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NORTH ALLEGHENY VARSITY SOFTBALL

*GAME SUMMARIES*

LADY TIGERS TAKE TWO IN OHIO

Box Scores

It took extra innings in both games, but the Lady Tigers came from Ohio with a pair of victories on Saturday.  In the first game, NA edged Poland Seminary, 5-4, in ten innings.  In the second game, the Lady Tigers erupted for seven runs in the top of the eighth inning to break open a scoreless tie.  Junior right hander Becca Rich earned the victories in both games.  Junior catcher Nicole Lenart hit her second home run of the season to help win the second game. 

In the first game against Poland, the Lady Tigers took an early lead.  After junior pitcher Aimee Dassner singled to left, she moved to second and third on wild pitches.  Dassner scored when junior center fielder Maddie Nestor's ground ball was bobbled by the Poland shortstop.  After Poland tied the score with an unearned run in the bottom of the third, NA came back to take the lead in the top of the fourth.  Junior pinch-hitter Stephanie Hillenbrand led off by being hit by a pitch.  Nestor doubled to left center to score Hillenbrand with the lead run.  The Lady Tigers picked up two more unearned runs to take a 4-1 lead.

Poland scored three times in the seventh inning to tie the score at 4-4.  A walk, successful bunt and a single loaded the bases.  After a walk forced in a run, Steffi Graf doubled to left center driving in two runs to tie the score.  After the next batter reached on a successful fielder's choice, Rich replaced Dassner on the mound.  The Tiger junior was able to get the next three batters without giving up a run and the game went into extra innings.

After the score remained tied through the ninth inning, the Ohio extra inning rule was applied in the top of the 10th.  Each team starts with a runner on second base with no outs.  For Poland, Britt Davis sacrificed runner Ashley Conger to third base, but Rich got the next two batters.  In the bottom of the inning, junior 3B Dori Nunley was sent in as the runner.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips tried to bunt Nunley to third, but the throw to third was in time for the out with Phillips taking first.  Rich then singled to left with Phillips reaching third on the throw from the outfield.  Heidi Ptacek smacked a hard single up the middle to score Phillips with winning run as the Lady Tigers prevailed, 5-4.

The second game against Howland developed into a classic pitchers' duel with neither team able to score in the first seven innings.  In the top of the eighth, NA broke the game open with seven runs.  Phillips led off with a double to left field.  After a ground out, pinch hitter Nicole Chavlovich reached on an error and senior 2B Amanda Howard walked to load the bases.  Nestor gave NA a 1-0 lead with a base hit to right field, and senior DH Sarah Piranian doubled to drive in both Chavlovich and Howard to increase the margin to 3-0.  Lenart then hit a three-run homer over the left center field fence to give the Lady Tigers a commanding 6-0 advantage.  An unearned run pushed the lead to 7-0 with Howland coming to bat in the bottom of the eighth.  Rich was able to retire the side one-two-three on two strikeouts and a ground out, and the Tigers had a sweep of the two games in Ohio.

NA begins a busy week of action on Monday when they travel to North Hills for section contest.  On Tuesday, it will be a non-section game against Hempfield at the new Senior High field while Seneca Valley will visit NA for a section contest.  On Thursday, it's off to Shaler for another tough section game.  Game time for all four games is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the Hempfield and Seneca Valley games.  Be sure to join Don Vandergrift, along with Jordan Dee and Bob Caldwell, for all the action, live or archived.

GAME SUMMARIES
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5  POLAND SEMINARY (O.) - 4

WP - Becca Rich (5-1)  LP - Susany

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  HOWLAND - 0

WP - Becca Rich (6-1)  LP - Filippo

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LENART'S HOME RUN BEATS HAMPTON, 1-0

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

Junior catcher Nicole Lenart hit the first home run at the new softball field and it was a game winner as the Lady Tigers edged Hampton, 1-0, on Wednesday afternoon.  Junior right hander Becca Rich allowed only five hits and struck out five on her way to her fourth victory of the season.  

Hampton threatened in each of the first two innings but did not score.  In the top of the first with one out, pitcher Renata Fedell reached first on an error, the only NA miscue of the game.  Shortstop Jess Wolfson singled to short left.  With runners at first and second, catcher Hannah Schulz grounded to junior third baseman Dori Nunley, who stepped on third and threw to first for an inning ending double play.

In the top of the second, the Talbots loaded the bases with one out.  Singles by DP Kelsey King, first baseman Liz Schulz, and third baseman Del Koglin provided Hampton with their only real scoring chance of the game.  Rich was able to get LF Kristen Hoover on a pop foul to junior first baseman Aimee Dassner for the second out and RF Ashley Simakas on a ground out to Dassner to retire the side.  Rich would go on to retire twelve of the next thirteen batters.

Offensively, the Lady Tigers had two chances to score in the first three innings.  Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor led off the bottom of the first with a bunt single.  Senior RF Sarah Piranian sacrificed Nestor to second but NA was unable to bring her home.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips led off the bottom of the third with a line drive single to center field.  Senior 2B Amanda Howard followed with a sacrifice.  Again, Fedell was able to get the next two batters with the Lady Tigers scoring.

In the bottom of the fourth, Lenart led off with a blast over the right center field fence to give NA a 1-0 advantage.  It was all that Rich would need.  Hampton had one runner on in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but could not score.  NA had a chance for an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when junior left fielder Rachel Songer and Nunley singled with two outs.  Fedell got a ground ball force out to end the inning.

The win pushed the Lady Tigers into a first place tie with Hampton and Shaler, all with 3-1 section records.  The overall NA mark improved to 4-2.  For her efforts, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Nicole Lenart as the Player of the Game.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action again over the weekend when they travel to Ohio for three games against Poland and Howland High Schools.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1  HAMPTON - 0

WP - Becca Rich (4-1)  LP - Renata Fedell

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TIGER TRIPLES BEAT BUTLER, 6-4

Box Score

Three triples by the Lady Tigers at Butler on Monday afternoon proved to be the difference as NA defeated Butler, 6-4, in a Section 5 contest.  Junior shortstop Amy Phillips, junior catcher Nicole Lenart, and junior 3B Dori Nunley all blasted three-base hits to pace an eleven-hit NA attack.  Junior pitcher Becca Rich went the distance to earn the victory.

After a scoreless first inning, the Lady Tigers took the lead in the top of the second.  Rich led off with a base hit and Lindsay Cassidy took over at first as a courtesy runner.  Cassidy went to second on a passed ball and to third on a wild pitch where she scored on a sacrifice fly by Nunley.  NA increased the lead to 2-0 in the top of the third.  Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor led off with a double.  After senior right fielder Amanda Howard sacrificed her to third, Lenart came through with a long single to score Nestor.  Butler came back with two unearned runs in the bottom of the third to tie the score at 2-2.

The Lady Tigers took the lead for good in the top of the sixth.  Nunley led off with a single to right center, and Phillips followed with a triple to deep right center to score Nunley with the lead run.  After senior Megan Mather went in as a pinch runner, senior 2B Crystal Ptacek's hit to right center field was misplayed by Dana Gillis allowing Mather to score to make it a 4-2 game.

NA picked up a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh.  Lenart led off with a long triple to right center field.  Junior left fielder Rachel Songer then singled into right center to score Lenart.  Nunley followed with the third NA triple of the game to score Lenart as the Lady Tigers took a 6-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Butler rallied in the bottom of the seventh to make it close.  Pitcher Megan Marra singled and was sacrificed to second to center fielder Gillis.  Third baseman Kara Deal singled, moving Marra to third.  With two outs, catcher Heather Spangler tripled to deep left field scoring both runners.  Rich was able to first baseman Sara Hamil to ground out to third to end the game with NA picking up a 6-4 victory.

The win improved the NA section record to 2-1, 3-2 overall. The Lady Tigers will return home this afternoon when they host the Hampton Talbots.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  BUTLER - 4

WP - Becca Rich (3-1)   LP - Megan Marra

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SHALER HOLDS ON TO EDGE LADY TIGERS, 6-5

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

For the second consecutive day, the Lady Tigers mounted a late rally, but this time it came up a little short.  Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth inning, NA scored four runs and added another in the bottom of the seventh, but Shaler was able to hold on for a 6-5 victory at the Senior High softball field on Friday afternoon.  Junior center fielder Maddie Nestor had three hits while junior right fielder Nicole Lenart had a double and as single good for four RBIs.  The loss dropped the NA section record to 1-1, the overall mark to 2-2.

Shaler started quickly with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning against junior lefthander Aimee Dassner.  With one out, senior CF Nataly Valeriano singled to left center field.  After junior 2B Ashley Scanga walked, junior 3B Jen Popinski hit into a force play.  With two outs, junior lf Kaitlyn Kline hit a double into the left center field gap, scoring both runs as Shaler took a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the first.

The Lady Tigers threatened in the bottom half of the inning.  Nestor led off with a bunt single and stole second.  With two outs, junior third baseman Dori Nunley drew a walk, but junior pitch Angela Mastrean got junior lf Rachel Songer on a comebacker to the mound.  Shaler held a 2-0 lead after one inning.

Neither team was able to score until the fifth inning, although Shaler threatened in the top of the third.  Scanga and Popinsky singled with two out, but Dassner struck out Kline to end the inning.  Mastrean was able to retire twelve NA batters in a row before the Lady Tigers could do any damage in the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth, junior Becca Rich took over on the mound.  Rich was greeted with consecutive singles by Sorce, Valeriano, and Scanga.  Popinski hit into a force play with Sorce retired at the plate on a good play by senior catcher Sarah Piranian.  Kline then singled to right field to make it a 3-0 game, and right field Niki DeRenzo also dropped a single into short right to increase the lead to 4-0.  Rich got junior catcher Brittany Morgan on a popup to third base for the second out.  A wild pitch and passed ball scored two more runs as Shaler took a 6-0 advantage into the bottom of the sixth.

After two were out, the Lady Tigers' bats suddenly came alive.  Piranian started it with a hard single up the middle into center field.  Dassner followed with a single to left, and Nestor lined a shot of Mastrean's glove to load the bases.  Senior 2B Amanda Howard drew a walk to drive in the first NA run.  Lenart then hit a long drive to center field for a double that cleared the bases and brought NA to within a pair of runs at 6-4.  Mastrean got the final out on a ground out, but the Lady Tigers were back in the game.

Rich got the side in order in both the 6th and 7th innings but it took two good defensive plays by Nestor.  In the top of the sixth, Nestor ran almost to the edge of the infield grass to take a hit away from Scanga.  In the top of the seventh, Nestor made an incredible one-handed catch in deep right center field to rob Popinski of an extra base hit.

In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Nestor hit a drive into the left center field alley for a double.  After two were out, Lenart hit a line drive single to left field to drive in Nestor and cut the lead to 6-5.  Mastrean was able to get Nunley on a fly ball to right field to end the game with Shaler picking up a hard-fought 6-5 victory.

The Lady Tigers gave a good effort in coming back but fell short.  For her efforts at the plate and in the field, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Maddie Nestor as the Player of the Game.  The Lady Tigers will be back in action again on Monday when they travel to Butler to meet the Golden Tornado in a 4:00 pm section contest.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
SHALER - 6  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5

WP - Angela Mastrean   LP - Aimee Dassner

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LADY TIGERS RALLY TO EDGE SENECA VALLEY, 7-6

Box Score

After trailing Seneca Valley, 6-1, going into the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Tigers rallied to tie the game and send it into extra innings.  In the top of the ninth, junior pitcher Becca Rich slammed a double to drive in the winning run as NA defeated Seneca, 7-6.  Rich had three hits good for three RBIs, in addition to picking up the win.  The victory at Seneca was the section opener for NA.  

Seneca built the 6-1 lead with a single run in the first, three more in the third, and two in the fourth.  Rich got the Lady Tigers on the board with a double, scoring junior third baseman Dori Nunley.  Rich was in the middle of a four-run sixth inning by the Lady Tigers.  Rich drove in a run and junior LF Rachel Songer  had a double as NA cut the lead to 6-5.  In the top of the seventh, the Lady Tigers picked up the tying run forcing extra innings.

The Lady Tigers will return home this afternoon when they host the Shaler Titans at the new softball field at the Senior High school.  Game time is set for 4:00 pm.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will broadcast the game LIVE on the internet, beginning with the pre-game show at 3:45 pm.  Be sure to join Don Vandergrift and Jordan Dee for all the action, live or archived.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  SENECA VALLEY - 6

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MONTOUR NIPS LADY TIGERS, 1-0, IN 13 INNINGS

The Lady Tigers dropped a tough 1-0 decision at Montour on Tuesday afternoon when the Spartans scored in the bottom of the thirteenth inning.  Junior Maddie Nestor, junior Rachel Songer, and sophomore Aimee Dassner each had two hits but NA was unable to score.  Songer slammed a double for the Lady Tigers.

Dassner pitched the first four innings for the Lady Tigers with junior Becca Rich coming in to pitch the remainder of the game.  Dassner allowed five hits, striking out five.  Rich struck out 11 and walked only one, but was tagged with the loss.  Julie Koman pitched the entire thirteen innings, striking out eight, to earn the victory.

Both teams had scoring opportunities that were thwarted by solid defensive plays.  In the bottom of the twelfth, Montour had a chance for the win when they had runners on first and third with two outs.  The battle hit an apparent single up the middle, but junior shortstop Amy Phillips dove for the ball, and while fielding it in a prone position, tagged the bag with her foot to force the runner in an extremely close play.

In the bottom of the thirteenth inning, with two outs and runners on second and third, shortstop Brenna Reed came to the plate.  Rich got two strikes on Reed, but the Montour shortstop hit a slow ground ball between the Rich and 1B Dassner.  Reed was able to beat the throw to first and the winning run scored.

According to Coach Rick Meister, "I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that it was a playoff caliber game in which we happened to come up a bit short."  The loss dropped the NA non-section record to 1-1.  On Monday, the Lady Tigers are scheduled to travel to Chartiers-Houston to meet the Bucs in a 3:00 pm non-section contest.

In addition, the Athletic Department has announced the rescheduling of two games previously postponed by weather.  The Hempfield game will be played at the new softball field on Tuesday, April 13, while Plum will be here on Friday, May 7.

GAME SUMMARY
MONTOUR - 1  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

WP - Julie Koman     LP - Becca Rich

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RICH'S PITCHING AND HITTING BEATS AMBRIDGE, 4-3

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

Junior righthander Becca Rich pitched seven innings, striking out six, to earn the victory as the Lady Tigers opened play at the new softball field with a 4-3 victory over Ambridge on Monday afternoon.  Rich slammed a long single off the fence in right field to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.  Junior 3B Dori Nunley and junior catcher Nicole Lenart both had doubles and scored runs in the victory.

With the game scoreless, the Lady Tigers erupted for three runs in the bottom of the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.  Nunley led off the inning with the first hit at the new field, a long double into left center field.  After one out, Rich walked and senior Megan Mather took over as a designated runner at first.  Senior rightfielder Sarah Piranian lined a single up the middle to drive in Nunley with the first run.  Junior leftfielder Rachel Songer drove in a second run with a ground out to second.  Sophomore first baseman Aimee Dassner followed with a line drive single to left field to give NA a three-run lead after two innings.

Neither team threatened again until the bottom of the fifth inning.  Songer led off with a single to center field and Dassner sacrificed her to second.  The Lady Tigers were unable to get home an additional run and the teams went to the sixth inning with NA still ahead, 3-0.

In the top of the sixth inning, the middle of the Ambridge lineup came alive.  Third baseman Amy Briola led off with a double into the right center field gap.  After shortstop Leeann Mley singled to left, catcher Mandie Iorfido drove in the first Bridger run with a single to right.  Right fielder Kara Hochevar followed with a single to center field to cut the NA lead to 3-2.  After Rich struck out pitcher Amy Joy, leftfielder Courtney Briola dropped a single into short right field to tie the game at 3-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, Lenart led off with a line shot to deep center field for a double.  After Lenart moved to third base on Nunley's ground out, shortstop Amy Phillips drew a walk.  Rich then hit a drive to deep right center field that hit the fence on a fly.  Lenart scored what would prove to be the winning run as NA took a 4-3 lead into the seventh.

Ambridge threatened in the top of the seventh.  Decima led off with a single that hit the foul line in left field.  After Rich struck out Amy Briola, Mley followed with an infield single.  After Iorfido grounded into a force play, Rich got Hochevar on a comebacker to the mound and the Lady Tigers posted a 4-3 victory in the season opener.

It was a well-played game for the first game of the season with the Lady Tigers prevailing.  For her efforts on the mound and at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Becca Rich as the Player of the Game.  NA will be back in action tomorrow afternoon when they host Plum at the new softball field.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

CHECK OUT THE PHOTO GALLERY FOR PICTURES FROM THE OPENING GAME AGAINST AMBRIDGE

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4  AMBRIDGE - 3

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