NA Slow-Pitch Advances To WPISL Semifinals
The North Allegheny Slow-Pitch Softball Team opened the WPISL playoffs with a pair of victories on Saturday afternoon. In the First Round of the tournament, the Lady Tigers topped Seneca Valley by a 17-5 decision. In the quarterfinals, the eighth-seeded Tigers crushed top-seeded Mt. Pleasant, 27-10. North Allegheny plays in the WPISL Semifinals on Sunday afternoon at 2:00.
Against Seneca Valley, NA came out like, well “Tigers,” as the first nine batters reached base safely on seven hits, one walk and one error. North Allegheny tallied 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Ashley Treskey, Lauren Randolph and Katelyn Cerutti were each 3 for 3 with two RBI’s. Alexis Kruth was 2 for 3 with three RBI’s. All 11 starters for NA had at least one RBI in a true team effort.
In the quarterfinals against Mt. Pleasant, the Tigers came out roaring again, sending 17 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning. NA scored 14 runs with the highlight being Lauren Randolph’s grand slam over the left-field fence. Laura Puntil was 3 for 3, with three runs and four RBI’s. Emily Barbus was 2 for 3 with four RBI’s. Alexis Kruth was 3 for 4, scored twice and had three RBI’s. Jess Blendinger was 3 for 4, including a two-run triple, scoring twice and notching three RBI’s. Blendinger also made three outstanding running catches in right-centerfield, one of which was a diving catch to web gem to end a Mt. Pleasant rally in the third inning. Again, all but one of the 11 starters contributed with a least an RBI.