NA Captures 16th Consecutive Win Over North Hills
The Tigers pounced on North Hills starter Anna McNickle for eight runs, including five in the second inning, in an 8-2 win on Thursday night. The victory was North Allegheny’s 16th in a row over its neighborhood rival. Senior pitcher Madi Beining earned the win for NA with a complete game and struck out seven batters.
McNickle retired the Tigers in order in the first inning with three consecutive strikeouts. However, McNickle’s success was short-lived as the NA lineup rocked the North Hills hurler in the second inning for a 5-0 lead. Freshman Kristen Chomos started the run scoring with an RBI single that plated Rachel Martindale for a 1-0 lead. Mollie Benvenuto made it a 3-0 lead with a laced two-run double to left centerfield, and RBI doubles by Lacey Hilderbrand and Anna Pilotta made it 5-0, North Allegheny.
North Allegheny added on in the third inning as Martindale led off with a walk. A single by Beining and a North Hills throwing error advanced Martindale to third and Beining to second. Chomos followed with an RBI groundout to score Martindale and the NA lead grew to 6-0.
In the fourth inning, Hilderbrand started the frame with a double and scored later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Pilotta. Senior catcher Liz Scherer tacked on another run in the inning to make it 8-0, Tigers, by smashing a McNickle pitch over the centerfield wall for a solo homer.
North Hills managed to score single runs in the fifth and seventh innings but it was too little too late as North Allegheny cruised to an 8-2 victory. Hilderbrand was selected as the Wright Automotive Player of the Game with a 3 for 3 performance, collecting three doubles, two runs and an RBI.
North Allegheny jumps to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in Section 3-AAAA with the win. North Hills dips to 5-2 overall and in section play. The Tigers host the Butler Golden Tornado tonight at 6:00 in another section contest.
Softball vs. North Hills, 4-14-16
| Score by Innings | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Hills | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 3 | |
| North Allegheny | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | X | 8 | 11 | 2 |