Baseball News

Postseason accolades continue to roll in for the WPIAL champion North Allegheny baseball team. Head coach Andrew Heck was named the WPIAL Class 6A Coach of the Year on Sunday by the Trib Live High School Sports Network. Additionally, senior pitcher David Posey was selected to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s All-Area Team and Trib HSSN‘s Terrific 10.

During the 2024 season, Heck led North Allegheny to a 17-7 season and a ninth WPIAL championship. He also notched his 150th career coaching victory on April 15 when the Tigers defeated the Allderdice Dragons, 14-4, in six innings.

Posey, a U.S. Naval Academy commit, was also a key contributor to NA’s WPIAL crown and delivered a dazzling performance in the title tilt against Mt. Lebanon. Posey hurled a no-hitter in a 1-0 shutout of the Blue Devils. On the season, the right-hander led the Tigers with a 7-0 record on the bump with a 2.39 ERA. He also led the squad in innings pitched (38) and strikeouts (53).

Below is the snippet from the Coach of the Year recognition for Coach Heck and Terrific 10 honor for Posey, as written by Don Rebel of Trib HSSN. Below is also a brief on Posey by Mike White of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Coach of the Year: Andrew Heck, North Allegheny

While it may seem like the North Allegheny baseball team is in the WPIAL Class 6A championship game every spring, it has only happened six times in eight years. Heck has been a part of those journeys to the finals after taking over the tradition-rich program in 2017. The Section 1-6A title came down to the final day of section play as North Allegheny lost a heartbreaker to Pine-Richland to finish in second place. The No. 3-seeded Tigers avenged that loss in the district semifinals, then behind David Posey’s no-hitter, blanked two-time champion Mt. Lebanon in the 6A finals, 1-0. North Allegheny finished 17-7 in capturing a district-leading ninth baseball crown and second for Heck in four years.

David Posey

North Allegheny, sr., P/1B

Posey knew his Tigers needed a big outing from him on the mound in the WPIAL 6A final, and he responded with a no-hitter and 11 strikeouts. The Navy baseball recruit went 7-0 with a 2.39 ERA while striking out 53 in 38 innings. He also contributed at the plate with 15 RBIs and a .395 on-base percentage. The WPIAL title was a record ninth for North Allegheny.

David Posey • North Allegheny

Position: P-1B • Year: Senior

Developed into one of WPIAL’s top pitchers this year. Threw a no-hitter in the WPIAL Class 6A final against two-time defending champ Mt. Lebanon. Finished with a 7-0 record and allowed only 18 hits in 38 innings while striking out 53. Was 11-1 the past two seasons with 99 strikeouts. Will play at Navy.

The Big 56 Conference announced its all-section teams for Class 6A baseball on Friday and 12 members of the North Allegheny baseball team were recognized.

Receiving first-team laurels in Section 1-6A were junior second baseman Mason Smith, senior centerfielder Matthew Parreaguirre and senior pitcher David Posey.

Second-team accolades went to junior shortstop Augie Maslo, senior third baseman Owen Schall, freshman outfielder J.J. Mancuso, senior catcher Andrew Dixon, senior designated hitter J.D. Costanzo and senior utility player Nico Varlotta.

Honorable mention recognition was received by junior catcher Michael Hershberger, junior pitcher Jackson Walsh and senior pitcher Greg Schmidt.

For a look at the all-section teams, click here.

Four members of the North Allegheny baseball team signed their letters of intent on National Signing Day on Wednesday. Making their college choices official were seniors J.D. Costanzo (West Virginia University), Charles Mau (Penn State University), David Posey (United States Naval Academy) and Gregory Schmidt (Mercyhurst University).

Costanzo is coming off an outstanding junior campaign in which he was named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s All-Area Team and was tabbed second-team all-section by the Big 56 Conference. Costanzo had three games of 12 strikeouts or more, including a career-high 15 strikeouts against Trinity in the regular season finale. Costanzo finished the season with 91 strikeouts in 49.1 innings, the third highest single-season strikeout total in program history. The southpaw hurler posted a 6-4 record with a 1.85 ERA in 11 appearances and nine starts. Costanzo is undecided on his major at WVU.

As a junior, Mau made five appearances out of the NA bullpen and worked 6.2 innings. He posted a record of 1-0 and allowed five earned runs with six walks and nine strikeouts. Mau will major in Business at Penn State.

Posey was a Big 56 Conference honorable mention selection and one of North Allegheny’s top two pitchers in the starting rotation during the 2023 season. In 10 games and eight starts, the right hander posted a 5-2 record with a 1.90 ERA. In 44.1 innings, Posey struck out 61 batters and walked 29. Posey is undecided on his major.

Schmidt made five appearances on the mound during his junior season, with six innings of work and seven strikeouts. Schmidt will plans to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Management at Mercyhurst.

North Allegheny senior David Posey will continue his baseball and academic career at the United States Naval Academy. Posey announced his verbal commitment via social media on Friday.

As a junior, Posey was a Big 56 Conference honorable mention selection and one of North Allegheny’s top two pitchers in the starting rotation. In 10 games and eight starts, the right hander posted a 5-2 record with a 1.90 ERA. In 44.1 innings, Posey struck out 61 batters and walked 29.

I’m excited to announce my commitment to the United States Naval Academy where I will further my academic and athletic career.🔱
All glory to God✝️ pic.twitter.com/yvbV5xGVtJ

— David Posey (@DavidPosey3) September 22, 2023

North Allegheny incoming junior Nico Varlotta will continue his academic and athletic career at West Virginia University. His verbal commitment was announced on social media on Tuesday.

As a sophomore at North Allegheny last season, Varlotta made an instant impact to the pitching staff with a 2-0 record, one save and a 2.44 ERA in nine appearances. Varlotta also made three starts, which included a complete game, no-hitter against Allderdice on April 20, 2023.  The no-hitter was the first by the Tigers since 2021 and the first seven-inning no-hitter since 2016. Varlotta’s brilliance against Allderdice also marked the first seven-inning, complete-game no-hitter since Mitch Machi twirled a no-no against Fox Chapel on April 6, 2012.

At WVU, Varlotta will play alongside recent NA graduate, Spencer Barnett, and current teammate, J.D. Costanzo. The Mountaineers, one of the top baseball programs in the country, went 40-20 last season, reached the Big 12 Conference championship and the NCAA tournament.

I am blessed to announce that I will be continuing my academic and athletic career at West Virginia University. All glory to God! Special thank you to my family, friends, and coaches! @Spikes_Baseball @BattlegroundBG @chaserowe23 @Josh_Sharpless @joe_professori @stevesabins

— Nico Varlotta (@VarlottaNico) August 2, 2023

North Allegheny senior Charles Mau will continue his academic and baseball career at Penn State University. The southpaw hurler announced his verbal commitment via Social Media on Tuesday.

As a junior, Mau made five appearances out of the NA bullpen and worked 6.2 innings. He posted a record of 1-0 and allowed five earned runs with six walks and nine strikeouts. Mau was a part of North Allegheny’s run to the WPIAL championship game and PIAA quarterfinals in 2023.