Amanda Howard drove a 1-1 pitch up the middle for a single.  Lenart followed with a long drive over the center fielder's head for a triple, scoring Howard with the game's first run.  Junior LF Rachel Songer grounded slowly to first base with Lenart scoring to make it 2-0 after three and one half innings.

In the bottom of the fourth, center fielder Megan McHenry singled sharply past third base for a lead-off single.  Rich got the next two batters to ground to short on the first pitch and retired the side on a popup.  NA did not threaten in the fifth or sixth innings and maintained a 2-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the fifth, catcher Natalie Ferrari led off with a single to right center field and was sacrificed to second.  Pennisi followed with a single to right field with Ferrari moving to third and Pennisi to second on the throw to the plate.  Rich again was tough in the clutch getting one out on a comebacker to the mound and retiring the side on a pop fly to junior Dori Nunley at third base.

Latrobe broke through in the bottom of the sixth to score a run.  After McHenry singled to left to lead off, she was sacrificed to second.  After McHenry stole third base, first baseman Stefanie Brown grounded slowly toward first.  Brown went out of the baseline to avoid the tag by sophomore 1B Aimee Dassner, but McHenry was allowed to score on the play.  After six innings, the Lady Tigers held a slim 2-1 advantage.

In the top of the seventh, Nunley hit the first pitch to center field for a double.  Dassner hit a pop fly into short right field that went off the glove of 2B Allie Hickman.  Hickman recovered in time to throw out Nunley attempting to advance to third with Dassner reaching second on the play.  After Dassner moved to third on a wild pitch, Phillips singled to right field to score Dassner with an important insurance run.  After six and one half innings, NA held a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Ferrari reached when her comebacker went under Rich's glove into center field.  Right fielder Sadie DiMuzio followed with a single to right field.  Pannesi then sacrificed both runners up a base, and Latrobe had the tying runs in scoring position with one out.  Rich came back to get a pop up to second and a strikeout  to end the game as NA was rewarded with a hard-fought 3-1 victory.

The win improved the overall NA record to 13-3 as they get ready for the WPIAL playoffs next week.  The Lady Tigers will host Plum this afternoon in a final non-section tuneup for the playoffs.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.  As soon as the playoff pairings are announced, we will post them on the website.

(Special thanks to Rob Huysman for information in this report!)

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY -  3  LATROBE - 1

WP - Becca Rich (12-2)     LP - Ashley Frederick

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LADY TIGERS BLANK NORTH HILLS, 3-0, TO CLAIM SECTION TITLE

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior right hander Becca Rich tossed a three-hitter as the Lady Tigers shut out North Hills, 3-0, to win the Section 5 title at the Senior High field on Monday afternoon.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips hit a key double, and junior catcher Nicole Lenart drove in a pair of runs as NA broke open a scoreless tie with three runs in the fifth inning.

Neither team was able to score in the first four innings as Rich and North Hills pitcher Becca Nachreiner kept the opposing bats under control.  In the top of the second, Nachreiner led off with a single to left field and went to second on a ground out.  Rich was able to get a strike out and a pop fly in the infield to get out of the inning.  The Lady Tigers had only two base runners.  In the second, sophomore first baseman Aimee Dassner singled to left field, and in the fourth, junior 3B Dori Nunley drew the first of two walks on the game.  Neither runner advanced past first base.

In the top of the fifth, catcher Angie Heintz singled with two outs.  Lenart ended the threat by picking the pinch runner off first.  In the bottom of the fifth, Phillips jumped on the first pitch and drove it to deep left field for a double.  Rich grounded back to Nachreiner who tried to get pinch runner Heide Ptacek off second.  The throw to second was in the dirt, and NA had runners on first and second with no outs.  Senior second baseman Amanda Howard dropped down a bunt along third.  The throw to first skipped off the glove of second baseman Maura Wahl and went down the right field line.  Ptacek scored the first run of the game on the play with Rich and Howard moving to third and second.  With two outs, Lenart lined a soft single into center field scoring Rich and Howard, who made a head first slide into the plate to avoid the tag by Heintz.  At the end of five innings, the Lady Tigers held a 3-0 advantage.

Rich retired the last six in order, two on strike outs, as she earned her eleventh win of the season against only two losses.  For her key hit and good defensive play, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Amy Phillips as the Player of the Game.  With the win, the Tigers wrapped up the section crown for the third consecutive year.  NA finished with an 8-2 section record and improved their overall mark to 12-3.   NA will play at Latrobe today and host Plum on Thursday in non-section games as they get ready for the playoffs.  Thursday's game with Plum will be broadcast LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  NORTH HILLS - 0

WP - Becca Rich (11-2)     LP - Becca Nachreiner

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LADY TIGERS HAMMER HAMPTON, 8-0 BEHIND RICH'S THREE-HITTER

Box Score

Junior right hander Becca Rich limited Hampton to three hits and struck out ten as the Lady Tigers defeated the Talbots, 8-0, at Hampton on Wednesday afternoon.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips had two doubles and a single good for three RBIs to lead an 11-hit NA attack.  Sophomore 1B Aimee Dassner had a double and a single, two RBIs and two runs scored while senior second baseman Amanda Howard added a two-run double.

After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Tigers put two runs on the board in the top of the second.  After junior 3B Dori Nunley walked, Dassner lined a single to left field.  With two outs, Rich singled to left to load the bases.  Howard followed with a double to center field scoring two runs to give NA a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, the Lady Tigers added another pair of runs.  After Nunley singled sharply to left field, Dassner sacrificed her to second.  Phillips hit a double to center field to score Nunley with the third NA run.  After Rich walked and senior Megan Mather went in as the courtesy runner, Howard reached first on a Hampton error.  Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor then singled up the middle to score Phillips.  NA took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth.

The Lady Tigers threatened again in the top of the sixth when Phillips drove a long double to left center field.  The NA batters were unable to score Phillips and the score remained 4-0 going into the top of the seventh inning.  Senior RF Sarah Piranian worked a walk to start the top of the seventh.  After junior catcher Nicole Lenart sacrificed Piranian to second, senior pinch-hitter Crystal Ptacek came through with a single between third and short.  Nunley then drew a walk to load the bases, her fourth time on base in five at bats.  Dassner followed with a single through the middle driving in two runs and increasing the NA margin to 6-0.  With runners on second and third, Phillips singled through the middle to drive another two runs as the Lady Tigers opened a commanding 8-0 advantage.  With two outs, junior Steph Hillenbrand pinch hit for Howard and singled.  Hampton pitcher Renata Fedell finally got the third out on a ground out, but NA took an 8-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh.

Rich set down the side in order to earn her tenth victory of the season against just two losses.  Rich kept Hampton under control throughout the game and did not allow the Talbots any scoring opportunities.  The win improved the NA record to 7-2 in section play, a game ahead of Shaler.  The win also guaranteed the Lady Tigers a playoff spot and at least a share of the section title.  

(Special thanks to Rob Huysman for the information in this report!)

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 8  HAMPTON - 0

WP - Becca Rich (10-2)  LP - Renata Fedell

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LADY TIGERS EDGE HEMPFIELD, 2-1

Box Score

Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor had two hits and sophomore left hander Aimee Dassner held Hempfield to just one run as the Lady Tigers earned a tough 2-1 victory over the Spartans.  Senior 1B Crystal Ptacek drove in junior third baseman Dori Nunley with the first NA run in the second inning.  An unearned run in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the difference in the one-run decision.

Hempfield threatened to take the lead in the top of the first inning.  DH Miriam Guzik reached first on a bunt single to lead off.  After one out, 1B Erin Truxel singled to left field moving Guzik to second.  Tanya Connors pinch hit for lf Katie Sheakley and lined a single to right field.  Junior right fielder Nicole Lenart threw a strike to senior catcher Sara Piranian and Guzik was caught in a rundown for the second out.  Dassner was able to get the final out on a line drive to senior 2B Amanda Howard.

In the bottom of the first, Nestor singled and moved to second on a ground out.  With two outs, junior left fielder Rachel Songer singled with Nestor moving to third.  Nestor was picked off third base for the third out, and the inning ended with a lot of action but no runs scored.

The Lady Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the second to take the lead.  Nunley led off with a drive to deep center field good for a double.  After Dassner sacrificed Nunley to third, shortstop Amy Phillips grounded back to the pitcher for the second out.  Ptacek followed with a base hit to score Nunley and give NA a 1-0 lead after two innings.

Neither team threatened until the top of the fifth.  With one out, Guzik bunted and an errant throw by NA put Guzik on third base.  Dassner got out of the inning with a strike out and a ground out, and the Lady Tigers continued to lead, 1-0.  In the bottom of the fifth, Lenart grounded a single into left field to lead off.  A wild pitch moved Lenart to second.  Songer followed with a ground ball to Truxal at first.  Her throw to 2B Rachel Weber was in time to get Songer at first, but Weber then threw to third to try to get Lenart.  The throw was wide and went into the Hempfield dugout allowing Lenart to score the second run of the game as NA took a 2-0 lead.

Hempfield threatened again in the top of the sixth.  After Sheakley led off with a single, she moved to second on a ground out.  With two outs, pitcher Lauren Shaeen singled to deep left.  Songer's throw to the plate nailed Sheakley as she attempted to score, and NA continued to hold the 2-0 advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Tigers loaded the bases but did not score.  In the top of the seventh, Dassner got the first two batters on a pop up and a ground out.  Guzik bunted safely for the third time in the game.  Catcher Marissa Sekora doubled to scored Guzik and cut the NA lead to 2-1.  Dassner then struck out Truxal to end the game as the Lady Tigers earned a 2-1 victory.

The win improved the NA overall record to 10-3 on the season.  It was a good win over a quality opponent.  The Lady Tigers will travel to Hampton this afternoon to meet the Talbots in an important section contest.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2  HEMPFIELD - 1

WP - Aimee Dassner (1-1)  LP - Lauren Shaheen

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LADY TIGERS SHUT OUT BUTLER, 8-0, TO INCREASE LEAD IN SECTION 5

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior right hander Becca Rich allowed only four hits as the Lady Tigers shut out Butler, 8-0, at the Senior High field on Monday afternoon.  Junior CF Maddie Nestor had a triple and a single, junior left fielder Rachel Songer a double and a single, and junior catcher Nicole Lenart a pair of singles to lead a 12-hit NA attack.  Junior 3B Dori Nunley smacked a two-run double to help lead NA to the victory.

In the bottom of the first, the Lady Tigers loaded the bases with two outs on singles by Lenart and Songer and a walk to Nunley.  Junior first baseman Aimee Dassner followed with a hard ground ball into the hole between short and third.  Butler SS Ali Schnur made a diving stop and threw out Songer at third to end the rally.

The Lady Tigers took the lead with a run in the bottom of the second.  Again after two were out, senior second baseman Amanda Howard reached on a bunt single and stole second.  Nestor blasted a long drive to deep left for a triple scoring Howard with the game's first run as NA led 1-0 after two innings.

Rich kept Butler under control allowing only one single in the first three innings.   In the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Tigers broke the game open with four runs.  Lenart led off with a single to left, and Songer followed with a double to the fence in left.  Nunley came through with a long drive to the center field fence scoring both runners and giving NA a 3-0 advantage.  Dassner followed with a single to center field to score Nunley as the Lady Tigers took a 5-0 lead after three innings.

The Lady Tigers added another run in the bottom of the fourth thanks to some shoddy fielding by Butler.  After Lenart reached on an error, Songer grounded into a force play but went to second when the throw to first went into the NA dugout.  Songer went to third on a wild pitch, and Nunley drew a walk.  When Nunley was trapped in a rundown on an attempted steal, Songer raced home to make it 6-0 after four innings.

Butler threatened in the top of the fifth inning. Second baseman Amy Ferrari and 1B Nikki Cranmer led off the inning with base hits.  Rich responded by getting a popup to the pitcher, a strike out, and a ground out to end the threat.  NA closed out the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.  With one out, Songer walked and junior Katie Sullivan was sent in as a pinch runner.  After two were out, senior Crystal Ptacek singled to right field.  When the throw to the infield got away, both runners moved up.  Sullivan then scored on a wild pitch with Ptacek moving to third.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips lined a single to center field to score Ptacek with the eighth NA run.  Rich retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, and the Lady Tigers came away with an 8-0 victory.  Rich struck out eight and walked none in picking up her 9th victory of the season against just two losses.

The win improved the NA section record to 6-2.  With Shaler losing to Seneca Valley, the Lady Tigers opened a game and a half lead over the Titans.  For her efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Rachel Songer as the Player of the Game.  NA will host Hempfield today in a non-section game at the Senior High field.  Game time is set for 4:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 8  BUTLER - 0

WP - Becca Rich (9-2)  LP - Megan Marra

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SHALER EDGES LADY TIGERS, 3-2

Box Score

The Shaler Area Titans scored a pair of runs in the first inning, added one more in the fourth, and held on for a 3-2 victory over NA at Hilltop Field in Shaler on Thursday afternoon.  Junior third baseman Dori Nunley hit a two-run homer in the top of the seventh, but the Lady Tigers came up a run short.  

After the Lady Tigers did not score in the top of the first, Shaler put two on the board in the bottom half of the inning.  DH Lia Sorce led off with a single to left field.  Niki DeRenzo followed with a bunt and reached first on a throwing error with Sorce moving to third.  After DeRenzo stole second, 2B Ashley Scanga singled to right field, scoring Sorce and moving DeRenzo to third.  After Scanga stole second, DeRenzo scored on a wild pitch.  NA junior pitcher Becca Rich got the next three batters, but Shaler took a 2-0 lead into the second inning.

In the top of the second, NA mounted a threat.  With one out, junior shortstop Amy Phillips singled.  With two outs, Rich walked, but Shaler pitcher Angela Mastrean got Nunley on a pop out to retire the side.

Shaler added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning.  Kaitlyn Kline singled up the middle and was sacrificed to second.  After Kline moved to third on a ground out, pinch hitter Jen Simile came through with a single up the middle to score Kline and make it 3-0 in favor of Shaler.

The Lady Tigers had a great chance in the top of the sixth inning but did not score.  Senior DH Crystal Ptacek led off with a single down the right field line, and junior CF Maddie Nestor followed with a base hit to put runners on at first and second.  With one out, junior catcher Nicole Lenart lined a hard single to left field to load the bases.  Mastrean again got out of the jam getting junior left fielder Rachel Songer on a pop fly in the infield and Phillips on a ground out.  Shaler continued to lead, 3-0.

In the top of the seventh, Rich walked on four pitches.  With senior Megan Mather running for Rich, Nunley slammed an 0-1 pitch over the left center field fence, scoring Mather to make it a 3-2 game.  Mastrean was able to get the next two batters, however, and Shaler had picked up a hard earned 3-2 victory.

The loss dropped the NA record to 5-2 in section, 8-3 overall.  The Lady Tigers maintain a half-game lead over Shaler and a one-game advantage over Hampton.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action again on Monday when they host Butler at the Senior High field.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
SHALER AREA - 3  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2

WP - Angela Mastrean     LP - Becca Rich

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RICH TOSSES SHUTOUT AT SENECA VALLEY, 1-0

To listen to a replay of the game, click here!

Junior right hander Becca Rich allowed only five hits while shutting out Seneca Valley, 1-0, at the Senior High softball field on Wednesday afternoon.  A double by junior catcher Nicole Lenart drove in junior CF Maddie Nestor with the game's only run in the bottom of the first inning.  Rich struck out four in earning her eighth victory of the season against just one loss.

Seneca Valley threatened in the top of the first when first baseman Julie Marlowe slapped a single to left field and was sacrificed to second.  Rich got a ground out and a strike out to end the inning.  In the bottom of the first, Nestor beat out a bunt single.  After a wild pitch moved Nestor to second, Lenart hit a long drive into the left center field gap, scoring Nestor and giving NA a 1-0 advantage.

Seneca pitcher Lauren Milkey lined a two-out double into left center in the top of the second, but Rich was able to retire the side on an infield pop fly.  Marlowe doubled with one out in the top of the third, but a strike out and a line drive out to senior second baseman Amanda Howard ended the threat.  The Raiders managed only one more hit after the third inning.

Milkey kept the Lady Tigers under control for the remainder of the game, allowing only three hits total.  In the bottom of the fifth, Howard reached on a fielder's choice with two outs and stole second.  Milkey got Nestor to ground to short to end the inning.

It was another good defensive effort by the Lady Tigers as they played errorless ball in support of Rich.  The win moved NA into undisputed possession of first place in Section 5 with a 5-1 record.  Both Shaler and Hampton lost on Wednesday to fall a game and a half behind.  For her efforts on the mound, Becca Rich was selected as the Player of the Game by the North Allegheny Sports Network.  The Lady Tigers will travel to Shaler this afternoon for another important section contest.  The game is scheduled for 4:00 pm at Hilltop Field.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1  SENECA VALLEY - 0

WP - Becca Rich (8-1)   LP - Lauren Milkey

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FOUR-RUN FIFTH INNING DOES IN NORTH HILLS AS LADY TIGERS WIN, 4-1

The Lady Tigers exploded for four runs in the top of the fifth inning to defeat North Hills, 4-1, at Scharmyn Park on Monday afternoon.  Junior pitcher Becca Rich homered to tie the game, and junior left field Rachel Songer slammed a double with the bases loaded to drive in the winning runs.  Rich allowed only three hits in earning her seventh win of the season against only one loss.

Neither team was able to do much in the first three innings, and the game remained scoreless. The Lady Tigers threatened to take the lead in the top of the fourth.  After one out, junior catcher Nicole Lenart lined a double off the left field fence.  After Songer grounded out for the second out, junior SS Amy Phillips drew a walk.  Sophomore first baseman Aimee Dassner hit a drive to left-center field where North Hills' center fielder Audrey Reed cut it off.  Her throw to shortstop Stephanie Spisak was relayed to plate in time to get a sliding Lenart for the third out of the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, North Hills took the lead.  Spisak was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.  DH Becca Nachreiner flew out to junior Maddie Nestor in center field.  Nestor tried to get Spisak off first for a double play, but the throw hit the runner and rolled out of play.  Spisak was awarded second and third base.  Left fielder Jackie Neugebauer followed with a single to left field scoring Spisak and giving NH a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Tigers came back in the top of the fifth inning to take the lead.  With one out, Rich hit her first home run of the season over the left center field fence to tie the game at 1-1.  With two outs, Nestor singled to left and stole second base.  Senior right fielder Sarah Piranian reached on an error, and Lenart was walked on four straight pitches.  Songer made North Hills pay with a drive to left field for a double that scored Nestor and Piranian.  Phillips followed with a single up the middle to drive in Songer and give NA a 4-1 advantage after four and one-half innings.  Once again, Rich made the lead hold up, retiring 9 of the last 11 batters.  

The win improved the NA section record to 4-1, giving them a temporary one-half game lead over Shaler and Hampton for the top spot.  The overall Lady Tiger record improved to 7-2.  NA will host Hempfield this afternoon in a non-section game at the Senior High field.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4  NORTH HILLS - 1

WP - Becca Rich (7-1)   LP - Lauren Weichel

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WPIAL CLASS AAA
FINAL SECTION 5 STANDINGS

* - Playoff teams

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
CLASS AAA RANKINGS
as of 5/13/04

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
CLASS AAA RANKINGS
as of 5/16/04

NSN SPORTS CLASS AAA RANKINGS
as of 5/16/04

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WPIAL SOFTBALL - 2004

The Lady Tigers will compete again in Class AAA, along with 41 other teams.  All section winners and runners-up will participate in WPIAL Championship play at the completion of the regular season.  Ties in section records for first place will not be broken and those tied for first place in section record will be declared co-champions and those teams will constitute the section qualifiers.  Head to head competition will determine playoff status for first place ties.  Ties for second place will be broken in the same manner unless that also results in a tie.  If a tie for second place persists after head to head competition is applied, both teams will enter the playoffs.  Multiple ties will be broken in the following manner:

a.  Section won-lost records of all the tied teams will be compiled.
b.  the team with the best numerical section record among the tied teams will enter post-season play.
c.  If the tie cannot be clearly broken, all will enter post-season play.

The top five AAA teams (the four semi-finalists plus the loser to the eventual winner) will represent the WPIAL at the PIAA Championships.

Postponed games must be made up in order of postponement and scheduled on the first common date available.  Make up WPIAL section games must have preference over exhibition games, JV, and junior high games.  All games postponed during the first half of the season must be rescheduled and played prior to the beginning of the second half (April 23rd).

During all WPIAL competition, any game that is interrupted by bad weather prior to becoming a legal game will be resumed at that point and concluded on the next available playing date.

The Ten Run/Fifteen Run Rule will be in effect for all WPIAL softball games.  It reads:

If a team is ahead by ten runs or more at the end of five innings the game shall be terminated.  This also means if the home team is ahead by ten runs after four and one-half innings, the game will be terminated.  Thereafter, if one team should go ahead by ten runs, the same rule must apply.  If the visiting team should go ahead by ten runs after the game has become official, the home team will be permitted to bat in their half of the inning.  The same procedure applies at the end of three innings if a team is ahead by fifteen runs or more.

CLASS AAA - 42 TEAMS

Any questions or comments should be directed to Athletic Director Bob Bozzuto at:  bbozzuto@northallegheny.org