Welcome to the
NORTH ALLEGHENY SPORTS NETWORK

The Official Source of North Allegheny Sports
 

GAME SUMMARIES

TIGERS BLANK SPARTANS, 10-0,
TO ADVANCE TO WPIAL SEMIFINALS

To listen to an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(5/16/12) Sophomore Mitch Machi tossed five-plus scoreless innings and drove in two runs in North Allegheny’s 10-0 win over the Hempfield Spartans on Wednesday night.   Machi went 3-for-4 at the plate and invoked the 10-run rule with an RBI single in the 6^th inning to end the Class AAAA quarterfinal contest.  On the bump, Machi went 5 2/3 innings of shutout baseball and struck out eight batters along the way.   For his outstanding pitching and hitting, Machi was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

The game was one-sided from the start as the Tigers scored at least a run in every inning of the game.  Every batter in the line-up produced a hit and all but one delivered either a run or RBI.  Other notable performances included junior catcher Justin Dattilo’s 3-for-4, two RBI day.  Tigers’ shortstop Zach Woloszyk collected two hits with an RBI and run scored, while designated hitter David Steinbeck had two RBI’s and a pair of hits, including a triple.  For Hempfield, it was a quiet night with the exception of a 2-for-2 night for DH Greg Martin. 

North Allegheny improves its record to 13-9 on the season and advances to the AAAA semifinals to face the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.  The Blue Devils upset the top-seeded Norwin Knights on Wednesday, 5-2.   The Tigers semifinal meeting with the Blue Devils will be held at the Burkett Complex in Robinson on Monday night at 7:00 pm.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 10  HEMPFIELD - 0 
 

WP - Mitch Machi (4-2)  LP -Marc Demilio

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS EDGE GATEWAY IN FIRST ROUND,
2-1 IN 10 INNINGS

To listen to an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(5/15/12) Justin Dattilo drove in both of North Allegheny’s runs, including the game winning RBI in the 10^th inning, to lift the Tigers to a 2-1 victory over the Gateway Gators in the opening round of the Class AAAA playoffs. Dattilo’s sacrifice fly drove in George Marsico in the top of the 10^th and reliever Pat Mittereder (5-1) pitched a 1-2-3 bottom half for the victory.  The Tigers first run came across in the third inning when Marsico scored on a two-out RBI double by Dattilo for a 1-0 lead.  Gateway tied the score at 1-1 in the fifth inning on a throwing error that allowed Kristian Seneca to score with two outs.

In the seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Gateway had the lead-off batter reach but could not convert those opportunities into a victory.  In the seventh and ninth innings, Ben Weiner led off by reaching on a single and walk.  In both innings, Kristian Seneca could not get a bunt down and then struck out looking.  Seneca’s failure to sacrifice the runner made the Gateway innings fizzle.

In the top of the 10^th, the Tigers did what the Gators could not in the late innings.  After Marsico led off the frame with a walk, Zach Woloszyk sacrificed Marsico to second base.  James Meeker singled Marsico to third to set the stage for Dattilo’s game winning sac fly RBI.  For his timely RBI’s, Dattilo was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

The contest also featured some strong defense and pitching from both side.  NA’s Sean Fitzgerald threw out a runner at home plate with a rifle toss that erased Seneca for the final out of the second inning.  Gateway centerfielder David Folkmire produced several fine catches, including a top-shelf diving grab in the second inning that robbed Fitzgerald of a base hit.  NA starting hurler Chris Helkowski tossed eight innings, allowing only one unearned run and fanned seven batters.  Gateway starter Luke Kochka matched Helkowki by throwing nine innings with only one earned run crossing the plate against him.   Mittereder earned the win in relief and Conner Olson suffered the loss for the Gators. 

North Allegheny improves to 12-9 overall ,while Gateway’s season ends with a mark of 9-10.  The Tigers will face Hempfield in the WPIAL AAAA Quarterfinals at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township tonight at 7:00 pm.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2  GATEWAY - 1 

WP - Patrick Mittereder (5-1)  LP -Conner Olson

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS RECEIVE 5th SEED,
TO BATTLE GATEWAY IN FIRST ROUND

(5/12/12) The North Allegheny Baseball Team earned the fifth seed in the WPIAL Class AAAA bracket and will battle the Gateway Gators on Monday night at 7:00 pm at Burkett Complex in Robinson Township.   By finishing in second place in ultra-tough Section 3, the Tigers earned the fifth-seed in the tournament.  The Gators hail from Section 4 where they finished tied for third place with Franklin Regional with a 7-5 section mark and a 9-9 overall record.  The playoff meeting between NA and Gateway will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS BURY NORTH HILLS, 9-0, IN REGULAR SEASON FINALE

(5/7/12) The North Allegheny Baseball Team heads to the playoffs on a high note by dominating the rival North Hills Indians, 9-0, on Monday night.  The NA bats put the game away early with all nine runs scoring within the first two innings, giving starting pitcher Chris Helkowski plenty of run support.  The senior right-hander held the Indians in check in the regular season finale with six strong innings, allowing only three hits and fanned five for his third win of the season.   Sean Fitzgerald pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to wrap up the victory for the Tigers.

North Allegheny buried the Indians at the outset with a five-run first inning and a four-run second inning, and never looked back.  Joining the Tigers hit parade, Sean Fitzgerald drove in a pair of runs while Brandon Bergstrom, Justin Dattilo, Jimmy Divosevic and David Steinbeck all posted RBI singles.  However, the top offensive performance belonged to NA third baseman James Meeker.   The junior finished the night with a 4-for-4 performance and scored two runs to go along with his always solid defense at the hot corner.  For his efforts, Meeker was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. 

The Tigers conclude the regular season with a 10-9 overall record and an 8-4 overall mark.  With the loss, North Hills now sits at 2-14 overall and 2-10 in Section 1-AAAA.  North Allegheny will await the WPIAL brackets to see where and when they will play in the post-season, which begins next week.  Continue to monitor the North Allegheny Sports Network website for updated information on brackets and upcoming opponents. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9  NORTH HILLS - 0 
 

WP - Chris Helkowski (3-3)  LP -Christian Lejeune

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS NAB PLAYOFF SPOT

(5/6/12) Despite falling to Seneca Valley on Friday afternoon, the North Allegheny Baseball Team still wrapped up a playoff spot thanks to a Shaler, 5-4, loss at North Hills on Friday night.  Because of the Titans’ loss and an NA sweep of Shaler this season, the Tigers lay claim to one of the three playoff spots coming out of Section 1-AAAA.  There is still one more spot in the section that’s up for grabs.  A Butler win on Monday over Seneca Valley would give the Golden Tornado the third and final playoff spot.  A Shaler win over Pine-Richland on Monday, coupled with a Butler loss, would give the Titans the final playoff position.  Meanwhile, North Allegheny will conclude their regular season schedule with a home contest against the rival North Hills Indians on Monday night at 7:00 pm.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

RAIDERS TRIP UP TIGERS, 7-3

(5/4/12) The Seneca Valley Raiders tripped up the North Allegheny Baseball Team on Friday afternoon with a 7-3 win over the Tigers at Raider Field.  For Seneca, the victory clinched a Section 1-AAAA title and should secure them solid positioning in the WPIAL playoffs.  For the Tigers, the loss means they will have to wait until a Monday night meeting with North Hills for another opportunity to lock up a playoff berth. 

Seneca Valley pitcher Zach Spangler was the catalyst for the Raiders, both on the mound and with the bat.  Spangler limited the Tigers to five hits in seven innings of work and allowed only two earned runs.  Offensively, Spangler led the Raiders with a 3-for-4 day and two doubles.  It was Spangler’s lead-off double in the second inning that opened the way for a Raiders 1-0 lead.  Spangler was replaced on the bases by courtesy runner Zach Bradl who scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly RBI by Connor Coward.  In the bottom of the third, SV added to their lead thanks to a two-run double by Jason Martin and an RBI ground out by Carson Kessler for a 4-0 advantage.   

The Tigers chipped into the Raiders lead in the top of the fourth inning when Brandon Bergstrom led off with a double and was moved to third an out later on a single by Justin Datillo.  Jimmy Divosevic drove Bergstrom home with a sacrifice fly to cut the score to 4-1, Raiders.

Seneca Valley grabbed a firm hold of the game and the section title in the bottom of the fifth with three more runs.  Kessler brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, Jon Dorogy drove in another with an RBI single, and Coward scored from third on a wild pitch to increase SV’s lead to 7-1. 

The Tigers wouldn’t go down quietly however.  After Divosevic reached on an error to start the seventh, Sean Fitzgerald hit a rocket over the left field fence for  a two-run homer.  Fitzgerald was one of the bright spots offensively for the Tigers and ended the day with a 2-for-3 performance.  For his efforts, Fitzgerald was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.  Despite Fitzgerald’s two-run homer, the Tigers would unfortunately come no closer and dropped the contest by a 7-3 final. 

North Allegheny falls to 9-9 overall and 7-4 in Section 1.  Seneca Valley improves to 13-3 on the year and 9-2 in the section.  The Tigers will try again for a playoff berth as NA hosts the North Hills Indians on Monday night.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

GAME SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 7  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3 
 

WP - Zach Spangler  LP -Mitch Machi (3-2)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS ROMP OVER FOX CHAPEL, 7-0

(5/2/12)Senior Chris Helkowski tossed a complete game two-hitter as the North Allegheny Tigers blanked the Fox Chapel Foxes on Wednesday night, 7-0.  Helkowski punched out eight batters and earned his second win of the season.  In the process, Helkowsi lowered his ERA to 1.17 for the season.

Fox Chapel has been a handful for opponents in recent weeks, upsetting the likes of Seneca Valley and Shaler.  North Allegheny made sure there would be no upset on this night as the Tigers bats torched the Foxes pitching for 10 hits. Junior James Meeker led the offensive outburst with a 3-for-4 day and a pair of RBI’s.  David Steinbeck produced a 2-for-3 afternoon with two RBI’s and catcher Justin Dattilo also doubled in two runs.  Sophomore Mitch Machi drove in a run with an RBI double in part of a three-run sixth inning for the Tigers that put the game away.  

The Tigers jump their record to 9-8 overall and 7-3 in Section 1-AAAA, while the Foxes fall to 3-13 overall and 3-8 in the section.   North Allegheny will continue the stretch run toward the playoffs with a visit to Seneca Valley on Friday afternoon for a battle with the defending champion Raiders.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  First pitch is slated for 4:00 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  FOX CHAPEL - 0 
 

WP - Chris Helkowski (2-3)  LP -Michael Letterle

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS LOSE HEARTBREAKER TO BUTLER, 2-1

(4/30/12) A bases loaded two-run single by Colin McKee in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Butler Golden Tornado over the North Allegheny Tigers on Monday night, 2-1, at Pullman Park.  Butler’s bats were silenced throughout much of the game thanks to the pitching of starter Mitch Machi who did not allow a hit until the fifth inning.  However, it was Machi’s mound counterpart, McKee, who delivered the game winning hit and personally provided the run support he needed to pick up the win.

It was clear from the outset that it was going to be a tough night for either team to score runs with the efficient work of both hurlers.  North Allegheny did break through in the fourth inning when James Meeker walked his way on board and catcher Justin Dattilo reached on an error by Butler third baseman Dalton Koebler that moved Meeker to second base.  Jimmy Divosevic followed with a rocket to right field that brought home Meeker and the Tigers had a 1-0 lead.  Divosevic ended the night with a two-hit performance, also collecting a double in the seventh inning.  Defensively, Divosovic was outstanding as well as the centerfielder made a hustling catch on a deep fly ball hit by Koebler in the fifth.  For his efforts, Divosevic was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. 

The Tigers one-run lead held up until the bottom of the seventh.  Mick Fennell led off the inning with a single and was doubled to third by Dante Dorcy.  Dorcy was replaced by pinch runner Anthony Graziani and Dalton Koebler was intentionally walked to load the bases.  The Tigers went to the bullpen as Chris Helkowski trotted to the mound to attempt to pitch NA out of the jam.  However, McKee pushed a 1-2 pitch into shallow right field that brought home Fennell and Graziani for a 2-1 Butler victory.

The Tigers are now tied for second place with Shaler in Section 1-AAAA with a 6-3 record and an 8-8 overall mark.  Butler improves to 10-4 overall and keeps their playoff hopes alive with a 5-4 section record.  North Allegheny hopes to rebound on Wednesday night with a home game against the pesky Fox Chapel Foxes.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm.      

GAME SUMMARY
BUTLER - 2  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1 
 

WP - Colin McKee  LP -Mitch Machi (3-1)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS LEAP INTO FIRST PLACE WITH 2-1
EXTRA INNING WIN OVER SHALER

To hear an archived broadcast of the Tigers win, click here!

(4/25/12) A walk-off RBI by David Steinbeck in the bottom of the ninth inning helped lift the North Allegheny Tigers to an exciting 2-1 victory over the Shaler Titans in a Section 1-AAAA clash on Wednesday night.  The victory vaults the Tigers into first place in the section, a half game in front of Shaler and Seneca Valley.  The clutch RBI by Steinbeck came with the bases loaded and earned the senior designated hitter Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

Caught in another pitcher’s duel, NA’s Chris Helkowski and Shaler’s Matt Bernick matched each other pitch for pitch through the first three innings before the Titans broke through in the fourth.  University of Penn recruit Ryan Mincher smacked a double and was singled home with two-outs by Tom Orr for a 1-0 Shaler lead. 

The Tigers were rendered hitless by Bernick in the first five innings of the contest but North Allegheny finally strung some hits together in the sixth to tie things up.  Brandon Bergstrom led off the inning with a chopper into left field for a single, but Bernick struck out back-to-back batters for two quick outs.  Junior catcher Justin Dattilo singled to keep the inning going and junior centerfielder Jimmy Divosevic lined a single to left to drive home Bergstrom and the game was knotted, 1-1. 

In extra innings, Helkowski gave way to reliever Pat Mittereder in the ninth inning who allowed a single to Taylor Colamarino and a walk to Mincher to start the frame.  Mittereder buckled down and pitched out of trouble with a strikeout of Jim Hughes and a pair of fly-outs to end the inning, keeping the game tied 1-1. 

Shaler pitcher Matt Bernick was outstanding throughout much of the game, but showed signs of wear in the late innings and walked Sean Fitzgerald on four straight pitches to start the bottom of the ninth.  While looking to bunt, Max Lewandowski was hit by a Bernick pitch and was substituted by pinch runner Cody Monper.   With Monper at first and Fitzgerald at second, Mitch Machi placed a perfect bunt on the left side of the infield for a single and the bases were loaded with nobody out.   With the Titans infield playing in, Steinbeck smacked a hard bounding liner that was knocked down on a diving effort by Shaler third baseman Alex McElroy.  The ball caromed away from McElroy and in a last-ditch effort Burnick quickly scooped up the ball and threw home, but the toss was not in time as Fitzgerald slid safely across the plate and the Tigers had claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory. 

For the second straight day, a Tigers starter did not factor in the decision but was key to the victory.  Chris Helkowski worked eight strong innings and allowed only one run while striking out seven without a walk.   Also for the second straight day, Mittereder earned the win in relief with a scoreless inning and ups his record to 4-1.  Bernick suffered the hard luck loss for the Titans, pitching into the ninth and allowing two runs on seven hits. 

North Allegheny leaps into first place with the victory, owning a section record of 6-2 and an overall mark of 8-7.  Shaler drops to 10-3 overall and are now 5-2 in section play.  The Tigers return to action on Monday night with a visit to Butler.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2  SHALER - 1 
 

WP - Pat Mittereder (4-1) LP -Matt Bernick

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

BIG SEVENTH INNING LIFTS TIGERS TO 6-3 WIN
OVER PINE-RICHLAND

(4/24/12) Thanks to a six-run seventh inning, the North Allegheny Tigers outlasted the Pine-Richland Rams on Tuesday afternoon, 6-3.  The road victory, coupled with a Fox Chapel upset over Seneca Valley yesterday afternoon, pulls the Tigers into a second place tie with the Raiders in the Section 1-AAAA standings.

Pine-Richland grabbed the early advantage in the contest when Russell Clark singled home David Laylock for a 1-0 first inning lead.   With NA’s Mitch Machi and PR’s Zack Sharrer dueling on the mound, the score remained 1-0 until the Tigers’ big seventh inning.

Having mustered only three hits all game long, North Allegheny finally got to Sharrar in the final frame with a seven-hit attack.  Max Lewandowski opened the inning with single and advanced to second on a single by Machi.  Chris Helkowski followed with an RBI single to score Lewandowski and the score was quickly tied, 1-1.  Moments later, junior Brandon Bergstrom continued the hit parade with an RBI single to pull the Tigers ahead, 2-1.  George Marsico followed with an RBI double to make it 3-1 and chased Sharrer from the game with the hit.  Rams reliever Jeff Quiring entered the game and promptly allowed a two-run double to James Meeker and the North Allegheny lead swelled to 5-1.  Quiring did settle things down a little with a fly-out of Justin Dattilo and a strikeout of Jimmy Divosevic, but after a walk to Sean Fitzgerald the Tigers struck again on a Lewandowski RBI single to bring the score to 6-1, Tigers. 

The Rams didn’t go quietly in the bottom of the seventh, scoring pair of runs on a Shane Heim double, but Pine-Richland could get no closer as North Allegheny earned a hard fought three-run victory.  Senior Pat Mittereder picked up the win in relief with a scoreless inning to improve to 3-1 on the year.  While Machi wasn’t involved in the decision, he did toss five strong innings in his start and allowed just one unearned run on three hits.  Sharrer’s implosion in the seventh earned him the loss for Pine-Richland.

North Allegheny is 7-7 overall with the win, but more importantly the Tigers are now 5-2 in Section 1.  Pine-Richland falls to 7-6 overall and 3-4 in section play.  The Tigers and Rams have split the season series with each team winning on the road.  North Allegheny will take to the diamond again today for another big section game, this time against the Shaler Titans.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  PINE-RICHLAND - 3 
 

WP - Pat Mittereder (3-1) LP - Zack Sharrer

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS CLOBBER NORTH HILLS, 14-2

(4/20/12) The North Allegheny Baseball Team clobbered the North Hills Indians on Friday afternoon, 14-2.  The Tigers jumped on North Hills for nine runs in the first two innings and won running away.  Leading the hit parade for NA was Justin Dattilo who posted a 2-for-2 day and three RBI’s.  Jimmy Divosevic and Max Lewandowski contributed with two RBI performances.  In all, five different Tigers posted multiple hit days as part of a 17 hit day for the team.   The run scoring was more than enough for pitchers Pat Mittereder and Andew Kuwik who combined for five innings of four-hit baseball, allowing two runs and striking out five.   

The win pulls the Tigers to third place in Section 1-AAAA with a 4-2 section record.  North Allegheny is now 6-7 overall, while the Indians are 1-9 overall and 1-5 in section play.  The Tigers will take to the diamond again this morning against McKeesport, a contest that is the resumption of a game that began on March 23.  The game will pick up at 11:00 am in the fourth inning with NA leading 4-1. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 14  NORTH HILLS - 2 
 

WP - Pat Mittereder  LP - Costa

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

NORTH ALLEGHENY DROPS FIRST PLACE SHOWDOWN
WITH RAIDERS

(4/18/12) The Tigers could not hold an early lead Wednesday night, as Seneca Valley escaped with the victory, 2-1, in a game that featured two of the top teams in Section 1-AAAA.   Brandon Bergstrom’s sacrifice fly to left in the second inning plated Mitch Machi, allowing North Allegheny to strike first against the visiting Raiders.  Machi doubled earlier in the inning, setting the table for the Tigers’ lone run of the game, and earning Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors. 

From that point on, Seneca Valley hurler Zach DeTillio shut down the North Allegheny offense.  A key moment in the game occurred with one out in the bottom of the 5^th inning.  With a pair of runners on base, North Allegheny appeared to be in prime position to add to their 1-0 lead.  However, DeTillio fanned back to back Tiger hitters, ending the inning unscathed. 

Seneca Valley struck for both of their runs in the top of the sixth.  After the first two batters reached, Tiger starter Chris Helkowski managed to strike out Sam Fragale.  A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, allowing an Austin Bream sacrifice fly to score Jon Dorogy from third, knotting the game at 1-1.  Soon thereafter, a double laced down the right field line pushed home the go-ahead run for the Raiders.  Despite being saddled with the loss, Helkowski pitched well, keeping Raider hitters off balance for much of the night.  Despite his strong effort on the bump, the North Allegheny offense was unable to answer the Seneca Valley rally in the final two innings.

With the victory, Seneca Valley maintains their position atop Section 1, tied with the Shaler Titans at 4-1.  The Tigers now fall a game back with a 3-2 section record.  North Allegheny will look to bounce back on Friday at North Hills.  First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
SENECA VALLEY - 2  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1 
 

WP - Zach DeTillio   LP - Chris Helkowski (1-3)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

MITCH MACHI TOSSES NO-HITTER AGAINST FOX CHAPEL, TIGERS WIN 6-2

(4/16/12) North Allegheny sophomore Mitch Machi tossed a no-hitter and struck out nine on Monday night to lift the Tigers to a 6-2 victory over Fox Chapel.  The Foxes scraped two runs across the plate in the sixth inning without the benefit of a base-hit following a pair of walks to start the frame.  Fox Chapel scored on an RBI ground-out and a sacrifice fly later in the inning to break the shut-out, but the no-hitter remained intact. North Allegheny shortstop Brandon Bergstrom made two great defensive plays to help preserve the no-hitter. Bergstrom made a fantastic catch in the first inning and a phenomenal play in the sixth inning by ranging to his left on a ground ball behind the second base bag. This wasn’t the first time the Foxes have been no-hit by a North Allegheny hurler.  The Tigers last no-hitter also came against Fox Chapel and was thrown by Ryan Oglesby in five-innings during a 10-0 victory in May 3, 2010.   

Offensively, North Allegheny scored three runs in the second inning on a Machi RBI ground out, Chris Helkowski, and an RBI double by Bergstrom.   NA added to their lead with another run in the fourth inning on a Bergstrom sacrifice fly.  In the fifth inning, Justin Dattilo tripled home James Meeker,  and moments later a Lewandowski single brought home Dattilo to increase the Tigers lead to 6-0.  Despite Fox Chapel’s two runs without a hit in the sixth, the Tigers forged on for their third straight section victory.

North Allegheny improves to 3-1 in Section 1 and is locked in a three-way tie for first place.  The Tigers overall mark improves to 5-6 while the Foxes remain winless at 0-10.  North Allegheny will host the defending WPIAL champions on Wednesday night as the Tigers face the Seneca Valley Raiders.  The game will be broadcast live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.       

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6  FOX CHAPEL - 2 
 

WP - Mitch Machi (3-0)   LP - J.T. Terwilliger

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

PITCHING, DEFENSE HELP TIGERS EDGE BUTLER 2-1

To listen to an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(4/13/12) A terrific outing by starting pitcher Chris Helkowski, and an equally impressive performance by the defense behind him, helped North Allegheny defeat the Butler Golden Tornado on Friday night, 2-1.  Helkowski limited the Golden Tornado to just one run on three hits in six innings of work and received ample help from his defense.  In particular, shortstop Brandon Bergstrom made several top-shelf plays including a diving catch in the third inning that robbed Butler’s Tom Bruce of a base hit.  Pitching with plenty of confidence in his defense, Helkowski worked quickly and did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, and at one point, retired 10 straight batters from the first inning through the fourth.  For his strong start on the bump, Helkowski was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game. 

The Tigers bats gave Helkowski all the run support he would need in the first inning as George Marsico led off the frame with a base hit.  Two outs later, Jimmy Divosevic stroked a liner over Butler centerfielder Alex Ziegler’s head for an RBI triple and the Tigers took a 1-0 lead.  Sean Fitzgerald followed with an RBI double to drive home Divosevic and the NA lead grew to 2-0. 

Butler’s lone run came in the fifth inning on a two-out RBI single by Bruce that scored Dalton Koebler to cut the Tigers advantage to 2-1.  Golden Tornado pitcher Mick Fennell took the loss in the game but certainly pitched well enough to deserve a different fate, keeping his team in the game by tossing six innings and allowing only two runs on five hits and struck out nine. 

In the top of the sixth, Butler threatened to tie the score with a runner at second base and one out, but Helkowski thwarted the rally by striking out Colin McKee and David Thompkins, the three and four batters in the order, to end the inning.  Tigers’ reliever Patrick Mittereder entered the game in the seventh, and after allowing a single to Matt Baranchak, the right-hander induced a pair of ground outs to end the ballgame and give the Tigers a 2-1 victory.  Mittereder earned his first save of the season with the scoreless inning of relief. 

North Allegheny improves to 4-6 overall and 2-1 in section play.  Butler dropped their second straight game, falling to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the section.  The Tigers will try to build on the win with a home meeting with the Fox Chapel Foxes on Monday night.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 2  BUTLER - 1 
 

WP - Chris Helkowski (1-2)   LP - Mick Fennell   SV - Pat Mittereder (1)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS CAN'T OVERCOME EARLY DEFICIT,
FALL TO HEMPFIELD

by Brandon Showers

For an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(4/12/12) North Allegheny falls to out of section opponent Hempfield, 6-3, on Thursday night.  It was a tough loss for the Tigers because after they fell behind 6-0 early, the Tigers scratched and clawed back into the game and did not give up until the 27^th out. 

Hempfield started out the game going up 2-0 in the first inning after a two-out triple from Joe DeFloria sparked their offense.  Anthony Fanelli came up to the plate and had an RBI single plating DeFloria.  Designated hitter Greg Martin came to the plate after Fanelli and gapped a triple into the right center field gap.  To lead off the second inning for Hempfield, Cody Dallicandro hit one of his two home runs just getting over the left field wall.  The third inning was no better for North Allegheny in the field as Delafloria singled and scored on a Martin two-run homerun clearing the right field wall.  After that, Dallicandro took one over the left field wall and this one he left no doubt when making contact.  The homer made the score 6-0 and that would be all the scoring Hempfield would need this game.

For North Allegheny, after starting pitcher J.T. Zeitler gave up the second homerun to Dallicandro a pitching change was made bringing eventual Wright Automotive player of the game, Andrew Kuwik, to the bump to finish out the next 3 1/3 innings as the senior struck out 6 of the 10 possible outs he had. 

Kuwik stopped the bleeding and gave momentum to the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth when Jimmy Divosevic singled and advanced to second two batters later on an error by the first baseman off the bat of David Steinbeck.  Both Divosevic and Steinbeck advanced a base on a walk to James Meeker.  Next batter for North Allegheny, Brandon Bergstrom, had a two-RBI single platting Steinbeck from second.  Meeker later scored from a walk drawn by Noah Davis, the pinch hitting left fielder to cut the Hempfield lead to 6-3.  That was all the runs North Allegheny could plate, but not by lack of trying. 

In the 7^th inning, North Allegheny started a would be rally when Justin Dattilo led off with a single and advanced to second on a single from Divosevic.  Both runners then advanced a base on a walk to Dillon Bleumling by Jarred Hensler to fill the bases full of Tigers.  Hensler buckled down though and closed out the save when Meeker grounded out to the second to end the ball game.

North Allegheny falls to 3-6 with the non-section loss, while Hempfield improves to 5-2 on the season.  The Tigers get back to section play tonight with a home meeting with the Butler Golden Tornado.  The game will be carried live on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm.    

GAME SUMMARY
HEMPFIELD - 6  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 3 
 

WP - Zack Martinelli (3-0)   LP - J.T. Zeitler (0-1)  S - Jared Hensler

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

THREE-RUN SIXTH LIFTS BLACKHAWK OVER
 NORTH ALLEGHENY, 9-6

(4/6/12) The Blackhawk Cougars used a three-run sixth inning to outlast the North Allegheny Baseball Team on Thursday night for a 9-6 victory.  The Cougars broke a 6-6 tie on a Nick Martin RBI double and followed that up with a two-out, two-run double by Adam Rousseau to provide Blackhawk with the margin of victory.  

The Tigers battled back several times to pull themselves even with the Cougars by the fifth inning.  North Allegheny fell behind 5-0 in the top of the third, but responded with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, thanks in part to a two-run triple by Jimmy Divosevic, to bring the score to 5-4, Cougars.  After Blackhawk scored again in the top of the fifth to increase their lead to 6-4, North Allegheny tied the game in the bottom of the frame on a Justin Dattilo two-run double.  However, Blackhawk’s three run sixth would be the difference in the game. 

Joe Lopez was the winning pitcher for the Cougars with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.  Travis Hunter was saddled with the loss for the Tigers.  Zach Woloszyk and Jimmy Divosevic did provide quality innings in relief for North Allegheny, combining for 3 2/3 innings and allowing just one unearned run. 

North Allegheny’s overall record drops to 3-5 with the non-section loss while Blackhawks remains undefeated at 6-0.  The Tigers will have the next few days off before hosting Hempfield on Tuesday night in another non-section affair.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm. 

GAME SUMMARY
BLACKHAWK - 9  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6 
 

WP - Joe Lopez   LP - Travis Hunter (0-1)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SHALER
MISCUES FOR 7-2 VICTORY

To hear an archived broadcast of the game, click here!

(4/4/12) North Allegheny capitalized on three Shaler errors and used another strong outing from starter Mitch Machi to chop down the Titans on Wednesday afternoon, 7-2, at Matulevic Field.  Machi scattered five hits over five innings, allowing just one run and struck out four to earn his second win of the season.  Machi’s effort earned him Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors. 

North Allegheny used small ball throughout the day against Shaler to perfection.  On the first pitch of the game, Machi was hit by a Matt Bernick pitch and was replaced by courtesy runner, Cody Monper.  Monper advanced to second on a ground ball by Max Lewandowski and moved to third on a ground out by Justin Dattilo.  With two away in the inning, Jimmy Divosevic beat out an infield single to score Monper and the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead.  North Allegheny added on in the second inning when George Marsico belted his first hit of the year with two outs to drive home James Meeker and the score read 2-0, Tigers.

With Machi and Bernick pitching well through the first three innings, the Titans began to unravel in the fourth.   Shaler committed three errors as North Allegheny scored five runs with only one ball leaving the infield.  With Chris Helkowski at first base and Sean Fitzgerald at second base and nobody out, Meeker laid down a sacrifice bunt that was handled by Bernick on the left side of the infield.  Bernick tossed errantly toward third and Fitzgerald scored to make the score 3-0, Tigers.  Noah Davis followed with an infield RBI single and Marsico brought home another run to make it 5-0 when his ground ball was booted by Shaler third baseman Taylor Colamarino.  Later in the inning with two outs and two on, Dattilo made it 7-0, Tigers, with a two-run single up the middle. 

Shaler did their best to fight back in the later innings with RBI’s by Derek Sullivan and Ryan Mincher, but the Titans rally fell well short as Pat Mittereder pitched the final 1 1/3 innings to cap off the North Allegheny victory.  Offensively for the Tigers, Dattilo, Divosevic and Davis all finished with multiple hit games.  NA also had two RBI contributions from Dattilo and Marsico. 

The Tigers improve to 3-4 overall and 1-1 in Section 1.  Shaler falls to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in section play.  North Allegheny will host Blackhawk on Thursday night at NASH.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 pm.    

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 7  SHALER - 2 
 

WP - Mitch Machi (2-0)   LP - Matt Bernick

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

RAMS TOPPLE TIGERS, 6-1, IN SECTION OPENER

(4/2/12) Pine-Richland pitcher Marcus Collela allowed just one run on five hits and held down the North Allegheny Tigers for a 6-1 Rams victory on Monday night.  Max Lewandowski drove in the Tigers only run of the game with an infield single in the first inning that scored Mitch Machi to put NA ahead, 1-0.  After that, Collela would permit no more by using a looping breaking ball to keep the Tigers hitters off balance.  Rams reliever Zach Sharrar, who entered the game in the sixth inning with a two-run lead, tossed two scoreless innings to earn the save.

Following the Tigers lone run in the first inning, Pine-Richland quickly tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning on an RBI single by Jack Hudak.  Hudak came through again in the third inning with a two-out, two-run double to give the Rams a 3-1 lead.  With PR still threatening with runners at second and third, North Allegheny starting pitcher Chris Helkowski buckled down and limited the damage by striking out Mike Wood to end the inning.  Despite suffering the loss, it was a solid performance by Helkowski who worked five innings and allowed just three runs on five hits.  For his efforts, Helkowski was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

The score remained 3-1 before Pine-Richland took command of the game in the seventh inning.  Shane Heim drove in one run in the seventh and Russell Clark capped the scoring with a two-run double to help give the Rams a 6-1 victory.  The lone offensive bright spot in the loss for the Tigers was right-fielder Sean Fitzgerald who posted a 2-for-3 day with a pair of singles.

North Allegheny falls to 2-4 overall and 0-1 in section play.  The Rams improve to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the section.  The Tigers will try to bounce back in their next outing on Wednesday afternoon at Shaler.  First pitch is slated for 4:00 pm and the game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network. 

GAME SUMMARY
PINE-RICHLAND - 6  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 1 
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

DIVOSEVIC'S TWO HOMERS NOT ENOUGH,
NORWIN EARNS 10-9 WALK OFF

(3/30/12) Junior Jimmy Divosevic clobbered Norwin pitching for two home-runs and four RBI’s, but ultimately it wasn’t enough as the Knights outslugged North Allegheny for a 10-9 win on Friday afternoon.  Divosevic’s big day began a 3-for-3 performance with a three-run blast in the top of the first inning to give NA a 3-0 lead.  The Knights responded with three runs in the bottom of the first, four runs in the second and added another in the third to take an 8-3 lead. 

Divosevic scored the Tigers fourth run of the game when he was doubled home by Sean Fitzgerald in the fifth to trim the Norwin lead to 8-4.  With two outs in the top of the sixth, North Allegheny started a remarkable rally.  Justin Dattilo singled home Jason Monper to cut the score to 8-5, and Max Lewandowski brought the Tigers all the way back with a three-run blast to knot the score at 8-8.  Divosevic made it back-to-back long balls with his second homer of the game, and NA came all the way back to grab a 9-8 lead.

Unfortunately for North Allegheny, the Tigers could not hold on to their lead as Norwin walked off with a 10-9 victory in the bottom of the seventh.   In a wild, back and forth game, the lead changed hands four times.  It was a rough day to be a pitcher as the two teams combined for 23 hits and six errors.   Divosevic was the starting pitcher for the Tigers but was chased from the game in the second inning.  Pat Mittereder suffered the loss in relief.

The loss drops North Allegheny to 2-3 on the season.  The Tigers play their section opener on Monday night as they host the rival Pine-Richland Rams.  The game will be carried live via the internet on the North Allegheny Sports Network.  

GAME SUMMARY
NORWIN - 10  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 9 
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA TOPPLES TALBOTS, 5-2

(3/29/12) The North Allegheny Baseball Team won their second game of the season on Thursday afternoon, a 5-2 victory over Hampton, behind a strong pitching performance from starter Mitch Machi.  The sophomore hurler blanked the Talbots in his five innings of work and struck out five.  Machi earned the victory for his first win of the year.

While Machi kept the Hampton bats quiet, the Tigers took the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jimmy Divosevic tripled home Max Lewandowski to give NA a 1-0 lead.  Sean Fitzgerald followed that up with an RBI single to bring home Divosevic and lead jumped to 2-0, Tigers. 

In the bottom of the fifth, North Allegheny added on with a Divosevic RBI single to drive in James Meeker to bring the score to 3-0, Tigers.  With two runners aboard, Fitzgerald clubbed a two-run triple to swell the NA lead to 5-0.

Hampton made things interesting with a two-run sixth inning to cut NA’s lead to 5-2.  However, the Tigers shut the door on the Talbots in the seventh inning as Fitzgerald stepped to the mound and collected his first save of the season.   Fitzgerald not only notched the save but finished the day with three RBI’s as well.   

North Allegheny evens their record on the season to 2-2 while Hampton falls to 0-3.  Weather permitting; the Tigers are back in action Friday afternoon with a meeting with the Norwin Knights. 

GAME SUMMARY
NORTH ALLEGHENY - 5  HAMPTON - 2 
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS DROP SECOND STRAIGHT,
FALL TO MT. LEBANON 9-6

(3/28/12) North Allegheny outhit Mt. Lebanon on Wednesday night, but it was the Blue Devils who won the game by defeating the Tigers, 9-6.  Mt. Lebanon jumped on the Tigers with a four-run top of the first inning and held a healthy lead throughout much of the game.   With the Blue Devils leading 6-2 in the top of the seventh, Cory Wuenschell smacked a three-run homer to increase the Mt. Lebanon advantage to 9-2.

However, the Tigers would not go away quietly in the bottom of the seventh.  With the bases loaded and one out, Sean Fitzgerald came through with an RBI single to cut Mt. Lebanon’s lead to 9-3.  With Blue Devils starter Mike Duffy faltering in the final inning, Ian Happ entered the game in relief and promptly walked Chris Helkowski with the bases filled to trim the score to 9-4.  Junior James Meeker kept the Tigers carousel moving with an RBI single and Brandon Bergstrom followed with an RBI single to bring the score to 9-6.  With the potential game winning run now standing at the plate, Happ buckled down and struck out back-to-back batters to finally put an end to the NA rally.

Of North Allegheny’s 12 hits, four Tigers posted two hits apiece, including Mitch Machi, Max Lewandowski, James Meeker, and Sean Fitzgerald.  Meeker also collected a pair of RBI’s in the contest.  On the mound, Chris Helkowski suffered the loss to drop his record to 0-1.

The Tigers fall to 1-2 overall with non-section loss while Mt. Lebanon improves to 2-1.  North Allegheny will host Hampton this afternoon at 4:00 pm.

GAME SUMMARY
MT. LEBANON - 9  NORTH ALLEGHENY - 6 
 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

NA'S COMEBACK BID FALLS SHORT TO LATROBE, 4-3

(3/27/12) The Latrobe Wildcats took a two-run lead into the bottom the seventh and narrowly held off a Tigers rally to beat North Allegheny, 4-3, on Tuesday afternoon.  North Allegheny plated one run in the seventh to cut the deficit but Dan Trettel flied out to end the ball game as Latrobe escaped with the win.  The loss drops NA's record to 1-1 on the season, while Latrobe evens their mark to 1-1.  The Tigers will look to bounce back tonight with a game against the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils.  First pitch is slated for 7:00 pm from NASH. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

TIGERS POUND BALDWIN FOR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

(3/26/12) The North Allegheny baseball team won their first game of the season on Monday night with an 11-1 trouncing of the Baldwin Highlanders.  After a rain suspension and rain out over the weekend, the game against Baldwin was the first to go final for the Tigers, giving NA a 1-0 record to begin the year.  Baldwin falls to 0-2 on the season, having dropped their first two contests by a combined 25-4.  North Allegheny will continue their non-section schedule with a make-up game against Latrobe this afternoon.   

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

HUNGERMAN REPORTS TO
CACTUS LEAGUE WITH ROCKIES

(2/27/12) Former North Allegheny baseball player Josh Hungerman has reported to spring training in Arizona for another season in the Colorado Rockies organization.  The southpaw was drafted by the Rockies in the 17^th round of the 2009 draft and spent all of last season with the Asheville Tourists of the Class A South Atlantic League.  In his three-year pro career, Hungerman has made 73 appearances, including 23 starts, for an 8-8 record and a 3.94 ERA.  While in high school, Hungerman was a talented player for the Tigers and was named the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Player of the Year his senior season at North Allegheny with a 12-1 record and a 1.35 ERA.  Good luck to Josh Hungerman this spring and summer with the Rockies! 

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

MARSICO TO ATTEND
HEIDELBERG UNIVERSITY

North Allegheny senior George Marsico has chosen Heidelberg University to continue his education and baseball career.  Marsico has been a speedy base runner and solid infielder for the Tigers, and will look to do the same for a Heidelberg team that finished 36-13 last season.  The Student Princes also finished the 2011 campaign with a mark of 13-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference and reached the Mideast Regional of the NCAA Division III tournament.  Marsico will surely be a nice fit with the Heidelberg University baseball program. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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