Baseball News

By: Randy Gore

North Allegheny rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh for a thrilling 5-4 walk-off win over Central Catholic on Thursday night. The stunning victory completed a three-game sweep of the Vikings and was the eighth consecutive for the Tigers. The win also clinched a playoff berth for North Allegheny.

On a night that saw the teams combine for 14 walks, three hit batsmen and four wild pitches, the tone was set early as Central Catholic capitalized on two walks, a passed ball, and an error to score the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. With runners at the corners and one out, the Vikings executed a successful double steal, with Reece Hankinson crossing the plate for a 1-0 lead.

Central Catholic increased the lead to 3-0 in the second inning thanks to an RBI groundout by Brady Wilson and a two-out RBI double by C.J. Proch. Wilson’s fielder’s choice RBI groundball in the third inning made it 4-0, PCC. The Vikings had a chance to blow the game wide open in the third inning but squandered a bases-loaded situation as NA starter Jackson Walsh buckled down for a strikeout of Landon Greene, keeping the Vikings’ lead at four runs. Walsh’s strikeout and the relief work of senior Colin Moore proved pivotal to the comeback win. Moore silenced Central Catholic for the remainder of the game and permitted only two hits in four scoreless innings of relief. Moore struck out seven batters and ultimately earned the win, making him an easy choice for Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors.

Central Catholic starting pitcher Ryan Tatar, a University of Connecticut commit, was sharp in the first four innings and limited NA to only four baserunners and one hit, a harmless bunt single in the second inning. However, Tatar ran into trouble in the fifth inning as he walked three batters and hit two others, allowing the Tigers to score their first run. A sacrifice fly by Miles Pealer drove in Mason Dratfinsky, cutting the PCC lead to 4-1. The Vikings limited the damage as a baserunner was thrown out at third by left fielder Wilson, and reliever Nathan O’Leary struck out a batter with the bases loaded, keeping the Vikings’ lead at 4-1.

In the sixth inning, PCC reliever Josh McFadden struck out a batter to leave the bases loaded to thwart an NA threat, but the Tigers were able to rally against the right-hander in the bottom of the seventh. After McFadden struck out the inning’s first batter, Christian Simons drew a walk and advanced to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Nate Surman lifted a deep fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly to score Simons, cutting the deficit to 4-2. On the same play, the fly ball was dropped by Wilson, allowing Surman to also reach base with still only one out in the inning. Augie Maslo followed with an RBI triple laced into the left-centerfield gap to trim the PCC lead to 4-3. Moments later, Maslo scampered home on a wild pitch, and the game was tied, 4-4. With game now deadlocked, Sean O’Donnell kept the rally going with an infield single. An infield single by Dratfinsky followed the O’Donnell base hit, and when PCC’s third baseman threw the ball errantly down the right field line, O’Donnell raced around the bases to score the game-winning run and the Tigers prevailed, 5-4.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 8-2 overall and 6-0 in the section. Losers of five in a row, Central Catholic falls to 5-7 overall and 2-7 in the section. The Tigers will host Penn-Trafford on Saturday at noon. The game will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.

Baseball Summary at Central Catholic, 4-15-25

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

WP - Colin Moore (1-1)
LP - Josh McFadden