Softball News

The North Allegheny softball team earned its third consecutive victory on Monday night with a 6-2 triumph over the Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils in Section 1-6A action.

The Tigers pounced on the Blue Devils with a four-run first inning and never looked back en route to the victory. In the bottom of the opening frame, sophomore Taylor Neese delivered an RBI single, senior Carlyn Vaupel laced an RBI double and senior Julia Drazga tacked on a two-run single for an immediate 4-0 lead. All four runs scored after two outs in the inning.

In the bottom of the second, North Allegheny increased its lead to 5-0 thanks to an RBI groundout by junior McKenna Rowlands that scored senior Olivia Carlson from third base.

After yielding five runs in the early going, Mt. Lebanon starting pitcher Gabbie Boone settled in and limited NA to just one more run the rest of the way. That run scored in the bottom of the fifth inning. Following an RBI double by senior Anne Melle, sophomore Avelyn Kropf checked in as the courtesy runner and scored later in the inning on a wild pitch, ballooning the NA lead to 6-0.

Melle garnered the start in the pitcher’s circle and controlled the game from the very start. The Keiser University commit retired the first seven batters she faced and allowed only two hits through six innings. A two-run homer by Emily Morgan in the top of the seventh spoiled the shutout, but Melle pressed on a finished off a complete game victory in just 78 pitches thrown. For her efforts, Melle was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Boone also tossed a complete game and suffered the loss for the Blue Devils.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 3-1 overall and in section play. Mt. Lebanon falls to 1-7 overall and 1-5 in the section. The Tigers will host Hempfield on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. Weather permitting, the game will be broadcast live by the North Allegheny Sports Network.