NA Wins WPISL Championship
The North Allegheny slow-pitch softball team won the WPISL championship over the weekend. In four matches and starting as the fifth seed, NA defeated Ellwood City 19-4, North Hills 6-5, Montour 9-6, and in the championship, Seneca 21-10. It’s North Allegheny’s fourth WPISL crown and first since 2011.
Heading into the playoffs, NA was 9-5. First up was a matchup with Ellwood City.
Getting things started, senior Katie Marangoni doubled in the first inning, scoring two runs. In the third inning, the Tigers’ offense exploded, scoring six runs. Batters contributing to this big inning were senior Carly Snyder, junior Nikki Crean, junior Megan Quinlan, senior Lizzie Wetmore, and Marangoni, who all earned RBIs.
NA racked up 19 runs total in the game. Marangoni, Wetmore, junior Evelyn Wiethorn, senior Claire Medic, Quinlan, and junior Emily Yanchak each had multiple hits for North Allegheny Wiethorn, Wetmore, and Marangoni each collected three hits. Marangoni led the team with four RBIs.
Yanchak pitched a great game, only allowing ten hits, four runs, and no walks.
Game 2 of the playoffs wasn’t going to be easy against local rivals and fourth-seeded North Hills.
After NA scored one run in the top of the third, North Hills answered with one of their own. The Tigers scored when junior Audrey Laswell doubled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run. North Hills then answered with a solo homer.
NA took the lead for good with three runs in the fourth inning. In the fourth, Marangoni doubled on a 1-1 count, scoring two runs and Laswell doubled on the first pitch of the at bat, scoring one run.
Yanchak pitched all seven innings, allowing 13 hits and five runs while walking one.
The Tigers collected 13 hits in the game. Wetmore, Laswell, Marangoni, and Crean each managed multiple hits for NA. Wetmore went 3-for-3 at the plate. North Allegheny didn’t commit a single error in the field. Wetmore had the most chances in the field with nine.
The final score was 6-5, Tigers, who headed to the semi-finals to take on top-seeded Montour.
In the first inning, NA got their offense started when Wetmore singled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run.
The Tigers notched four runs in the fourth inning. Senior Madi Klinefelter, Laswell, and junior Sydney Besket, all contributed to the big inning with RBIs.
In the bottom of the seventh, Montour tied up the game with some big hits, forcing the game into extra innings.
This was just the moment Wetmore was waiting for. She smacked it over the fence for the winning run.
NA racked up 17 hits in the game. Laswell, Klinefelter, Marangoni, Wetmore, Quinlan, and Yanchak all managed multiple hits for NA. Klinefelter and Laswell each managed three hits to lead the team. NA was sure-handed in the field and didn’t commit a single error. Wetmore had the most chances in the field with seven.
NA won the game against Montour in extra innings 9-6.
Next up: the finals against second-seeded Seneca Valley
The Tigers got things moving in the first inning, when Quinlan doubled on a 1-1 count, scoring one run.
NA tallied one home run on the day when Klinefelter went for the long ball in the fifth inning with a three-run homer.
NA’s offense was relentless and their defense played tight, earning another five runs in the seventh inning. The rally was led by singles by Crean, Wiethorn, and Klinefelter and an error on a ball put in play by Quinlan.
NA collected 23 hits. Wiethorn, Wetmore, Quinlan, Laswell, Medic, and Klinefelter all collected multiple hits for North Allegheny. Wiethorn went 5-for-5.
NA’s infield played tough. Their pitcher, Yanchak, pitched four beautiful games over two days, walking few and kept the batters guessing. The combination of shortstop Wetmore, second baseman Quinlan, first baseman Marangoni, third baseman Medic, and catcher Besket executed every play, every tag with perfection.
NA’s outfielders, Crean, Wiethorn, Klinefelter, and Snyder covered more ground and made some of the most incredible dramatic catches. With the powerful hitters NA’s team was facing, this was a game won by the outfield.
These athletes, pouring their hearts into this game, working as one, pulled off a 21-10 victory over Seneca and are now the WPISL champions.
A special thanks to coaches Dave Metzger, Bob Beck, and Tom Quinlan for their countless hours and incredible coaching this season.