Lady Tigers Bow Out In WPIAL Quarterfinals

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Top-seeded Canon-McMillan scored three runs in the second inning and held off ninth-seeded North Allegheny, 3-1, on Monday afternoon in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class AAAA softball playoffs.

With two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the second, Jada Kemp laid down a bunt single that scored Mandi Stranges from third for a 1-0 Big Macs lead.  Sophomore Linda Rush followed with a two-run double to score Taylor Bruno and Kemp to expand CM’s advantage to 3-0.

North Allegheny posted only one hit against Canon-Mac pitcher Tara Fowler in the first three innings, but the Tigers mounted continuous threats throughout the remainder of the game.  In the fifth inning, NA got on the scoreboard thanks to a Laura Cotter RBI double that plated Erica Jelinek from first base to trim the score to 3-1, Big Macs.

In the sixth, the Tigers posted back to back two-out singles by Casey Ginocchi and Emily Hogan but Fowler buckled down to end the threat with a fly out. In the seventh, the Tigers led off with back-to-back singles by Logann Woodley and Mackenzie Gostomski. However, Fowler managed to again thwart the Tigers threat with three straight outs to end the ballgame.

Fowler earned the win in a complete game effort, allowing eight hits and one run. Despite being saddled with the loss, Madi Beining held one of the best hitting lineups in the WPIAL to seven hits and limited the Big Macs to their lowest scoring output of the season, three runs.  Canon-McMillan averaged 11 runs per game entering the contest. Offensively for the Tigers, Ginocchi finished with a 3 for 3 day with three singles.

Canon-McMillan improves to 17-3 on the season and advances to the WPIAL semifinals.  North Allegheny’s season ends with a mark of 16-5. Congratulations to the NA players and coaches for another outstanding season and best wishes to the Tiger seniors.

Line Score - NA Softball vs. Canon-McMillan, 5/19/14

Score by Innings1234567RHE
North Allegheny0000100180
Canon-McMillan030000X371
WP - Tara Fowler (13-3) LP - Madi Beining (9-3)