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Photo Courtesy of Harry Austin

TRIB PICKS AUSTIN AS MEMBER OF BASEBALL ALL-STARS

Senior outfielder Harry Austin was chosen by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a member of the 2006 Baseball All-Star team.  Austin batted .393 on the season with 21 RBIs.  In the playoffs, the NA senior was 6 for 10 including three triples as he led the Tigers to the WPIAL semifinals. During the regulars season, Austin posted nine doubles, three triples and three home runs while scoring 23 runs.  Austin will play next year at Division I Elon University in North Carolina.  Austin was also selected as a member of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette P-G North All-Stars.

Junior shortstop Dave Bergstrom joined Austin as a member of the WPIAL Section 1 All-Star team.  The Section All-Stars were selected by the section coaches with coaches not being allowed to choose any of their own players.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
BASEBALL ALL-STARS

WPIAL ALL-SECTION TEAMS
SECTION 1

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
P-G NORTH ALL-STARS

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TIGER RALLY FALLS SHORT AS LEBO WINS, 10-8

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

The Tigers rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning but could not catch Mt. Lebanon as the Blue Devils held on for a 10-8 victory in the WPIAL Semifinals at Matulevic Field In Shaler on Wednesday afternoon.  Senior center fielder Harry Austin and senior third baseman Jon Kramer both had a double and a single to pace NA.

Mt. Lebanon scored five runs in the top of the first inning against NA starter Isaac Marx and were never headed.  After a leadoff walk, first baseman Jordan Steranka and catcher Tucker Stobbe singled to load the bases.  After a fly out to short left field, 2B Greg Hall singled to center scoring a pair of runs.  A ground out by CF Eric Isler brought in another run as Lebo extended the lead to 3-0.  Junior DH Pat Bone singled home another run to make it 4-0.  After Marx walked the next two batters, Tiger Head Coach Tim Banner brought in senior Geoff Lang to pitch.  After a walk to Happ forced in a run, Lang got Steranka on a fly ball to deep left.  The Blue Devils had a 5-0 lead after one-half inning.

The Tigers threatened to get back in the game in the bottom of the inning.  With two outs, junior 1B Marek Lapinski singled to right field.  Austin followed with a base hit to right and junior DH Rick Raraigh walked to load the bases.  Lebo starter Ryan Lang struck out junior shortstop Dave Bergstrom on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

In the bottom of the second, junior catcher Ian Overbaugh was hit by a pitch to lead off.  With one out and sophomore Christian Totera running for Overbaugh, Kramer singled to right field.  Junior right fielder Andy Trettel grounded a base hit to center field to score Totera with the first NA run.  After a wild pitch moved both runners up a base, Lang hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Kramer.  After two innings, the Tigers had cut the lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the third, NA picked up another run.  Austin led off by drawing a walk and stealing second.  After two strikeouts, Overbaugh singled to left scoring Austin.  After three innings, the Lebo lead was cut to 5-3.

Mt. Lebanon came back in the next two innings to increase the margin to 9-3.  In the top of the fourth, a walk to Stobbe and a single by shortstop Anthony DeFillippo put runners on first and second with no outs.  A sacrifice by 2B Greg Hall moved both runners up a base.  Lang retired Isler on a fly ball to short right and had a chance to get out of the inning, but Bone came through with a two-out single to score both runners and make it a 7-3 game.  In the top of the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Steranka and a Tiger error gave the Blue Devils two more runs to increase the margin to 9-3 going into the bottom of the fifth.

The Tigers got one run back in the bottom of the inning.  After Lapinski singled to left, Austin lined a double to deep center field.  Raraigh then lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Lapinski to make it 9-4.  Bergstrom followed with a single to right and Overbaugh walked to load the bases with one out.  Lebo lefty Ryan Lang ended the threat by getting two fly ball outs. 

Senior Kyle Smith came in to pitch for the Tigers and struck out the side in the sixth.  In the top of the seventh with one out, Stobbe homered over the right field fence to increase the lead to 10-4 going into the bottom of the seventh.

As they had done all year, the Tigers rallied in the final frame.  Singles by Raraigh, Bergstrom and Overbaugh loaded the bases with no outs and knocked Lang out of the game.  Relief pitcher Dave Kliefgen was greated by a long single to deep left field by sophomore 2B Dave Duffett that scored two runs to cut the lead to 10-6.  Kramer followed with a line drive double into right center field scoring pinch runner Totera to cut the lead to 10-7.  After Trettel lined out to short, Lang's ground out drove in Duffett to make it 10-8.  Lapinski then hit a hard ground ball right at Happ at third and the throw to first got Lapinski for the final out that ended the Tiger season.

The Tigers again rallied late but could not make up a six-run deficit.  Ten walks by NA pitchers hurt the Tiger cause as the Tigers could never catch up in the game.  It was a valiant effort on the part of the Tiger team and a great run at the end of the season that came up just two runs short.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Ian Overbaugh as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the Tiger season came to an end with a final record of 14-6.  NA won 9 of their last eleven games to finish as co-champions of Section 1.  Mt. Lebanon advanced to the championship game against Norwin next week at Falconi Field in Washington.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON - 10  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 8

WP - Ryan Lang  LP - Isaac Marx (0-2)

WPIAL CLASS AAAA TOURNAMENT

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AUSTIN LEADS TIGER COMEBACK OVER FRANKLIN REGIONAL, 11-10

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Senior center fielder Harry Austin's triple with the bases loaded in the fifth inning proved to be the difference as the Tigers came from behind to defeat the Franklin Regional Panthers, 11-10, in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Quad A tournament at Matulevic Field in Shaler on Tuesday afternoon.  Junior shortstop Dave Bergstrom added two doubles and two RBIs with senior Chris Watson pitching three scoreless innings to earn the victory.

In the top of the first, Panther shortstop Lenny Gallo reached on an error, but NA senior pitcher Fran Haus picked him off first base.  After a walk, 3B Jeremy Rehak tried to steal second but overslid the base and was tagged out by Bergstrom.  A fly ball ended the inning.

In the bottom of the first, the Tigers struck for three runs.  With one out, senior Geoff Lang singled to left field.  After junior 1B Marek Lapinski reached on an error, Austin tripled into right center field to drive in two runs to give NA a 2-0 lead.  Junior DH Rick Raraigh followed with a base hit through the drawn in infield to make it a 3-0 Tiger advantage after one inning.

The Panthers took the lead in the top of the third.  With one out, Gallo singled to left.  With two outs, center fielder Kristian DeJeet hit a long drive off the left field fence for a double that scored Gallo.  After a walk, pitcher Mike Pelekanos singled off the glove of NA third baseman Jon Kramer to cut the NA lead to 3-2.  With two outs, 2B Zach King lifted a fly ball into short right field that was dropped allowing two more runs to score.  Franklin Regional took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the inning.

The Tigers came back strong to recapture the lead in the bottom of the inning.  After Austin singled to lead off, a wild pickoff attempt moved him to second.  Raraigh followed with a ground ball that was misplayed by the second baseman allowing Austin to score and tie the game.  Bergstrom then lined a double down the right field line to score Raraigh and put NA on top again, 5-4.  A sacrifice fly by junior catcher Ian Overbaugh gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead after three innings.

In the top of the fourth, the Panthers recaptured the lead.  With one out, Gallo and Rehak singled.  With two outs, Hill singled to right driving in Gallo.  Pelekanos followed with his second hit of the game to drive in Rehak and tie the game.  Coach Tim Banner went to his bullpen and brought in senior Jack Connolly.  After a walk to DH Tony Buccilli loaded the baes, King singled to right field to drive in a pair of runs to give FR an 8-6 lead.  Right fielder Alex Buccilli followed with a base hit to center field to extend the lead to 9-6.  After a walk to 1B Tony Berardinelli loaded the bases again, Coach Banner brought in senior Chris Watson.  After a wild pitch scored another run, Watson got the final out on a fly ball to right field.  The Panthers, however, took a 10-6 lead into the bottom of the fourth.

After the first two batters were out in the bottom of the inning, Austin walked and stole second.  Raraigh then hit a long double into the left center field gap to score Austin.  Bergstrom followed with a line drive double down the right field line to score Raraigh as the Tigers cut the lead to 10-8 after four innings.

After Watson kept the Panthers off the board in the top of the fifth, the Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, Kramer was hit by a pitch.  After junior RF Andy Trettel singled to left field, Lang was retired on a pop fly to shortstop.  With two outs, Lapinski beat out a ground ball in the hole at shortstop to load the bases.  Austin followed with a line drive into right center field that DeJeet dove for and missed.  As the ball rolled to the fence, three runners scored and Austin slid safely into third with his second triple of the game.  NA took an 11-10 lead after five innings.

Watson then went to work and retired the side in order in the sixth.  In the top of the seventh, Berardinelli was hit by a pitch.  Pinch runner Tony Franceschelli stole second after a bunt attempt was caught on the fly by Watson.  Rehak was retired on a fly ball to Trettel in right field.  With the count at 2-2, DeJeet took a called third strike to end the game.

It was another comeback by the never say die Tigers.  NA scored the final five runs of the game with all five coming with two outs.  Watson pitched brilliantly in relief to preserve the victory.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Harry Austin as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their overall record to 14-5 as they advanced to the semifinals.  NA will meet Mt. Lebanon this afternoon again at Matulevic Field.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 2:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 11  FRANKLIN REGIONAL - 10

WP - Chris Watson (3-1)  LP - Mike Pelekanos

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RARAIGH, LAPINSKI LEAD TIGERS OVER GATEWAY, 6-3

Junior lefthander Rick Raraigh allowed only six hits while junior 1B Marek Lapinski drove in three runs with a pair of doubles as the Tigers defeated Gateway, 6-3, in first round playoff action at Matulevic Field in Shaler on Monday afternoon and evening.  Junior right fielder Andy Trettel was three-for-three with an RBI while Raraigh went 2 for 4 with an RBI.  Senior center fielder Harry Austin tripled for the winning Tigers.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first in on the first Lapinski double.  In the top of the third, Raraigh helped his own cause with a double driving in the second Tiger run to give NA a 2-0 advantage after three innings.  In the top of the fourth, NA broke the game open with three runs.  Trettel's base hit made it 3-0 and Lapinski followed with a two-run double to increase the margin to 5-0 after three and one half innings.

After Gateway picked up an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers answered with a single tally in the top of the sixth to make it a 6-1 NA lead.  The Gators came back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh before Raraigh got the final out on a ground out.

It was another good pitching performance by Raraigh who won his sixth game of the season against only one loss.  Raraigh struck out two and did not walk a batter in earning the decision.  The victory was the eighth win in the last nine games for the Tigers.  For his efforts on the mound, the MSA Sports Network named Rick Raraigh as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their overall record to 13-5 and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the WPIAL Class AAAA tournament.  NA will face Franklin Regional (16-5) this afternoon at Matulevic Field in Shaler.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet with the pre-game show beginning at 2:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  GATEWAY - 3

WP - Rick Raraigh (5-1)  LP - Jason Krimsky

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KRAMER'S HIT BEATS NORTH HILLS
IN NINTH INNING

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

Senior DH Jon Kramer drove a line drive single to deep left field to score junior 1B Marek Lapinski with the game winner in the ninth inning as the Tigers came from behind to defeat rival North Hills, 6-5, at the Senior High field on Wednesday afternoon.  Senior CF Harry Austin had three hits and an RBI to pace the Tigers.

The Tigers got off to a good start with three runs in the bottom of the first.  After junior RF Andy Trettel singled to left field, he moved to second on a ground out.  With two outs, Austin lined a single to center field to score Trettel with the game's first run.  With Austin moving up to second on the throw to the plate, junior pitcher Rick Raraigh bounced a single through the right side to score Austin.  Junior Rich Doyle went as a courtesy runner and stole second.  Kramer followed with a hard shot to left field to score Doyle and give the Tigers a 3-0 advantage after one inning.

In the top of the second, the Tiger defense stumbled allowing the Indians to tie the game.  After a walk and a strikeout, RF Brad Scullion reached on an error.  First baseman Josh Milligan beat out an infield single and Scullion scored when the throw to first was wide.  After another strike out, 2B Brian Wisniewski lined a single to center field to score two runs and tie the game at 3-3.

The Tigers threatened with one out in the bottom of the third when Raraigh doubled into the left center field gap.  NH pitcher Andrew Heck pitched out the jam to keep the game tied.  The Indians took the lead in the top of the fifth.  With one out, DH Ryan Fairbrother doubled to left center.  Heck drove him in with a base hit to right center field to give North Hills a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the fifth.

In the top of the sixth, the Indians added another unearned run without a base hit.  With one out, Scullion walked and stole second.  After a ground out moved Scullion to third, he scored when Trettel had the ball drop out of his glove in deep right field.  NH held a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning.  In the top of the seventh, the Indians threatened again when Fairbrother and Heck singled with no outs.  Senior reliever Kyle Smith came in and got the next three outs, two on strike outs to keep the game close.

The never-say-die Tigers found another unique way to tie the score.  In the bottom of the seventh, Trettel reached on an errant throw.  Senior LF Geoff Lang followed with a line drive single to center field.  Lapinski then lined a drive to right field to score Trettel and cut the lead to one.  Raraigh lined the next pitch back to Heck who claimed he caught the ball on a fly and threw to first for what he thought was a game ending double play.  The home plate umpire, however, ruled that Heck had trapped the ball.  Confusion reigned as the two NA runners, Lang and Lapinski, were caught between bases.  Heck decided to go after Lapinski between first and second.  The Tiger junior dove back into first base but was tagged out for the third out.  In the meantime, Lang just kept running and beat the out at first to the plate to tie the game and send it to extra innings.

Junior Jack Connolly came in to pitch for the Tigers and retired the side in order after picking Scullion off first.  The Tigers got a runner all the way to third with two outs in the bottom of the eighth but could not score.  In the top of the ninth, Wisniewski and Fairbrother led off with base hits.  With one out, Euler lifted a fly ball to right field that Trettel caught.  Wisniewski tried to advance to third but was thrown out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Trettel led off with his second hit of the game, a line drive to left field.  After Trettel was picked off first, Lang beat out an infield hit.  Lapinski bounced into a force play with Lang out at second.  With two outs, Austin singled to right field.  Connelly then drew a walk to load the bases.  Kramer followed with a long drive into left center field that NH left fielder P.J. Castellano narrowly missed catching.  Once again, the Tigers had a come from behind victory as they came away with the 6-5 decision.  For his two hits, including the game winning hit in the 9th, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jon Kramer as the Player of the Game.

It was a big win for the Tigers as they get ready for the WPIAL Playoffs next week.  The WPIAL Baseball Committee will meet on Monday to release the pairings.  The MSA Sports Network will carry the meeting live both on the internet and on WBGG radio, 970.  The starting time for the meeting is set for 7:00 pm.

With the win, the Tigers finished with a section record of 9-3 and a share of the title with Seneca Valley, a 15-2 winner over Butler yesterday.  The overall NA record improved to 12-5.  The Tigers will host Latrobe this afternoon in a non-section game as they get ready for the upcoming WPIAL playoffs.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  NORTH HILLS - 5

WP - Jack Connolly (1-0)  LP - Andrew Heck

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TIGERS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT WITH 9-7 WIN OVER KISKI AREA

Senior center fielder Harry Austin had three hits, includings a home run and double, to lead the Tigers to a 9-7 victory at Kiski Area on Monday afternoon.  Senior Geoff Lang added a home run and a triple with senior Fran Haus picking the victory.  The Tigers pounded out 13 hits as they continued their offensive onslaught over the past several weeks.

The Tigers scored a run in the top of the first, but Kiski answered with four in the bottom of the inning.  NA came back to cut the margin to 4-3 after three, and took the lead for good with a five-spot in the top of the fourth.  With the Tigers leading 8-4, the Cavaliers added single runs in each of the 4th, 5th and 6th innings to cut the margin to 8-7 going into the seventh.  An insurance run in the top of the seventh gave the Tigers the 9-7 victory.

In addition to Austin and Lang, junior 1B Marek Lapinski added a pair of doubles, with junior right fielder Andy Trettel and senior 2B Jon Kramer also recording two-base hits.  Dave Hill homered for the Cavaliers.

With the win, the Tigers not only clinched a playoff spot but moved into a first place tie with Seneca Valley, a 4-2 loser to Fox Chapel on Monday.  NA will complete section play tomorrow afternoon when they host rival North Hills.  A win would give the Tigers at the least a tie for first place in Section 1.  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 time is set for 4:00 pm.

JV UPDATE: COOK PITCHES PERFECT GAME AGAINST KISKI AREA IN 10-0 VICTORY
North Allegheny defeated Kiski Area, 10-0, on Monday afternoon at the Senior High field.  Donald Cook pitched a perfect game over five innings with six strikeouts and no walks.  Matt Ludwig hit his first triple of the season to drive in Gregg Allen with the 10th run to end the game and preserve the perfect game.  The NA defense played well behind Cook allowing no errors.
(Thanks to Coach Basilone for the info in this report!)

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  KISKI AREA - 7

WP - Fran Haus (1-0)    LP - Blake Pavlik

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PLUM STOPS TIGERS, 8-6, ON SENIOR DAY

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

The Plum Mustangs built a 6-1 lead and held on for an 8-6 victory over the Tigers on Senior Day at the Senior High field on Saturday afternoon.  Junior DH Rick Raraigh had three hits with seniors Geoff Lang and Jon Kramer adding doubles to pace the Tigers.

The Tigers got off to a good start with a run in the bottom of the first inning.  After junior RF Andy Trettel led off with a base hit to right field, he stole second base.  After two fly ball outs, senior CF Harry Austin lined a single to center field to score Trettel with the game's first run.  Austin then stole second but was picked off to end the inning.

Plum came back with four unearned runs in the top of the second to take the lead.  After catcher Anthony DeFabio and shortstop Scott McGough led off the inning with base hits, pitcher Clint White grounded to third base.  The throw to second to try to get a force play went into right field allowing pinch runner Antonio Suprano to score and McGough to move to third.  DH Matthew Destefano then grounded to junior Dave Bergstrom at shortstop who held the runners and threw to first for the second out of the inning.  Center fielder David Weifenbaugh followed with a long double to left center field to score two runs.  Leadoff batter Tom Bergamasco singled to left field to score Weifenbaugh and give Plum a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the second.

The Mustangs added two more runs in the top of the third.  After leadoff hitter RF Troy Besterci singled and stole second, center fielder Ryan Webb followed with a base hit up the middle to score Besterci and make it a 5-1 game.  Webb went to second on the throw to the plate and moved to third on a ground out.  McGough then hit a soft line drive that Bergstrom got a glove on but could not hold as Webb scored.  Plum took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the third.  The Mustangs had scored six runs off NA junior starter Isaac Marx, but five were unearned.

The Tigers got back in the game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.  After junior 1B Marek Lapinski and Austin walked to lead off the inning, Raraigh singled to left center field to load the bases.  A wild pitch scored Lapinski with the other runners advancing a base.  Bergstrom followed with a shot off the foot of pitcher White that caromed into right field allowing two runs to score.  First baseman Zane Wallace came in to pitch and got out of further trouble with a ground ball double play.  After four innings, the Tigers had cut the lead to 6-4. 

Plum answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth against NA relief pitcher senior Chris Watson.  After Webb singled and stole second to lead off, DeFabio hit a long drive to left center fielder that Austin narrowly missed catching after a head long dive.  With the ball rolling to the 400 sign, DeFabio made it to third for a triple.  With one out, pinch runner Suprano scored his second run on an errant NA throw to first base after a ground ball.  Watson struck out the next two batters to end the inning, but the Mustangs had increased the margin to 8-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers rallied to make it close.  After junior catcher Ian Overbaugh drew a walk, junior Rich Doyle went in to run.  Senior 2B Jon Kramer drove a double down the left field line with Doyle stopping at third.  Trettel's ground ball scored Doyle with Kramer moving to third.  Senior LF Geoff Lang followed with a double down the right field line to score Doyle and cut the lead to 8-6.  Relief pitcher Ryan Webb was able to get the next two batters, however, to end the rally and give Plum the victory.

It was a good chance for Coach Tim Banner to give a number of Tiger players some varsity playing time as 17 NA players saw action.  Four pitchers got in the game also for the Tigers.  Although the Tigers were defeated on Senior Day, next week's games are the important ones for NA.  A win in either game will secure a playoff spot and two wins might move the Tigers into the top spot in the section.  For his efforts at the plate and a scoreless inning in relief, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Rick Raraigh as the Player of the Game.

With the loss, the overall NA record dropped to 10-5 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to Kiski Area tomorrow afternoon for a key section contest.  A Tiger win will clinch a playoff spot for NA.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
PLUM - 8  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6

WP - Clint White   LP - Isaac Marx (0-1)

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TIGERS BLAST HEMPFIELD, 18-14, IN NON-SECTION CONTEST

Believe it or not, the Tigers won another 18-14 game in the same week as they defeated Hempfield on the road on Thursday afternoon.  This win was a lot different from the Fox Chapel game earlier in the week as the Tigers built a 14-2 lead and coasted to the victory.  Juniors Marek Lapinski, Nick Merolillo, and Ian Overbaugh all posted three hits to lead a 15- hit NA attack.

The Tigers jumped all over the Spartans with four runs in the first inning, four more in the second, and five in the third.  NA added a single run in the fourth and four more in the fifth.  Hempfield scored late to make the final score respectable, but the Tigers dominated this one.  Lapinski, senior CF Harry Austin, and Merolillo hammered doubles as the Tigers continued their torrid offensive output.  NA scored 57 runs this week, an average of over 14 runs per game!

The win was the fifth straight for the Tigers as they improved their overall record to 10-4 on the season.  NA will host Plum tomorrow afternoon on Senior Day.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there for all the festivities with the pre-game show set for 1:45 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 2:00 pm at the Senior High field.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 18  HEMPFIELD - 14

WP - Sam O'Neill (1-0)  LP - Patrick Kohl

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TIGERS RALLY AGAIN TO BEAT BUTLER, 12-11

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

Junior catcher Isaac Marx lined a long single with the bases loaded and two outs to drive in the winning run as the Tigers came from behind to defeat Butler, 12-11, at the Senior High field on Wednesday afternoon.  Butler had the lead on three different occasions, but the Tigers came back each time.  Junior shortstop Dave Bergstrom had three hits, including a home run, to pace the Tiger attack.

Butler jumped off to a 2-0 lead with runs in the first and third innings before the Tigers were able to score.  In the bottom of the first, junior 1B Marek Lapinski lined a long double off the left field fence with two outs but did not score.  In the bottom of the third, the Tigers took their first lead.  After senior second baseman Jon Kramer led off with a line drive single to left, he moved to second on a balk.  With one out, senior LF Geoff Lang beat out a bunt single with Kramer moving to third.  With two outs, senior CF Harry Austin received an intentional walk.  Junior DH Rick Raraigh followed with a ground ball to shortstop but the throw to first was wide allowing Kramer to score.  Bergstrom then lined a double into left center field scoring two runs to give NA a 3-2 lead after three innings.

Nine runs were scored by the two teams in a wild fourth inning.  Butler came back with five runs in the top of the inning with key hits by CF Brandon Johnston, shortstop Darren Blakley, 1B Aaron Ordy, and second baseman Andy Onufrak driving in runs.  The Tornado took a 7-3 lead into the bottom of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, junior third baseman Jack Connolly led off by being hit by a pitch.  With two outs, Lang walked.  Lapinski followed with a bouncing base hit into center field to score Connolly.  With two strikes on Austin, Butler pitcher Josh Marchinoski wound up instead of pitching from the stretch.  With both runners on the move, Austin singled into right center field scoring Lang and Lapinski all the way from first.  Raraigh then came through with a base hit to right field to score Austin and tie the game at 7-7 after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, Butler took the lead with two outs.  After LF Joe Black was hit by a pitch, he stole second.  Blakely followed with his fourth hit of the game to give the Tornado an 8-7 lead going into the bottom of the fifth. 

The Tigers answered again with a pair of runs to take the lead.  Marx reached on an error, and sophomore Christian Totera went in as the courtesy runner.  With one out, Totera stole second.  Kramer lined a single to left field to score Totera with the tying run.  Trettel hit into a force play but the throw to first was wide allowing Trettel to reach second.  Lang then singled up the middle to score Trettel and give NA a 9-8 lead after five innings.

In the top of the sixth, the Tigers gave Butler a pair of runs and the lead again.  After 3B Adam Miller singled to lead off, Lang came in to pitch.  Onufrak laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Lang threw high at first allowing both runners to move up a base.  Lang got the next two batters on a ground out and a strike out while holding the runners at third and second.  Two straight wild pitches scored the runs, however, and Butler took a 10-9 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

In the bottom of the inning, Butler relief pitcher Dallas O'Donnell retired the first batter on a strikeout.  Bergstrom lifted a long fly ball over the left field fence to tie the game at 10-10 after six innings of play.

In the top of the seventh, Lang was replaced by senior Kyle Smith.  Three walks loaded the bases with one out.  Onufrak hit a high bouncer to Bergstrom who had only the play at first base for the second out with a run scoring to give Butler an 11-10 advantage.  Smith got DH Jay McDonough on a fly ball to right field to end the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Lang beat out an infield single.  After Lapinski walked, Austin flew out to right field.  Raraigh followed with a hard drive between first and second that Onufrak could not field allowing Lang to score the tying run.  Bergstrom beat out a slow roller to load the bases.  Marx then came through with a line shot over the head of Butler left fielder Black to win the game.  The Tigers had come back in the last at bat for the second time in three days as they took a 12-11 victory.

It was an exciting game for the fans with both teams combining for 24 hits.  There were eight total errors in the game along with several mental errors that did not show in the box score.  In the end, the Tigers pulled out an important victory.  For his work at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Dave Bergstrom as the Player of the Game.

The win improved the NA section record to 7-3 and moved them to just one-half game behind first-place Seneca Valley.  The overall Tiger mark improved to 9-4 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to Hempfield this afternoon for a 4:00 pm non-section game against the Spartans.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12  BUTLER - 11

WP - Kyle Smith (1-1)  LP - Dallas O'Donnell

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TIGERS CRUSH RIVAL NORTH HILLS, 9-1

The Tigers scored three runs in the first inning at North Hills on Tuesday afternoon and never looked back on their way to a 9-1 victory over their archrivals.  Home runs by senior CF Harry Austin and junior LHP Rick Raraigh paced an 11-hit NA attack.  Raraigh allowed only five hits in earning his fourth game of the season against only one loss.

In the top of the first, Austin hit a two-run shot to give the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.  After junior shortstop David Bergstrom walked, Raraigh brought him home with a double as NA took a 3-0 lead after one half inning of play.

After the Indians scored their only run in the bottom of the second, the Tigers answered in the top of the third.  Junior 1B Marek Lapinski drove in senior LF Geoff Lang to give NA a 4-1 advantage after two and a half innings.  The Tigers put the game away with four more runs in the fourth and another in the fifth as they went on to the 9-1 victory.

Austin was three for three with the home run, Raraigh had a home run and a double, and Lapinski added two hits as NA pounded out eleven hits in the big victory.  Raraigh was tough on the mound, allowing only one run and five hits while striking out eight.

The win kept the Tigers alone in third place one game behind Seneca Valley and Butler.  The NA section record improved to 6-3, the overall mark to 8-4 on the season.  The Tigers will host Butler this afternoon at the Senior High field in a crucial Section 1 contest.  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 time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

Special thanks to Fran Haus for the
information in this report!

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  NORTH HILLS - 1

WP - Rick Raraigh (4-1)

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LATE RALLY LIFTS TIGERS OVER
FOX CHAPEL, 18-14

A ten-run rally in the top of the seventh inning gave the Tigers an improbable 18-14 victory at Fox Chapel on Monday afternoon.  The Foxes rallied from an early 8-1 deficit to take an 11-8 lead going into the final frame. 

The Tigers took an early lead with two runs in the first and six more in the second as NA led, 8-1 after two innings.  The Foxes rallied for four runs in the fourth, five more in the fifth, and an additional tally in the sixth to built the 11-8 advantage.  After the Tigers scored ten to take an 18-11 lead, Fox Chapel came back to score three in the bottom of the seventh.

The Tigers pounded out 15 hits in the contest.  Junior DH  Marek Lapinski was three for six, including a double, senior CF Harry Austin was three for four, including a home run, while senior second baseman Jon Kramer was also three for four.  Senior J.R. Kimmel tripled for the Tigers with Junior RF Andy Trettel and junior pitcher Rick Raraigh adding doubles.  Fox Chapel had 16 hits with the big blows coming from Chris Murphy who had two home runs and pitcher Joe Noro, Jr., who also homered.  Senior lefthander Geoff Lang was the winning pitcher in relief for the Tigers.

It was a big win for the Tigers who showed a lot of heart coming from behind in the final inning.  It was also a bizarre contest with 17 of the 18 NA runs being unearned as Fox Chapel committed four errors.

The win improved the NA section record to 5-3 and lifted them to sole possession of third place in the Section 1 standings.  The overall Tiger mark went to 7-4 on the season.  The Tigers will travel to North Hills for a 4:00 pm game this afternoon before returning home to meet first-place Butler tomorrow.  Game time is scheduled for 4:00 pm at the Senior High field.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 18  FOX CHAPEL - 14

WP - Geoff Lang (1-1)  LP - Joe Noro, Jr.

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FIVE-RUN FIFTH BEATS SHALER, 7-1

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

Leading only 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Tigers exploded for five runs on their way to a 7-1 victory over rival Shaler at the Senior High field on Thursday afternoon.  Senior first baseman Geoff Lang had two hits, including a key two-run single during the fifth inning rally, to pace NA.  Junior lefthander Rick Raraigh went the distance allowing only one unearned run to win his third game against only one loss.

Shaler scored in the top of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.  With one out, first baseman Jon Grubic was hit by a pitch.  Pitcher Tom Carter followed with a slow ground ball near second base that NA shortstop Dave Bergstrom fielded.  The throw to first was not in time, but NA Coach Tim Banner protested to the umpires claiming interference on the Shaler runner at second.  As usual, the umpires won!  Second baseman Tom Neiman followed with a long drive to deep left center field that Tiger senior CF Harry Austin ran down.  The ball fell out of his glove, however, and Shaler had the bases loaded with one out.  Shortstop Joe Lombardo grounded to Bergstrom who got the out at second, but 2B Phil Greenblatt's throw to first was late with a run scoring.  Once again, Coach Banner argued that the Shaler runner interfered with Greenblatt at second.  Again, the umpires did not agree.  DH Steve Crilley followed with a line drive to left field that was caught by junior Rich Doyle on a diving catch that ended the inning.  It was a strange inning, but the Titans took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the first.

With one out, Greenblatt dropped a short fly into second field and hustled into second for a double.  On the next pitch, junior DH Marek Lapinski lined a single to right center field to tie the game.  With two outs, Bergstrom singled to right center field with Lapinski moving to third.  With two strikes on Lang, Bergstrom was thrown out attempting to steal second.  The first inning ended with the game tied at 1-1.

The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the second but did not score.  With one out, senior catcher Brian Roberts grounded a ball off the third base bag into left field for a base hit.  Raraigh followed with a line shot to center field with sophomore PR Christian Totera moving to second.  Shaler pitcher Tom Carter was able to get the next two Tigers to keep the game tied at 1-1.

Shaler mounted a two-out rally in the top of the third.  After Lombardo and Crilley singled, Raraigh got center fielder Derrick Grabb on a fly ball to Austin in center field to retire the side.  After the Tigers went in order in the third, catcher Sam Arnold led off for Shaler in the fourth.  Arnold hit a drive to deep right center field, but Austin made a great over the shoulder catch to rob Arnold of an extra base hit.  Raraigh then got the next two batters to end the inning.

The Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth.  After Lang singled to center field, Roberts walked with Totera going in to run.  Raraigh grounded to deep short with both runners able to advance a base.  A wild pitch then scored Lang with the lead run.  With a runner at third and one out, Coach Banner tried a suicide squeeze.  Doyle missed the pitch, however, and Totera was an easy out at home.  Boyle then drew a walk and junior RF Andy Trettel followed with a base hit up the middle.  With two outs, Carter was able to retire the Tigers on a fly ball to center field to end the inning.  NA took a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning.

In the top of the fifth, Shaler again threatened but did not score.  After Grubic reached on an error, Carter bunted a pop fly that Raraigh dove for but could not catch.  Shaler had two on and no outs. Raraigh then struck out the top hitter in the Shaler lineup, Tom Neiman, on a nasty curve ball.  With two outs, Raraigh issued a rare walk to load the bases.  Grabb then grounded to Bergstrom who threw to Greenblatt at second for the final out of the inning.

The Tigers put the game away in the bottom of the fifth.  After Lapinski walked and Totera went in to run, Austin laid down a good bunt along the third base line that was dropped by the Shaler third baseman.  NA had two on and no outs.  Bergstrom followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved both runners up a base.  With the Shaler infield playing in, Lang lined a shot into left center field to score both runners and give NA a 4-1 advantage.  After Roberts followed with a single to left, Raraigh hit a hard ground ball into right field that scored Lang to make it 5-1.  Doyle made it 6-1 with a single to left field that scored junior Nick Merolillo who was running for Roberts.  After Trettel walked, Greenblatt lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score pinch runner Jon Kramer with the final NA run.  The Tigers took a commanding 7-1 lead into the sixth inning.

In the top of the seventh, Shaler loaded the bases with two outs.  Raraigh then ended the game in style as he struck out Arnold for the final out of the game.  Raraigh allowed only six hits and an unearned run, while striking out seven and walking four.

It was a big win for the Tigers and kept them in the section race.  The Tigers played good defense behind Raraigh and had two outstanding defensive plays by Doyle and Austin.  NA is in fourth place but is only one game behind in the loss column to all three teams ahead of them.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Geoff Lang as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers stayed in the playoff race in Section 1.  The victory improved the NA section record to 4-3, the overall mark to 6-4 on the season.  NA will travel to Fox Chapel on Monday afternoon to meet the Foxes in another important section contest.  Game time is scheduled for 3:45 pm.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  SHALER - 1

WP - Rick Raraigh (3-1)  LP - Tom Carter

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SENECA VALLEY BLANKS
TIGERS, 9-0

After being rained out of their last two games, the Tigers finally got to play on Wednesday afternoon at Seneca Valley.  The Raiders made it a tough day for NA as they beat the Tigers, 9-0.  NA managed only four hits against Raider pitcher Cory Mazzoni.  The SV pitcher also had the only extra base hit of the game, a triple.  Senior righthander Chris Watson lost his first game after two wins for the Tigers.

The Raiders scored three in the first and added two more in the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead after two innings.  Mazzoni kept the Tiger bats silent throughout the game as NA never threatened.  Seneca Valley put the game out of reach with four more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.  With a Butler loss at Shaler, Seneca Valley moved into a first place tie in Section 1 with the Tornado.

The loss dropped the NA section record to 3-3, the overall mark to 5-4.  The Tigers will host rival Shaler this afternoon at the Senior High field in a crucial section contest.  NA beat Shaler, 5-2, in eight innings earlier in the season.  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 time is set for 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 9  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 0

WP - Cory Mazzoni  LP - Chris Watson (2-1)

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TIGERS REBOUND WITH 4-1 VICTORY OVER KISKI AREA

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

After a big loss to Fox Chapel last week, the Tigers came back to defeat Kiski Area, 4-1, at the Senior High field on Wednesday afternoon.  Junior second baseman Phil Greenblatt had a triple and a single to pace NA while junior left hander Rick Raraigh pitched 6 2/3 strong innings to earn the victory.

After Raraigh got the side out in order in the top of the first, the Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, junior RF Andy Trettel walked and stole second.  With two outs, senior DH Brian Roberts beat out an infield hit moving Roberts to third. After a walk to junior shortstop Dave Bergstrom, senior LF Geoff Lang hit a ground ball to short.  The throw to first pulled 1B Dave Hill off the base allowing Lang to reach safely and Trettel to score an unearned run.  After one inning, the Tigers led, 1-0.

In the bottom of the second with one out, Greenblatt lined a shot over the head of LF Shawn Vogel.  Greenblatt was able to beat the throw to third with a head first slide for a triple.  Senior CF Harry Austin followed with a line drive single to left field to score Greenblatt and make it a 2-0 game after two innings.

After facing only nine batters in the first three innings, Raraigh ran into trouble in the top of the fourth.  After a leadoff walk to Vogel, third baseman Dave Lang sacrificed Vogel to second.  A balk was called, however, that negated the out and moved Vogel to second.  Lang then followed with a base hit to right field moving Vogel to third.  Center fielder Jacob Shaffer then singled to center field to drive in Vogel and cut the lead to 2-1. Raraigh was able to strike out cleanup hitter Jason Retter for the first out.  The next two batters went out on ground balls and Raraigh got out of the inning allowing only one run.  It would be the only run that Kiski would score.

The Tigers picked up a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth.  After Trettel singled to lead off the inning, junior 1B Marek Lapinski beat out a ground ball to deep short.  When the throw got away at first, Trettel moved to third.  Sophomore Christian Totera went in to run for Lapinski and stole second.  After Roberts was retired on a slow ground ball to third, Lang came through with a hard single up the middle scoring both runners to give the Tigers a 4-1 lead after five innings.

Kiski threatened in the top of the seventh.  With one out, DH Ed Lynch singled to center field.  Right fielder Kyle Polliard followed with a ground ball to Raraigh who threw to second for a force play.  The throw to first was late, but NA Head Coach Tim Banner argued for an interference call on the runner who put up his arms while running to second base.  The umpires did not agree!  Pinch hitter Jim Gemza followed with a single to center field putting runners on first and second and bringing the potential tying run to the plate.  Senior Fran Haus came in to pitch and struck out SS Eric Gadola on a 3-2 pitch to end the game with the Tigers earning a 4-1 victory.

It was a good performance by the Tigers, particularly in the field where they did not commit an error.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network selected Phil Greenblatt as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 3-2, the overall mark to 5-3.  NA will travel to Mt. Lebanon on Saturday afternoon to meet the Blue Devils in a non-section contest.  Game time is scheduled for 12:00 noon.

Box Score

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4  KISKI AREA - 1

WP - Rick Raraigh (2-1)  LP - Blake Pavlik

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WPIAL BASEBALL - 2006

The Tigers will compete in Class AAAA along with 26 other teams.  The top three teams and ties that cannot be broken will enter the WPIAL Tournament.  All playoff entries will be determined by section record only and will be determined by the best section won/lost record.  Teams that tie for first place will not have the tie broken and both will be declared co-champions and each will receive a section winner's plaque.  Those two teams will enter the tournament and the second place team will enter as the third section representative.  In the event of a tie for the second and third place, the tiebreaker system will be employed.  If the tie persists, head to head competition will determine the qualifier.  In the event of multiple ties the following tiebreaker will be employed:

a.  Section won-lost records of 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 clearly be broken, all tied teams will enter post-season play.

The two WPIAL finalists in Quad A will represent the WPIAL in PIAA inter-district play.

Postponed games must be played in order of postponement and scheduled on the first common open date.  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. 

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 Rule, ending a game after 4 1/2 or 5 innings will be in effect for all regular and post season play.  Additionally, the fifteen run rule, ending a game after 3 innings, will be in effect as well.

WPIAL Championship play is scheduled to begin Wednesday, May 17, 2006.  The finals will be divided between two dates, Tuesday, May 30 and Wednesday, May 31, 2006.  The site will be Falconi Field in Washington, PA.

CLASS AAAA - 27 TEAMS

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