Baseball Game Summaries

By: Bob Orkwis

It is usually a crucial section matchup when North Allegheny and Pine-Richland get together on the diamond.

But due to the PIAA reclassification cycle, the Rams dropped down into 5A, so for the first time since 2006, it was a non-section tilt between the teams. In the season opener for the Tigers, Pine-Richland had two big innings to post an 11-5 win.

Things started well for the Tigers who jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings. North Allegheny capitalized on several of Pine-Richland’s 7 errors to score four unearned runs. Augie Maslo had an infield single in the second inning, and Christian Simons had an opposite-field base hit that was misplayed putting runners at second and third. Jackson Walsh drove in a run with a groundout and another error gave the Tigers their second run. Another pair of errors and two wild pitches in the third inning led to two more North Allegheny runs.

Starting pitcher Nate Persinger reached on an error and ended up scoring on a wild pitch. Sean O’Donnell, who was hit by a pitch and scored on a groundout by Simons, also ended up in a Rams miscue. Persinger threw three scoreless innings and struck out four in his first start of the season. But Pine-Richland, which scored 11 runs in a season-opening win over Hempfield, took advantage of the Tigers’ wildness to put up back-to-back big innings. The Rams sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run fourth inning. Pine-Richland took advantage of two walks, a balk, and a two-run double by Anthnoy Mengine to take a 6-4 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Pine-Richland again sent 11 batters up, and they took advantage of seven Tigers walks to add five more runs. Freshman Breck Hemphill led off with a double, the second of his three hits. A free pass, a fielder’s choice and another walk loaded the bases. The Rams then scored runs when four of the next five batters walked with the bases loaded. North Allegheny added another unearned run in the sixth inning when Mason Smith came around to score on a throwing error as Miles Pealer stole second base.

Three senior Tigers hurlers followed Persinger on the mound. Colin Moore, Jackson Walsh, and Ben Wilcox all saw action, with Moore getting tagged with the loss. North Allegheny (0-1) ended up issuing fifteen walks in the game. Pine-Richland started Keegan Diehl, a Baylor recruit, got the win for (2-0) Rams. The senior was (6-0) last season as Pine-Richland reached the 6A semifinals.

Senior Miles Pealer took home the season’s first Wright Automotive Player of the Game Honors. The Lycoming recruit drew a walk, added a single, and stole three bases in the opener for the Tigers.

North Allegheny hits the road for three straight contests, traveling to face Norwin, Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon before returning home to face Plum on April 2nd.

Baseball Summary vs. Pine-Richland 3/19/25