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WILSON NAMED TO POST-GAZETTE AND TRIBUNE-REVIEW ALL-STAR TEAMS

Senior center fielder Jon Wilson was selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette All-Area team along with being chosen to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review All-Star team for his performance during the 2009 season.  Wilson batted .456 on the season to lead the Tigers in batting with sevent doubles, three triples, 19 RBIs and 31 runs scored.  Wilson was perfect in stolen bases going 17 for 17.  Wilson was also named the PG North Player of the Year.

In addition, Wilson was named to the PG All-Section team along with senior LF Jackson Boyd and junior 3B Justin Brozick.

CONGRATULATIONS TO JON, JACKSON, AND JUSTIN!!!!

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
ALL-AREA BASEBALL TEAM

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
2009 BASEBALL ALL-STARS

POY - Player of the year

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE
WPIAL SECTION 1-AAAA ALL-SECTION

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NORTH PENN ENDS TIGERS' TITLE HOPES WITH 12-1 VICTORY IN PIAA SEMIS

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The North Penn Knights handed junior right hander Ryan Oglesby his first loss of the season as they downed the Tigers, 12-1, at Green Township Park in Scotland in the PIAA Quad A semifinals on Monday afternoon.  Senior center field Jon Wilson had a triple and single to for NA as they lost for the first time in fourteen games.

The Knights scored a run in the top of the first, added two more in the second, and knocked out Oglesby after a leadoff single in the third when NP went on to score three more runs.  The Tigers answered with a run in the bottom of the third.  After Wilson singled and moved to second on a wild pitch, a base hit by senior DH Sean Oglesby moved Wilson to third where he scored on a double play.   Sophomore right hander Tanner Wilt held North Penn off the board in the top of the fourth, but the Knights took advantage of a pair of NA errors in the top of the fifth to score four more times to take control of the game with a 10-1 lead.  NP added two more tallies in the top of the seventh to secure the 12-1 victory.  Seniors Max Benner and Max Mellott also pitched for the Tigers.

First baseman Scott Christy was 2 for 4 including a home run good  four RBIs to pace the Knights.  Left fielder Jake Dunn had three hits while right fielder Christian Radick and catcher Matt Albaugh had a pair of hits each.  Senior right hander Mike Bradstreet allowed only one run and six hits while striking out four in the complete game victory.

With the loss, the Tigers ended their season with a 23-3 record that included their sixth WPIAL championship.  The 23 wins fell just one short of the NA team record for wins in a season.  Despite the tough loss in the state semifinals, the Tigers had a great season.

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH MADDIX AND THE TIGERS
FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON!

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH PENN - 12  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1

WP - Mike Bradstreet  LP - Ryan Oglesby (9-1)

2009 PIAA CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP

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BUTTERINI'S BASE HIT BEATS PINE-RICHLAND,
3-2, IN NINE INNINGS

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

Senior shortstop Nick Butterini's base hit to center field drove home pinch runner Matt Steinbeck with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Tigers downed rival Pine-Richland, 3-2, in the PIAA Quad A quarterfinals at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township on Thursday night.  NA got RBI doubles from junior 3B Justin Brozick and senior CF Jon Wilson as they ended the Rams' season.  Sophomore right hander Tanner Wilt got the win in relief after senior starter Greg Piehler held P-R to just one run in 6 2/3 innings.

After neither team threatened in the first inning, the Rams had a chance in the second.  DH Matt Yoklic beat out an infield single.  After two outs, Yoklic stole second, but Piehler got the final out of the inning on a ground out to second base.  In the top of the third with two outs, RF Ryan Nussbaum singled to center field and third baseman T.J. Kuban hit a line drive off Butterini's glove.  Once again, Piehler got out of trouble on a fly ball to senior Jackson Boyd in left field to end the threat.  Ram right hander Vinny Nittoli was able to get the first nine NA batters as the game remained scoreless through three innings.

The Rams took the lead with a run in the top of the fourth.  With one out, 1B Brad Lalli hit a double into the left center field gap.  After a wild pitch, Nittoli singled to left field to score Lalli and give Pine-Richland a 1-0 lead after three and one half innings.  The Tigers finally got some base runners in the bottom of the inning.  With two outs, senior DH Sean Oglesby lined a shot down the right field line for the first NA hit, and Brozick was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second.  Nittoli was able to get Boyd on a ground ball to third to end the inning with P-R still ahead 1-0.

Neither team threatened in the fifth inning.  In the top of the sixth, lead off batter Yoklic beat out an infield single.  Lalli followed with a ground ball to first baseman Brad Comport who threw to Butterini at second with the NA shortstop firing to pitcher Piehler at first to complete the 3-6-1 double play.  After walking the next two batters, Piehler got LF John Benton on a pop fly to second to end the threat.  The Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the inning.  Senior 2B Jeff Dassner walked to lead off the inning with Wilson sacrificing him to second.  After Oglesby grounded out, Brozick came through with a two out, two strike drive into left center field for a double that scored Dassner and tied the game at 1-1 after six innings of play.

The Rams threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh.  With two outs, Piehler walked both Kuban and shortstop Matt Berezo.  Wilt came in to pitch for the Tigers.  On the first pitch from Wilt, Yoklic hit a long drive to deep center field that Wilson caught on a leaping catch next to the fence.  Wilson's defensive gem saved at least two runs and sent the game into the bottom of the seventh still tied at 1-1.In the bottom of the inning, senior RF Dan Wentz singled up the middle and was sacrificed to second by Butterini.  Nittoli was able to get a ground out by senior PH Kurt Devlin to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, the Rams were able to take the lead.  With two outs, 2B Ryan Owens drew a walk.  Benton followed with a base hit to right center field with Owens moving to third.  Center fielder Mitch Elliott then hit a hard ground ball that took a bad hop over the head of Comport into right field with Owens scoring and Benton moving to third.  Benton tried to score on a pitch that bounced away from Tiger catcher Matt Ludwig.  With Benton racing to the plate, Ludwig chased down the ball and threw to Wilt covering at the plate for the out that ended the inning.  Pine-Richland took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the eight.

It did not take long for the Tigers to tie the game again.  After Dassner drew hit second straight walk, Wilson hit a drive down the right field line that just landed in fair territory.  Dassner raced home with the tying run, and Wilson ended up on third base with the potential winning run.  Nittoli was able to keep Wilson from scoring on a ground ball back to the mound, a strike out, and a ground out to short.  The game moved into the ninth inning tied at 2-2.

In the top of the ninth, Nussbaum led off with his third hit of the game, a base hit over second.  With Justin Williams pinch running, Kuban hit a line drive to Brozick who threw to first to double off Williams.  With two outs, Berezo drew a walk, but Wilt caught Yoklic looking at a third strike to end the inning.  The Tigers won it in the bottom of the frame.  With Chris Kosty in to pitch for the Rams, Comport led off with a line drive single to left center field.  With Steinbeck in as a pinch runner, Wentz sacrificed him to second.  That brought up Butterini.  With a 2-2 count, the NA shortstop drove the ball up the middle and Steinbeck raced home with the winning run.

It was a great team effort by the Tigers as they defeated the Rams for the third time in four starts.  Piehler did an outstanding job of keeping the game close into the seventh inning.  The NA defense was spectacular at times highlighted by Wilson's catch in the seventh inning and two double plays.  For his game winning hit, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Nick Butterini as the Player of the Game.

On a personal note, the game was one of the best high school games in recent memory.  Both teams played well with good pitching and defense highlighting the evening.  The Tiger fans were there in numbers to support the team and were sent home happy with the exciting victory.  In the broadcast booth, the voice had very little left after the Tigers pulled out the win in the bottom of the ninth.  Congratulations to Coach Maddix, his staff, and the Tiger team for a great win!  Good luck in the semi-finals.

With the win, the Tigers improved their overall record to 23-2 on the year as they advanced to the PIAA semifinals.  NA will meet North Penn, a 2-1 winner over Council Rock North on Saturday afternoon.  The semifinal contest will be played on Monday at Green Park in Scotland PA (near Chambersburg).  Game time is set for 4:00 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  PINE-RICHLAND - 2

WP - Tanner Wilt (2-0)  LP - Chris Kosty

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TIGERS BLANK HOLLIDAYSBURG, 9-0,
TO ADVANCE TO PIAA QUARTERFINALS

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

Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby tossed a six-hit shutout to lead the Tigers to a 9-0 victory over District 6 Champion Hollidaysburg in the PIAA Quad A first round at Pullman Park in Butler on Monday afternoon.  Senior 2B Jeff Dassner lined a two-run double and scored three runs to pace the Tigers.  Senior CF Jon Wilson and senior DH Sean Oglesby both had a pair of hits for the winning Tigers.

Hollidaysburg threatened to take the lead in the top of the first.  Uncharacteristically, Oglesby walked the first two batters.  Golden Tiger 3B Aaron Kovach singled to left field to load the bases with no outs.  Oglesby then struck out cleanup hitter Sidd Amirneni.  With out out, CF Jake Weibley lifted a foul fly ball down the right field line that Dassner caught.  Neil Schroth tried to tag up and score from third base, but Dassner's throw to the plate was perfect and NA senior catcher Matt Ludwig slapped the tag on Schroth to end the inning.

In the bottom of the first, the Tigers scored what would prove to be the winning run.  After Dassner worked a walk, left hander Luke Ottaway got Wilson on a pop fly to short.  With one out, Sean Oglesby singled just inside the left field line with Dassner moving to second.  Junior 3B Justin Brozick followed with a bae hit to center field to give NA a 1-0 lead after one inning.

Ryan Oglesby settled down after the first inning and retired six of the next seven batters, allowing just a harmless two-out single in the second.  In the bottom of the third, the Tigers took advantage of a key Hollidaysburg error to score a pair of runs.  After Dassner walked again to lead off, Wilson beat out a bunt.  Sean Oglesby was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.  It looked like Ottaway was going to get out of the jam with strike outs of the next two batters.  With two outs, senior 1B Brad Comport grounded to Schroth near second base.  The throw to first was wild allowing two runs to score and give NA a 3-0 lead after three innings of play.

After allowing Amirneni a lead off single in the fourth, Oglesby got the next three batters on a fly ball to left field and two ground outs.  In the bottom of the inning with one out, Ludwig smashed a long drive off the left field fence for a double.  Ottaway got the next two batters, however, stranding courtesy runner Kurt Devlin at second.

Neither team threatened until the bottom of the sixth when the Tigers broke the game open with a little help from the Golden Tiger defense.  W ith one out, Devlin pinch hit for senior SS Nick Butterini.  Hollidaysburg center fielder Weibley was unable to hold onto Devlin's fly ball into right center field, and the Tigers took advantage of the opportunity.  After Ludwig followed with a base on balls, sophomore Matt Steinbeck went in to run as NA had runners on first and second.  Dassner followed with a line shot down the right field line that scored both runners and make it a 5-0 Tiger lead.  Wilson then singled to left field moving Dassner to third and knocking Ottaway out of the game.  With Brandon Simpson on the mound, Sean Oglesby flew out to left field.  With two outs, Brozick was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd then came through with a base hit into left field driving in two more runs and increasing the NA lead to 7-0.  After a walk to Comport, senior RF Dan Wentz singled up the middle to send home two more runs and giving the Tigers a commanding 9-0 lead after six innings of play.

Hollidaysburg mounted a mild threat in the top of the seventh.  With two outs, RF Tyler Sell walked and Schroth singled to center field.  Oglesby got Glass to hit a ground ball back to the mound and the NA junior tossed to first to end the game.   

Once again, it was a team effort by the Tigers who finished with nine hits on the afternoon.  NA took advantage of two big Hollidaysburg errors to score six unearned runs in the contest.  After the first inning, Ryan Oglesby was in control on the way to his ninth victory against no losses.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jeff Dassner as the Player of the Game.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  HOLLIDAYSBURG - 0

WP - Ryan Oglesby (9-0)  LP - Luke Ottaway (3-2)

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TIGERS TOP PINE-RICHLAND, 6-3,
TO TAKE WPIAL TITLE

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

The Tigers downed neighborhood rival Pine-Richland, 6-3, in the championship game of the WPIAL Quad a tournament Wednesday night at Consol Energy Park in Washington, PA.  Junior 3B Justin Brozick had two hits and an RBI, senior 1B Brad Comport drilled a two-RBI double, and senior DH Sean Oglesby drove in a pair of runs for the winning Tigers.  Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby went six innings, allowing just two earned runs and no walks, to earn his eighth victory without a loss.

After Oglesby got the side in order in the top of the first, the Tigers scored the game's opening run in the bottom of the frame.  With one out, senior CF Jon Wilson walked.  Sean Oglesby lifted a fly ball to left center field that was dropped after the left and center fielders collided.  With runners on first and second, Brozick singled to right center field to give NA a 1-0 lead after one inning.

In the top of the third, the Rams tied the game on an unearned run.  Second baseman Zac LaNeve reached on an infield bobble to lead off the inning.  After RF Ryan Owens sacrificed LaNeve to second, a ground ball out  sent the Ram runner to third.  With two outs, P-R center fielder Mitch Elliott hit a hard ground ball that took a huge hop over the head of senior shortstop Nick Butterini to score LaNeve and tie the game at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, the Tigers took the lead for good.  Senior 2B Jeff Dassner lined a single to center field to lead off and moved to second on a wild pitch.  After a ground ball to the right side by Wilson sent Dassner to third, Sean Oglesby sent another ground ball to second.  The Rams tried to get Dassner at the plate but the throw did not arrive in time as NA took a 2-1 lead.  Brozick followed with an infield single to deep short to put runners at first and second.  Comport followed with a drive into the right center field gap for a double that scored both runners and gave the Tigers a 4-1 advantage after three innings of play.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Ram shortstop Matt Berezo sent a line drive to center field that Wilson dove and could not quite hold on to as Berezo ended up at second with a double.  After a wild pitch sent Berezo to third, 1B Ryan Nussbaum grounded to second with Berezo scoring to cut the NA lead to 4-2.  In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers answered.  With two outs, Dassner walked and Wilson bounced a single into right field with Dassner going all the way to third.  Sean Oglesby plated Dassner with a line drive single to left field as NA took a 5-2 lead after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, RF Ryan Owens was hit by a pitch with one out.  Owens went to second on a slow ground ball to second base.  With two outs, Elliott lined a shot to center field, but Wilson made a diving catch to end the inning.  In the bottom half of the inning, NA added another run.  After senior LF Jackson Boyd opened the inning with a line shot off third baseman T.J. Kuban, Comport grounded into a force play.  After Comport went to second on a wild pitch, senior RF Dan Wentz grounded out with Comport moving to third.  With two outs, senior pinch hitter Kurt Devlin singled into left field to plate Comport with the sixth Tiger run.  After five innings of play, NA held a 6-2 lead.

The Rams came back with a run in the top of the sixth.  With two outs, Berezo singled sharply to right field, and Nussbaum followed with a ground ball to short.  Butterini tried to beat Berezo to second to retire the side but got there late.  On the next pitch, Ram DH Matt Yoklic hit a drive into the left center field gap that scored Berezo.  Nussbaum also tried to score but a good relay from Boyd to Butterini to senior catcher Matt Ludwig nailed the Ram runner at the plate to retire the side.  The Tigers still held a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.  Chris Kosty came in to pitch for the Rams and retired the side in order.

In the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Brad Lalli led off with a single to right field.  Coach Andy Maddix went to his bullpen and brought in senior right hander Greg Piehler.  Owens went down on a high pop fly to Dassner on the edge of the outfield grass for the first out.  Piehler then struck out pinch hitter Phil Morrissette  on three pitches.  With two down, Wentz had to go into deep right field to catch a line drive off the bat of Elliott to retire the side and secure another title for the Tigers.

It was a good team victory for the Tigers with contributions from a number of players.  For his efforts on the mound, the North Allegheny Sports Network named junior Ryan Oglesby as the Player of the Game.

The victory gave the Tigers their sixth WPIAL championship and second in the Quad A ranks with the first coming in 2005.  Coach Andy Maddix captured his first title as head mentor of the Tigers.  With the win, NA improved to 21-2 and will open play on Monday against District 6 Champion Hollidaysburg in the PIAA Quad A tournament.  The game has been scheduled for Pullman Park in Butler with game time set for 4:00 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

CONGRATULATIONS TO COACH MADDIX AND THE TIGERS!!!

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  PINE-RICHLAND - 3

WP - Ryan Oglesby (8-0)  LP - Vinny Nittoli (6-1)

WPIAL CLASS QUAD A BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

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TIGERS BEAT BUTLER, 12-8, TO ADVANCE TO WPIAL QUAD A CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

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The Tigers scored four runs in the top of the fifth as they broke an 8-8 tie and went on to defeat section rival Butler, 12-8, in the WPIAL Quad A semifinals at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township on Wednesday night.  Senior 1B Brad Comport had a triple and single while senior 2B Jeff Dassner added a double and single to pace a ten-hit NA attack.  Sophomore right hander Tanner Wilt came on in relief to allow just one unearned run over 3 2/3 innings to record the victory.

The Tigers jumped on Butler starter Joey Marak in the top of the first to take a quick lead.  After Dassner led off with a double and went to third on a wild pitch, senior CF Jon Wilson hit a ground ball was that bobbled by the Butler first baseman allowing Dassner to score.  Senior DH Sean Oglesby followed with a base hit with Wilson taking second.  After both runners moved up a base on another wild pitch, Marak got a fly ball to short right field for the first out.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd followed with a long fly ball to right field that allowed Wilson to tag up and score the second NA run.  Comport then drove a ball over the head of Butler right fielder Dustin Uhlman that scored Oglesby and ended the night for Marak.  With Matt Monnie on the mound, senior RF Dan Wentz singled up the middle to score Comport and give the Tigers a 4-0 lead after one half inning.

After junior right hander Ryan Oglesby got the side in order, the Tigers added two more runs in the top of the second.  With one out, Wilson singled to right field and stole second.  After a fly ball out, junior 3B Justin Brozick reached on an infield single with Wilson taking third.  With two outs, Boyd singled to center field to score Wilson.  Comport followed with another base hit that brought Brozick home as NA took a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the second.

Butler came back to score eight runs and take the lead on a combination of ground ball base hits and Tiger errors.  After a walk and fielder's choice put Eric King on first base, shortstop Evan Oswald singled to right field.  DH Ryan Fennell followed with another ground ball through the infield to load the bases with one out.  CF Tanner Master hit an infield single to score a run and cut the lead to 6-1.  Catcher Tanner McCaw bounced a single up the middle to plate Oswald.  After a strike out, LF Tyler Slepski singled to right field to drive in a run with another run scoring as the ball was not fielded cleanly in right field.  With NA still leading,. 6-4, Uhlman drew a walk to load the bases again.  Wilt then came in to pitch for the Tigers.  Sophomore 1B John Crummy sent another bouncer into center field to score a pair of runs with another run scoring when the ball was misplayed in center field.  King then reached first on another NA error as Crummy scored to give Butler an 8-6 advantage after two innings of play.

The Tigers came back to tie the game in the top of the third.  After a ground out, senior catcher Matt Ludwig was safe at first after a Butler error.  With senior Kurt Devlin in as a courtesy runner, Dassner followed with a single up the middle, and Wilson walked to load the bases.  Sean Oglesby came through with a base hit up the middle to score Devlin and cut the lead to 8-7.  After a strike out, Boyd hit a hard ground ball that was misplayed by the Butler second baseman with Dassner coming in to score the tying run.  After two and one half innings, the game was tied at 8-8.

The scoring pace slowed as both teams went in order in the next at bat.  In the bottom of the fourth with one out, Slepski singled to left field.  Uhlman followed with another base hit down the left field line, but Slepski was thrown out at third base by Boyd as he attempted to take the extra base.  A line drive to Boyd in left field ended the inning with the game still tied.

In the top of the fifth, the Tigers took the lead without a base hit.  After Dassner and Wilson both walked to lead off the inning, Sean Oglesby was hit by a pitch.  Brozick followed with another walk as a 3-1 pitch narrowly missed hitting him as Dassner scored the go ahead run.  Monnie was replaced on the mound by left hander Zac Sessa.  Sessa started by walking Boyd and forcing in another run to make it 10-8.  After a strike out, a wild pitch allowed Oglesby to score on a close play at the plate.  Sessa then walked Wentz to load the bases again.  Devlin pinch hit and also drew a walk that forced in a run to give the Tigers a 12-8 lead.  A force out ended the inning, but NA scored four runs on no hits while receiving six walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the fifth, King and Oswald led off with base hits.  Wilt then was able to strike out the next two batters and retire the side on a ground ball to Brozick at third base.  After the Tigers went down in order in the sixth with reliever C.J. Miller pitching, Butler threatened in the bottom of the inning.  With out out, Slepski singled again to left field with Uhlman following with another base hit.  NA Coach Andy Maddix went to the bullpen and brought in senior RHP Greg Piehler who got the next two batters on a fly out and pop fly to Dassner in short right field.  The Tigers took a 12-8 lead into the seventh inning.

After the Tigers did not score in the top of the inning, Piehler retired the side with only a harmless base runner on an NA error.  The Tigers completed the 12-8 victory over an inspired Butler team that had taken a fourth place finish in section all the way to the semifinals.  Boyd finished with three RBIs for the Tigers with Comport driving in a pair of runs.  For his strong effort in relief, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Tanner Wilt as the Player of the Game.

With the win, NA advances to the WPIAL title game against section foe Pine-Richland next Wednesday at Consol Energy Park in Washington, PA.  NA has now won ten straight and will take a record of 20-2 into the championship game.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet beginning with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm.  Game time is scheduled for 7:30 pm.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12  BUTLER - 8

WP - Tanner Wilt (4-0)  LP - Matt Monnie

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WILSON LEADS TIGERS OVER LATROBE, 12-4,
IN WPIAL QUARTERFINALS

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

Senior center fielder Jon Wilson had four hits, including a double, good for two RBIs to lead a Tiger comeback in a 12-4 victory over Latrobe in the WPIAL Quad A quarterfinals at Matulevic Field on Thursday afternoon.  Latrobe took a 3-1 into the fourth inning before the Tigers rallied.  Senior DH Sean Oglesby added a double and two singles as the Tigers banged out 14 hits in the victory.

With a light rain falling, the Tigers took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first.  With two outs, Sean Oglesby singled to right field and stole second.  After junior 3B Justin Brozick walked, senior left fielder Jackson Boyd lined a single to center field to give NA a 1-0 lead.  In the bottom of the inning, RF Nate Campbell lead off with a single to left field but Tiger junior starter Ryan Oglesby got the next three outs.

In the second, senior SS Nick Butterini was hit by a pitch to lead off.  With one out, a ground out moved Butterini to second.  Wilson then singled to short right field, but Butterini was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.  In the bottom of the frame as the rain intensified, the Wildcats scored a pair of runs to take the lead.  Shortstop Brad Burkhart singled to center field to lead off, and left fielder Matt McHenry followed with an infield single.  After a ground out moved both runners up a base, 3B Brian Bossart bounced a single up the middle to score both runs and give Latrobe a 2-1 lead after two innings.

Latrobe added another run in the bottom of the third but it could have been worse.  After a leadoff walk to 1B Lou Downey, center fielder Spencer White drilled a double into the right center field gap to score Downey.  After a wild pitch moved White to third, pitcher Ryan Matsko walked and courtesy runner Chris Trombetta stole second.  With runners on second and third and no outs, Ryan Oglesby got a pop fly, ground out and another pop up to end the inning without further scoring.  The Wildcats took a 3-1 advantage into the top of the fourth.

With the sun now shining, the Tiger bats came alive.  After senior RF Dan Wentz was hit on the helmet with a wild curveball, Butterini sacrificed him to second.  Senior pinch hitter Kurt Devlin came through with a base hit to left moving Wentz to third with Devlin going to second on the throw to the plate.  Senior 2B Jeff Dassner followed with a ground ball to second that scored Wentz to cut the lead to 3-2.  With two outs, Wilson singled to right field to plate Devlin and tie the game.  Sean Oglesby then found the gap in right center field with a run scoring double that put the Tigers on top, 4-3, after three and a half innings.

In the bottom of the fourth, Bossart led off with a single up the middle.  Second baseman Zach Bush tried to sacrifice the runner but bunted back to Oglesby who got the lead runner at second base.  Campbell then singled to center field.  With Downey attempting to bunt, NA senior catcher Matt Ludwig caught Bush off second base for the second out with Downey moving to second on the rundown.  Oglesby followed by striking out Downey to end the inning with the Tigers still up, 4-3.

The Tigers broke the game open in the top of the fourth scoring six runs after the first two batters were out.  Butterini drew a walk and Ludwig was hit by a pitch with sophomore Matt Steinbeck coming in as a courtesy runner.  Dassner followed with a drive into the gap in right center field to score both runners and make it a 6-3 game.  Wilson then hit a long double to the fence in right field to plate Dassner and end the day for Latrobe starter Ryan Matsko.  With reliever Zack Bowman pitching, Sean Oglesby singled to right scoring Wilson to extend the lead to 8-3.  Brozick singled moving Oglesby to second, and Boyd followed with a base hit to drive in Oglesby as the Tigers took a 10-3 lead after four and one half innings.

After White and Matsko singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth, Tiger Head Coach Andy Maddix went to the bullpen and brought in senior right hander Greg Piehler who quickly got the next three batters to retire the side.  Tyler Walker came in to pitch for the Wildcats in the top of the sixth and got the side in order, the only time that happened in the game.

In the bottom of the sixth, Piehler allowed just a harmless two-out single as NA continued to hold the 10-3 lead.  In the top of the seventh, the Tigers added two more runs.  After Dassner walked to lead off the inning, Wilson hit a high hopper that Walker threw wildly to first allowing Dassner to move to third and Wilson to second.  With one out, Brozick singled to center field to drive in both runners and give NA a 12-3 advantage.  Latrobe came back to score a run in the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers came home with an impressive 12-4 victory.

It was a long game with 25 combined hits by the teams, 8 walks, three hit batsmen, and two errors, both by Latrobe.  Oglesby got the victory allowing just three runs over four innings and pitching tough with men on base.  Piehler came in to allow just one run over the final three innings.  For his efforts in leading the strong NA hitting attack, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Jon Wilson as the Player of the Game.

With the win, NA advances to the semifinals against section rival Butler who edged Bethel Park, 5-4, on Thursday.  The game is scheduled for Wednesday night at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township with game time scheduled for 7:00 pm.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the game LIVE on the internet.

Box Score
Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12  LATROBE - 4

WP - Ryan Oglesby (7-0)  LP - Ryan Matsko

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TIGERS PREP FOR WPIAL TOURNAMENT
WITH PAIR OF WINS

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The Tigers won a pair of non-section games on Saturday at the Senior High field as they prepared for the upcoming WPIAL Quad A playoffs.  NA downed Norwin, 12-1, and Kiski Area, 8-1, to complete the regular season with a final record of 18-2.

In the first game, the Tigers put away the Knights early with eight runs in the first and four more in the second.  Norwin scored their only run in the fourth as NA needed only five innings to record the 12-1 victory.  The game marked the return to the mound of senior righthander Mike Zelik.  Senior Max Mellott came in as a relief pitcher in the game.  In the second game, the Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first with the Cavaliers tying the game in the top of the second.  It remained tied until NA scored four in the fifth and three more in the sixth on their way to the victory.  Senior RHP Max Benner was the NA hurler in the second game.

The WPIAL Baseball Committee will meet tomorrow to distribute the pairings for the tournament.  With NA ranked number one in all the local ranking services, the Tigers should get a first round bye.  As soon as the information is available, we will post it on the website.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 12  NORWIN - 1

NORTH ALLEGHENY - 8  KISKI AREA - 1

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TIGERS HOLD OFF NORTH HILLS,
6-5, TO CAPTURE SECTION TITLE

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

The Tigers built a 5-1 lead and held off a furious North Hills rally to defeat the Indians, 6-5, and win the Section I-AAAA championship.  Senior CF Jon Wilson led the way with a triple and double with senior 2B Jeff Dassner, junior 3B Justin Brozick and senior shortstop Nick Butterini all adding doubles for the winning Tigers.  Senior RHP Greg Piehler improved his record to 5-1 with help from sophomore right hander Tanner Wilt who stopped the Indians in the seventh.

In the top of the first, Dassner worked a walk and went to second on a wild pickoff throw.  With one out, senior DH Sean Oglesby singled to center field moving Dassner to third.  When Oglesby was caught off first in a run down, Dassner raced home to give NA a 1-0 lead.

After Piehler got the Indians in order in the first, the Tigers tacked on two more runs in the second.  After a lead off walk to senior LF Jackson Boyd, NH starter Jesse Bauer got a pair of strikeouts.  Boyd then stole second and scored on Butterini's double just inside the left field line.  Senior catcher Matt Ludwig followed with a base hit to right field to score Butterini and make it 3-0.  In the bottom of the inning, 1B Nick Baker singled to left.  Piehler got CF Taylor Schmidt to ground to Butterini who started a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

In the top of the third, Wilson led off with a long double to straight away center field.  Oglesby followed with a fly ball to right field allowing Wilson to tag up and go to third.  Brozick then drilled a single up the middle to score Wilson and make it a 4-0 NA lead.  North Hills came back in the bottom of the third to score a run.  After catcher Danny DiMattio led off with a double down the right field line, two infield singles plated a run.  After three innings, NA held a 4-1 lead.

Both teams went out in order in the fourth, but the Tigers added another run in the top of the fifth.  With one out, Wilson hit a long triple off the fence in right field.  Oglesby came through with a sacrifice fly to right to score Wilson to make it a 5-1 game.  In the bottom of the inning, Piehler got the first two outs.  DH Nick Radacosky singled to right, 3B Joel Leviere followed with an RBI double to deep left field, and left fielder Scott Zubik plated Leviere with a single to right to bring the Indians with two at 5-3.

In the bottom of the sixth, North Hills cut the lead to one.  After Bauer led off with a double into the left center field gap, RF Anthony Valeriano beat out an infield single.  Baker then lined a shot to first baseman Brad Comport who doubled off Valeriano who was running on the play.  Schmidt followed with a two-out single to left field to score Bauer.  Wilt came in to pitch and got DiMattio on a ground ball back to the mound to end the inning.  After six innings, the Tigers held a 5-4 lead.

In the top of the seventh, NA added an important insurance run.  Dassner led off with a double down the right field line and moved to third on a long fly ball by Wilson.  Oglesby followed with a base hit up the middle to score Dassner and make it 6-4.  In the bottom of the inning, Leviere reached on an error and Zubik followed with a base hit to right field.  After a fly ball out to senior right fielder Dan Wentz, Bauer singled to center field to cut the margin to 6-5.  With runners on at first and second, Wilt struck out cleanup hitter Valeriano to end the game.  The Tigers held on for the 6-5 victory.

It was a big win for the Tigers over their archrivals.  The Tigers pounded out nine hits in support of Piehler and Wilt.  Oglesby finished with a pair  of hits and two RBIs for the winning Tigers.  For his efforts at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named senior Jon Wilson as the Player of the Game.

With the win, NA completed the regular season with an 11-1 section record and a 16-2 overall mark.  The section title was the first outright championship since the 2005 season as the Tigers qualified for the playoffs for the 24th consecutive season.  The WPIAL has extended the season until Sunday so teams will be able to makeup games.  As a result, we will not know until Monday who, where, and when the Tigers will play in the WPIAL Quad A playoffs.  As soon as the information is available, it will be posted on the website.

NOTE: There was some question as to the number of consecutive years that NA has made the playoffs.  Thanks to Coach Maddix and information from freshman coach Mark Woods, the Tigers made the playoffs for the first time in 30 years in 1986 when they went 14-3 and won the section title.  It has been playoff time ever since with the Tigers qualifying in each of the last 24 years!

Box Score
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GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  NORTH HILLS - 5

WP - Greg Piehler (5-1)  LP - Jesse Bauer

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TIGERS TOP SENECA VALLEY, 3-1, ON SENIOR DAY

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

The Tigers edged Seneca Valley, 3-1, on Senior Day at the Senior High field on Tuesday afternoon.  Junior 3B Justin Brozick gave NA a 1-0 lead with a home run in the fourth inning.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd had a pair of hits and an RBI while senior 2B Jeff Dassner tripled and scored a run for the winning Tigers.  Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby went six innings without allowing a run in earning his sixth victory without a loss.

With one out in the top of the first, CF Matt Kloos bounced a single into center field.  After Oglesby got a strike out, pitcher Jay Condit sent a long drive to the fence in left field.  The relay from Boyd to senior shortstop Nick Butterini to senior catcher Matt Ludwig nailed Kloos at the plate to keep the Raiders off the board.  In the bottom of the inning, senior CF Jon Wilson beat out a bunt single and stole second.  Condit was able to get the next two batters to keep the game scoreless.

In the top of the second, LF Matt Double led off with an infield single.  After a sacrifice moved Double to second, Oglesby struck out RF Dave Caradi.  With two outs, 3B Blake Henderson singled, but Oglesby got a ground out to short to end the inning.  In the bottom of the inning, senior RF Dan Wentz lined a two-out single up the middle but did not score.

In the top of the third, Oglesby walked a pair of batters but got another ground out to shortstop where Butterini made a good play behind second to get the out.  In the top of the fourth after a one out walk, Butterini made another tough play to turn a double play to end the inning as the game remained scoreless at the halfway point.

In the bottom of the inning, Brozick hit a towering shot down the left field line that just stayed fair to give the Tigers the lead at 1-0.  Boyd followed with a line drive single to left field and then stole second.  After Condit got the next two outs, senior pinch hitter Kurt Devlin drew a walk.  Devlin then stole second and when the throw went into center field, Boyd scored from third.  After four innings, the Tigers had taken a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, base hits by catcher Vinny Rice and pinch hitter Zach Motyl, along with a walk, loaded the bases with two outs.  Once again, a ground ball to shortstop was the answer for Oglesby as the Raiders stranded three more runners.  In the bottom of the fifth, Dassner led off with a long triple to deep center field.  After Condit got the next two outs, Brozick walked.  Boyd then came through with a single to left field to make it a 3-0 Tiger lead.

In the top of the sixth, the Raiders threatened again.  After a lead off single by 2B Brad Johnson and a fly out to right field, Henderson was hit by a pitch.  After a ground out to short moved both runners up a base, Rice drew a walk to load the bases again.  This time, Oglesby got a called third strike on pinch hitter Mike Hughes to end the inning.

Senior Dan Wentz came in from right field to pitch the seventh inning and got the first two batters on ground outs.  Double kept the Raiders hopes alive with a two-out single up the middle, and Johnson followed with a double to deep center field to score Double.  Wentz then caught Caradi looking to end the game with the Tigers picking up the 3-1 victory.

It was a gutsy performance on the mound by Oglesby who allowed nine hits while striking out five and walking five.  When an out was needed, however, Oglesby came through.  For his efforts in giving NA the lead in a scoreless game, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Justin Brozick as the Player of the Game.

With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 10-1, the overall mark to 15-2 on the year.  With the Pine-Richland loss to North Hills, the Tigers can win the section outright with a victory.  NA will travel to North Hills this afternoon to meet the Indians in the section finale.  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.

Box Score
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GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SENECA VALLEY - 1

WP - Ryan Oglesby (6-0)  LP - Jay Condit

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TIGERS ROLL OVER FOX CHAPEL, 10-4

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The Tigers ruined Fox Chapel's Senior Day with a 10-4 victory at Fox Chapel on Saturday afternoon.  Senior first baseman Brad Comport led the way with three hits including a double.  Senior catcher Matt Ludwig also doubled for the winning Tigers.  Senior right hander Greg Piehler earned the victory for NA as he improved his record to 4-1 on the season.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead after two innings and added five more in the third to take a commanding 6-0 advantage.  After NA added three more in the fifth, the Foxes got on the board with a pair of runs to cut the lead to 9-2 after five innings.  The Tigers scored one more run in the sixth and the Foxes answered with two more as NA went home with the 10-4 victory.

With the win, the Tigers jumped into a first place tie with Pine-Richland as they improved their section record to 9-1 with the overall mark going to 14-2.  NA will host Seneca Valley tomorrow afternoon at the Senior High field in a key section contest on Senior Day.  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.  Senior Day activities will begin immediately after the game.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 10  FOX CHAPEL - 4

WP - Greg Piehler (4-1)  LP - Donny Sippel

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TIGERS STOP SHALER, 13-3, IN COMPLETION
 OF SUSPENDED GAME

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

The Tigers scored ten runs in three innings on Friday afternoon at the Senior High field to break a 3-3 tie on their way to a 13-3 victory over Shaler.  In a game that was started on Tuesday, senior catcher Matt Ludwig had three hits good for three RBIs to pace the Tigers while sophomore RHP Tanner Wilt pitched three scoreless innings to earn the win.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd and senior 1B Brad Comport both had doubles in the 13-hit attack.

With the game tied at 3-3 after two innings, Wilt came in to pitch for the Tigers.  With two outs, Shaler 2B Ryan Fazio singled to right field, but Wilt got the third out on a ground out.  In the bottom of the third, the Tigers exploded for five runs as ten batters came to the plate.  With one out, junior 3B Justin Brozick singled to right field.  Boyd was hit by a pitch moving Brozick to second.  Comport lined a single to left field scoring Brozick with both runners moving up a base on the throw to the plate.  Senior RF Dan Wentz followed with a hard ground ball up the middle that hit second base and caromed into right center field as two runs scored to give NA a 6-3 lead.  After a ground out, Ludwig beat out an infield single driving in Wentz who had moved to second on a wild pitch.  The throw to first went into the NA dugout moving Ludwig to second.  Senior Kurt Devlin went in to run and scored on a base hit up the middle by senior 2B Jeff Dassner.  Kreke was then replaced on the mound by Joe Nieman who got the final two outs to end the inning.  The Tigers took an 8-3 lead into the fourth inning.

Wilt gave up a leadoff single to RF Jordan Gruszkowski but then got the next three outs to end the inning.  In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers added four more runs.  With out out, Boyd drilled a long double to the fence in left field.  Comport followed with another double driving in Boyd to make it 9-3.  After Comport stole third, Wentz reached on an error with Comport scoring.  Senior SS Nick Butterini followed with a ground ball to second.  The throw to second went into left field allowing Wentz to go to third and Butterini to second.  Ludwig came through with a base hit to left to plate both runners and make it a 12-3 game.  David Colarusso came in to pitch for the Titans and got the final two outs.  NA led by nine after four innings.

In the top of the fifth, Wilt got the first two outs, but LF Matt Ciensinski drew a walk and Fazio beat out an infield single.  Wilt then got the final out on a ground ball to shortstop.  In the bottom of the inning with one out, Boyd singled to left and went to second on a ground out.  A wild pitch sent Boyd to third.  Wentz then hit a ground ball to first that was bobbled allowing Boyd to score to make it 13-3.  The 10-run rule was invoked to end the game.

It was a good day for the Tigers as they pounded out nine hits in three innings.  For his work at the plate, the North Allegheny Sports Network named Matt Ludwig as the Player of the Game.   With the win, the Tigers improved their section record to 8-1 to remain one-half game behind Pine-Richland.  NA will travel to Fox Chapel today to meet the Foxes in a 3:30 pm section contest postponed from yesterday.  Senior Day has been postponed until Monday before the Seneca Valley game.

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GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 13  SHALER - 3

WP - Tanner Wilt (2-0)  LP - Zack Kreke

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TIGERS TURN BACK BUTLER, 7-2

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The Tigers turned on the extra base power at the Senior High field on Wednesday afternoon in the rain with a home run, three triples and two doubles on their way to a 7-2 section victory over Butler.  Senior left fielder Jackson Boyd homered to pace NA while senior 2B Jeff Dassner, junior 3B Justin Brozick and sophomore RF Brice Nikithser all slammed triples for the winning Tigers.  Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby earned his fifth victory against no losses on the season allowing just two runs and four hits over 6 2/3 innings.  Senior DH Sean Oglesby and senior catcher Matt Ludwig doubled to help the NA cause.

The Tigers opened the scoring in the bottom of hte first.  After Dassner drew a walk, Brozick came through with a two-out triple to score Dassner and make it a 1-0 NA lead.  In the top of the second, Butler tied the game.  Tyler Slepski led off with a double, was sacrificed to third and scored on a ground ball to shortstop.  In the bottom of the second, the Tigers took the lead for good.  After senior 1B Brad Comport led off with a walk, Nikithser drilled a triple off the right center field fence that scored Comport with the go ahead run.  Ludwig followed with a two-base hit that scored Nikithser as NA took a 3-1 lead after two innings of play.

It remained a 3-1 game until the bottom of the fifth.  With two outs, Brozick singled.  Boyd followed with a long home run to score Brozick and extend the lead to 5-1 after five innings.  In the top of the sixth, Butler's Cody Herald led off with a double.  Oglesby got the next two outs, but Bobby Swartout came through with a two-out single to cut the lead to 5-2.  NA answered in the bottom of the inning.  After senior Kurt Devlin pinch hit and singled, Ludwig was hit by a pitch with senior Dan Wentz going in as the courtesy run.  Dassner drove both runners home with a triple to give the Tigers a 7-2 advantage after six innings.  Wentz came in to get the final out in the top of the seventh as the Tigers wrapped up the victory.

With the win, NA stayed within a half game of section leader Pine-Richland as they improved their section mark to 7-1, the overall record to 12-2.  The Tiger and Shaler will attempt to complete their suspended game from Tuesday this afternoon starting in the top of the third inning with the score tied at 3-3.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the continuation of the game starting with the pre-game show at 3:15 pm.  Game time is set for 3:30 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  BUTLER - 2

WP - Ryan Oglesby (5-0)   LP - Zac Sessa

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TIGERS, SHALER STOPPED BY RAIN
AFTER TWO INNINGS

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

The Tigers and Shaler were tied at 3-3 when rain forced a stoppage of play in the top of the third inning at the Senior High field on Tuesday afternoon.  Both teams scored two runs in the first and added a single tally in the second before the umpires and coaches agreed to stop action.

In the top of the first, Shaler first baseman John Orr led off with a double and scored on another double by LF Matt Ciensinski.  With one out, Ciesnsinski stole third and scored on a ground to give the Titans a 2-0 lead.  NA answered in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.  Senior 2B Jeff Dassner led off with a single up the middle and senior CF Jon Wilson followed with a walk.  Senior DH Sean Oglesby then singled to right center field to score Dassner and send Wilson to third.  When Shaler pitcher Zach Kreke threw wild to first on a pick off attempt, Wilson scored the tying run.

In the top of the second, catcher Jake Wockley walked with one out.  Courtesy runner Greg Friend stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.  With two outs and the rain continuing to fall, NA starter Greg Piehler had a pitch slip out of his hand and sail over catcher Matt Ludwig's head allowing Friend to score the go ahead run.  Once again, the Tigers answered in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, senior shortstop Nick Butterini singled to left field.  Ludwig followed with a base hit just inside the left field line with Butterini moving to third on the play.  After courtesy runner Kurt Devlin stole second, Dassner sent a sacrifice fly to right field to score Butterini with the tying run.

The rains continued forcing action to be stopped before the first pitch in the third inning.  The game will be resumed at that point tomorrow afternoon beginning at 3:30 pm.  The North Allegheny Sports Network will be there to broadcast the completion of the suspended game.

The Tigers will host Butler this afternoon 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 time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3  SHALER - 3

Game suspended in top of third inning

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NORTH HILLS FALLS TO TIGERS, 7-1

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The Tigers rebounded from a tough loss to Pine-Richland with a convincing 7-1 victory over rival North Hills at the Senior High field on Saturday afternoon.  Junior Justin Brozick led the NA attack with a double with senior center fielder  Jon Wilson adding a pair of hits.  Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby earned his fourth victory against no losses.  Oglesby worked six innings allowing nine hits and striking four while walking none.  Sophomore Tanner Wilt pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close out the victory.

The Tigers took an early 1-0 lead after one inning.  NA added a pair of runs in the second, one more in the third, and two more in the fourth to boost the margin to 6-0.  After the Indians scored a run in the top of the sixth, the Tigers finished off the scoring with a tally in the bottom of the inning as they completed the 7-1 victory.

With the win, NA remained in a first-place tie with Pine-Richland as they improved their section record to 6-1, the overall mark to 11-2.  The Tigers will host Shaler tomorrow afternoon at the Senior High field as section play continues.  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.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  NORTH HILLS - 1

WP - Ryan Oglesby (4-0)  LP - Anthony Valeriano

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PINE-RICHLAND DOWNS TIGERS, 10-4,
TO TIE NA FOR SECTION LEAD

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The Pine-Richland Rams avenged an earlier defeat to the Tigers with a 10-4 victory at Pine-Richland on Thursday afternoon.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd and senior CF Jon Wilson both had doubles for NA as the Tigers dropped their first section game of the year.

Pine-Richland jumped off to a 4-0 lead after one inning, but the Tigers answered with two in the top of the third.  That was as close as NA would get as the Rams added single runs in the third and fifth and put the game away with four more tallies in the sixth inning.  The Tigers came back with two more in the top of the seventh to make it a 10-4 final.

With the loss, the NA section record fell to 5-1, the overall mark to 10-2 on the season.  The Tigers will host rival North Hills on Saturday afternoon at the Senior High field.  Game time is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
PINE-RICHLAND - 10  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4

WP - Vinny Nittoli  LP - Greg Piehler (3-1)

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TIGERS ROLL OVER PENN HILLS, 19-7

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The Tigers stepped out of section play and posted a 19-7 victory at Penn Hills on Saturday afternoon.  Junior 3B Justin Brozick led the way with a four for five afternoon good for six RBIs.  Senior LF Jackson Boyd homered for the winning Tigers.

After the Tigers scored a run in the first, Penn Hills tallied four in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead.  In the top of the second,   NA scored 12 more runs to take control of the game.  The Tigers made it 18-4 with five in the top of the fourth with the Indians coming back with three in the bottom of the inning.  Another run in the top of the fifth inning finished the scoring as the Tigers took a 19-7 victory in the five inning game stopped by the ten-run rule.

The Tigers pounded out 18 hits in the contest with sophomore winning pitcher Brice Nikithser getting into the act at the plate with a triple and a double.  Senior first baseman Brad Comport blasted a triple, and  Brozick also had two doubles among his four hits.  Nikithser pitched four innings to pick up the victory with senior Dan Wentz pitching an inning of scoreless relief to close out the game.

With the win, NA improved to 10-1 on the season.  With the 3-2 victory by Seneca Valley over Pine-Richland, the Tigers stand all alone in first place in Section 1-AAAA with a 5-0 with just one game left in the first half of section play.  NA will host rival North Hills tomorrow afternoon 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 time is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 19  PENN HILLS - 7

WP - Brice Nikithser (1-0)  LP - Reiss

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TIGERS SCORE LATE TO BEAT SENECA VALLEY, 4-3

To listen to the MSA broadcast, click here!

The Tigers broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the sixth inning as senior CF Jon Wilson's ground out scored senior shortstop Nick Butterini with what proved to be the game winner in a 4-3 win over the Raiders at Seneca on Friday afternoon.  Junior right hander Ryan Oglesby got the win in relief as he held the Raiders scoreless over the final four innings.

The Tigers scored two in the first and added another run in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead behind the hitting of Wilson and senior LF Jackson Boyd who banged out doubles and junior 3B Justin Brozick who drilled a triple.  The Raiders rallied in the bottom of the fourth against NA senior starter Greg Piehler who had shut out SV over the first three innings.  With the bases loaded, Jay Condit doubled and the following Raider hitter singled to tie the game.  Enter Oglesby who came into the contest with runners at 1st and 3rd and no outs.  The NA junior proceeded to strike out the next three batters to get out of the jam and keep the score tied at 3-3.

With the win, the Tigers took over sole possession of first place in Section 1-AAAA with a record of 5-0.  The overall NA record improved to 9-1 on the season.  NA will travel to Penn Hills for a 12:00 noon non-section contest today before returning home on Monday afternoon to host section rival North Hills.  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.  The starting time on Monday is set for 4:00 pm.

Photo Gallery

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 4  SENECA VALLEY - 3

WP - Ryan Oglesby (3-0)  LP - Jay Condit

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WPIAL BASEBALL - 2009

The Tigers will compete again in the WPIAL in Class AAAA along with 26 other teams.  The top three teams in each section will enter the WPIAL tournament.  All playoff entries will be determined by section record only and will be determined by best section won-loss record.  Teams that tie for first place will not have the tie broken and ALL of the tied teams will be declared section champions, will receive a section winner's plaque, and will be entered into the WPIAL tournament.  If three or more teams tie for first place, only those teams will qualify for the playoffs.

In the event of a multiple tie (two or more teams) for a playoff position, head-to-head competition will be the first determinant.  If head-to-head does not break the tie, the following tie-breaking system will be used.  If three or more teams are tied for second place and the tie breaking system identifies one team as the second place team, the remaining teams will be then tied for third place and the process begins all over with head-to-head competition being the first determinant for establishing the third place team.  If a tie cannot be broken all tied teams will enter the playoffs.

TIE-BREAKER SYSTEM

a.  Section won-lost records of the tied teams will be compiled. 
b.  The team(s) with the best numerical head-to-head 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.

In Class AAA, three teams will enter the PIAA tournament.  The third place team from Class AAAA will be determined on the field between the two non finalists.

Postponed games must be played in order of postponement and scheduled on the first common open date.  Make up section games must have preference over exhibition games, JV games, and Junior High games EVEN IF A CANCELLATION OF A NON-SECTION GAME IS REQUIRED TO MEET THIS DIRECTIVE.

During all WPIAL section competition, any game that is interrupted by bad weather prior to becoming a legal game will be declared a suspended game and 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, as listed in Rule 4, Section 2, Article 2, of the National Federation Rule Book will be in effect for all regular and post season play.  Additionally, the fifteen run rule, ending a game after 3 innings, as listed in the PIAA Rules and Regulations will be in effect as well.

WPIAL Championship play is scheduled to begin the week of May 11, 2009.  The finals will be divided between two dates, Tuesday, May 26 and Wednesday, May 27, 2009.  The site will be Falconi Field in Washington, PA.  The WPIAL reserves the right to make adjustments to play dates during the tournament, as it deems necessary.

CLASS AAAA - 27 TEAMS

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