NA Sweeps Section DH Against Mt. Lebanon, Pine-Richland

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The North Allegheny softball team swept a Section 1-6A doubleheader against Mt. Lebanon and Pine-Richland on Monday. The Tigers began the day with a 13-3 win in six innings against the Blue Devils and earned an 8-5 victory in the night cap over the Rams.

In game one, the Tigers used a 17-hit attack to batter the Blue Devils for a run-rule victory. Sophomore Sammy Plotkso belted a pair of two-run homers, including a majestic first inning blast over the left field fence to open the scoring. The team leader in home runs with six, Plotsko finished with a 4-for-4 effort with five RBI’s and two runs scored, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Plotsko was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

NA led 7-0 after five innings before Mt. Lebanon struck for three runs in the top of the sixth. The Tigers answered back with a six-run bottom of the sixth to secure the victory. Junior Caitlin Logan‘s two-run single in the sixth capped the scoring and invoked the ten-run rule. Logan went 3-for-4 with four RBI’s, a double, a walk and a pair of runs. Junior Anne Melle (4-1) was the winning pitcher for North Allegheny, tossing a complete game, allowing three runs with four strikeouts and two walks.

North Allegheny’s big bats continued to swing away in game two against Pine-Richland. Junior Carlyn Vaupel drove in the game’s first run with a first-inning RBI single and Plotsko followed with an RBI double to give NA a 2-0 lead. Pine-Richland cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI single by Maddy Myers to cut the score to 2-1, Tigers.

North Allegheny responded with a three-run top of the fifth, which included an RBI single from senior Meghan McDonough and a two-run error by the Rams for a 5-1 lead. Logan belted her fourth home run of the season with a solo blast over the right field fence in the top of the sixth for a 6-1 advantage.

An RBI single courtesy of Pine-Richland’s Illy Aggelou in the bottom of the sixth trimmed the NA lead to 6-2. North Allegheny added a pair of important insurance runs in the top of the seventh thanks to an RBI single from Logan and an RBI double by McKenna Rowlands, growing the Tigers lead to 8-2. Pine-Richland attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh with three runs but the comeback bid was too little, too late as North Allegheny prevailed, 8-5.

Vaupel finished the contest with a 2-for-4 effort with an RBI and a pair of runs scored. For her efforts, Vaupel was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Logan also went 2-for-4 with two RBI’s and a run scored, while Rowlands was 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and an RBI.

In the doubleheader combined, Plotsko was an impressive 6-for-7 with a walk and six RBI’s. She was also the winning pitcher in game two with a complete game, permitting five runs (four earned) with five walks and five strikeouts.

Following the DH sweep, North Allegheny improves to 14-4 overall and 11-3 in section play, jumping into third place in the standings. Winners of six in a row, the Tigers will host top-ranked Seneca Valley on Tuesday. The contest will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.

Box Score - Softball vs. Mt. Lebanon - 05/08/2023

Score by Innings1234567RHE
Mt. Lebanon000003X363
North Allegheny201316X13172
WP - Anne Melle (4-1) LP - Clara Hartnett

Box Score - Softball vs. Pine-Richland - 05/08/2023

Score by Innings1234567RHE
North Allegheny20003128100
Pine-Richland0010013583
WP - Sammy Plotsko (10-3) LP - Mia Maiola