Baseball News

by Randy Gore

The North Allegheny baseball team won its sixth consecutive game on Monday afternoon with a 6-5 home triumph over Central Catholic. The Tigers overcame an early 3-0 deficit and fended off a Vikings rally in the late innings to claim game one of the three-game series.

Coming off series losses to Seneca Valley and North Hills, Central Catholic got off on the right foot in the series opener with a three-run top of the first inning, keyed by a two-run single by junior Landon Greene. North Allegheny starter Nico Varlotta threw 30 pitches in a rocky first inning. However, the North Alabama commit settled into a groove, allowing only one hit, with seven strikeouts over the next four innings.

Varlotta’s ability to silence the Vikings allowed the Tigers to rally back with a big bottom of the third inning. Aided by a walk, a hit batsman, three wild pitches and two errors, North Allegheny needed only two hits to score four runs and grabbed a 4-3 lead. NA’s two hits in the frame were back-to-back RBI singles by senior Miles Pealer and Varlotta.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers expanded the lead to 6-3 on a two-run single by senior Mason Smith. The insurance runs proved pivotal as things got tight in the late innings.

Varlotta pitched into the sixth inning but ran out of gas as the first four batters reached, including an RBI single by Christian Corderio that trimmed the NA advantage to 6-4. With the bases loaded and nobody out, coach Andrew Heck turned to the bullpen and back-end reliever Nate Surman. The right-hander wiggled out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts and allowed only one inherited runner to score on a fielder’s choice RBI by Brady Wilson, which cut the NA lead to 6-5.

In the top of the seventh, Central Catholic started an uprising with a leadoff single by Reece Hankinson and a one-out walk by C.J. Proch to put the game-tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run on the base paths. However, Surman buckled down once again and induced a game-ending double play to secure a 6-5 victory and his third save of the season. Working two critical innings of scoreless relief, Surman was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Varlotta earned the win with five-plus innings of work and seven strikeouts. Central Catholic starter and Ohio University commit, Josh McFadden, was chased in the fourth inning and suffered the loss.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in Section 1-6A. Central Catholic dips to 5-5 overall and 2-5 in section play. The Tigers will face the Vikings on the road in game two of the series on Tuesday afternoon. NA will host Central Catholic in game three on Thursday night in a game that can be heard on the North Allegheny Sports Network.

Baseball Summary vs. Central Catholic, 4-14-25

Score By Innings	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Central Catholic	3	0	0	0	0	2	0	5	7	2
North Allegheny	0	0	4	2	0	0	X	6	7	1

WP - Nico Varlotta (2-0)
LP - Josh McFadden (1-1)
SV - Nate Surman (3)