Slow-Pitch Softball Game Summaries

by Slow-Pitch Contributor

In Week 2, the North Allegheny Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball Team split with the Mt Lebanon Blue Devils at home at Marshall Middle School. The Tigers’ record is now 4-2. 

Game 1 showed that the NA Slow-Pitch Softball team is a force to be reckoned with. The Tigers emerged victorious with a score of 12-2 after five innings, invoking the 10-run rule and ending the game after only 5 innings.

Game 1 began with Mt Lebanon at bat and North Allegheny on defense. Emily Sobehart (junior) took the pitcher’s mound for North Allegheny, and the Tigers’ defense came through with a quick out at first base, thanks to Reilly Spitz‘s (senior) play to Emily Marangoni (junior) on first. Jayna Cole (senior) displayed great fielding with a catch in center field, and Mady Daugherty (junior) followed suit with a fine catch in right-center. This strong defense kept Mt Lebanon from scoring.

When North Allegheny had their turn at bat in the bottom of the first inning, Sobehart led the way with a single, setting the tone for the Tigers’ offense. Claudia Kushon (sophomore) stepped up and delivered a triple, driving in a run, and Spitz added to the scoring with a line drive single that produced an RBI. Keala Glaser (senior)  then contributed a line drive single, and Mady Daugherty’s single resulted in another RBI. Amara Daugherty (freshman) kept the momentum going with a line drive single, and the Tigers ended the inning with a 3-0 lead.

In the top of the second inning, Mt Lebanon managed to score a run, narrowing the gap to 3-1, but North Allegheny’s defense remained strong, with Mady Daugherty making two outs, and Spitz catching a pop up. In the bottom half of the second inning, despite singles by Marangoni, Ella Mitchell (junior), and Sobehart, North Allegheny couldn’t add to their lead, and the score remained 3-1.

In the top of the third inning, Mt Lebanon scored another run, making it a 3-2 game, but North Allegheny’s defense continued to make key plays to limit the damage. Cole made a nice grab in center field, and Spitz made two outs at shortstop. 

In the bottom half of the third inning, North Allegheny’s offense exploded. Spitz started the inning with a triple, and Glaser followed with a double, earning an RBI. Mady Daugherty contributed a single, and Cole doubled on an error, adding another run. Amara Daugherty hit a double to further extend the lead. North Allegheny kept piling on the runs with Addie Lee’s (senior)  &  Marangoni’s singles. Mitchell walked, loading the bases, and Sobehart’s single secured another RBI. Kushon and Spitz each contributed singles, adding more RBIs. At the end of this incredible inning, North Allegheny now held a commanding 11-2 lead.

During the fourth inning, North Allegheny’s defense continued to shine, with Spitz executing a crucial play, getting the lead runner out at 3rd. Sobehart caught a pop-up at the pitcher’s mound, and Cole made another catch in center field. The score remained 11-2 in favor of North Allegheny. Offensively, Mady Daugherty started off with a double, followed by a single by Cole, however, the Tigers didn’t score any runs.

In the top of the fifth inning, Marangoni grabbed a ball for an out at 1st base, and Spitz assisted with an out at 1st as well. Sobehart ended the inning by catching a pop-up, holding the Blue Devils scoreless again. North Allegheny continued to lead comfortably at 11-2.

Mitchell started the first inning with a single,  and Kushon’s triple allowed her to score. This ended the game early with a 12-2 victory for North Allegheny. The game showcased North Allegheny’s strong offense and solid defense, leading them to a decisive victory in Game 1 of the doubleheader.

In Game 2, the competition remained fierce, with Mt Lebanon ultimately securing a 15-11 victory. 

North Allegheny took to the plate first, and they came out swinging. Emily Sobehart (junior)  led off with a single to right field, followed by Claudia Kushon (sophomore) with another single. Reilly Spitz (senior)  stepped up and delivered a hit to right field, resulting in two runs scoring. Mady Daugherty (junior) added to the offensive push with a hard-hit grounder, resulting in a single. Jayna Cole (senior) kept the momentum going with another single, and North Allegheny jumped out to an early 2-0 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Mt Lebanon responded with a strong offensive performance. Spitz, Sobehart, and Emily Marangoni (junior) caught pop ups, but Mt. Lebanon managed to score four runs. 

In the top of the second inning, North Allegheny couldn’t add to their lead. North Allegheny’s defense came through with Spitz and Kushon throwing outs to Sobehart at 1st, and a running grab by Spitz for the final out, maintaining the score at 4-2 in favor of Mt Lebanon.

In the top of the third inning, North Allegheny’s offense roared back to life. Marangoni led off with a single, followed by a single by Ella Mitchell (junior). Kushon’s single brought in a run, and Keala Glaser’s (senior) line drive to right-center resulted in a double and two RBIs, putting North Allegheny in the lead. Mady Daugherty added to the lead with a double and an RBI, and Cole continued the offensive barrage with a single. By the end of the inning, North Allegheny had taken a 6-4 lead.

Mt Lebanon’s offense responded, scoring three runs to retake the lead at 7-6. North Allegheny’s defense made key plays, including a throw from Sobehart to Glaser for an out at third, and a pop up caught by Kushon at second base.

In the fourth inning, Marangoni’s line drive single offered a glimmer of hope, and Mitchell followed with another single. Sobehart’s single brought in a crucial run to tie the game. In the bottom half of the inning, Spitz and Kushon made outs at second, and Glaser made a fantastic grab for the third out. The game remained tied at 7-7.

In the fifth inning, Glaser’s homerun put North Allegheny back in the lead at 8-7. North Allegheny led 8-7. However, Mt Lebanon surged ahead, scoring additional runs to make it 11-8. North Allegheny’s defense made a few plays, with Mady Daugherty making a catch at right center, Sobehart catching a pop up at pitcher, and Kushon to Glaser for the final out at third. 

In the sixth inning, the Tigers scored no runs, while Mt Lebanon continued to add to their lead, going up 15-8. North Allegheny’s defense made an effort, with outs made by Marangoni, Sobehart / Glaser, and Cole, but Mt Lebanon’s offense was too strong.

In the top of the seventh inning, North Allegheny made a late push, with Spitz and Glaser each hitting triples and driving in runs. Mady Daugherty added a single and an RBI, and Cole drew a walk. Despite the determination of the Tigers team, they fell short, and the game concluded with a final score of 15-11 in favor of Mt Lebanon.

The Tigers travel to Baldwin next Sunday, September 24 at 1 & 3 pm. 

by Slow-Pitch Correspondent

In Week 2, the North Allegheny Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball Team split with the Montour Spartans at Montour High School. The Tigers’ record is now 3-1. 

Game 1: NA falls to Montour, 8-4

The first inning began with NA at bat. Claudia Kushon (sophomore) hit a double, however, the Tigers were unable to score any runs. When NA went on defense, Montour managed to score four runs, taking an early lead, 4-0. Mady Daugherty (junior) had a catch in right center, and shortstop Reilly Spitz (senior) threw to first baseman Emily Marangoni (junior) for two outs.

In the second inning, NA’s offense continued to struggle while Montour’s defense remained strong, maintaining the 4-0 lead. Pitcher Emily Sobehart (junior) struck out a batter, and threw the remaining two outs to Marangoni on first base.

The third inning saw Marangoni hit a single for NA. However, Montour’s defense held. In the bottom of the third, Montour couldn’t add to their lead, with Kushon and Sobehart making outs  and Mady Daugherty catching a ball in right center.

In the fourth inning, NA’s bats started to heat up. Sobehart hit a single, and Kushon followed with a crucial two-run homerun. Spitz,  Lily Daugherty (freshman), Keala Glaser (senior), Jayna Cole (senior), and Ella Mitchell (junior)  hit singles, but no more runs were scored. The score was now 4-2 in favor of Montour.

Montour extended their lead in the bottom of the fourth, with pitcher Sobehart striking out her second batter of the game and Spitz executing a double play, getting a runner out at second and throwing to Marangoni for an out at first. Montour now leads 7-2.

In the fifth inning, Hannah Anderson (junior) hit a single, and the score remained 7-2. Spitz fielded an out to Marangoni, Mady Daugherty caught another fly ball to right-center, and Kushon made an out at second. 

The sixth inning brought some hope for NA with Spitz hitting a single to center field. An error by Montour allowed Spitz to advance to second. Lily Daugherty then hit a single to right field, allowing Spitz to score. Glaser followed with another single, and Cole walked, loading the bases. However, Montour managed to get out of the inning with only one more run scored, making it 7-3. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Montour’s shortstop hit a homerun, extending their lead to 8-3. Mady Daugherty made her fourth catch of the day, Spitz made a stop at shortstop, and Sobehart caught a pop up, ending the inning. 

In the seventh and final inning, NA attempted to rally. Anderson and Marangoni hit singles and. Addie Lee (senior) walked. With runners on second and third, Kushon hit a single, bringing in a run. It was a competitive game with moments of excitement, and the game ended with a final score of 8-4 in favor of Montour.

Despite the loss, NA showed determination and made a late-game push, but Montour ultimately secured the victory in this first game of the double-header.

Game 2: NA defeats Montour, 14-13

The second game was a thrilling contest that saw both teams trading home runs throughout the innings, resulting in a dramatic finish.

The first inning began with NA on defense, and Emily Marangoni (junior) on the pitcher’s mound. On defense, third baseman Keala Glaser (senior) threw to second baseman Claudia Kushon (sophomore) for an out, Jayna Cole (senior) caught a fly ball in left-center, and Marangoni threw an out to Emily Sobehart (junior) at first base, but Montour took an early lead of 3-0.

When NA came to bat in the bottom of the first inning, Kushon hit a line drive past third base for a single, and Reilly Spitz (senior) hit a single that advanced Kushon to third. Glaser then delivered a double that allowed Kushon to score. Lily Daugherty (freshman) had an RBI, allowing Spitz to score, making it 3-2 in favor of Montour.

In the second inning, Montour added another run, increasing their lead to 4-2. Kushon scooped a ground ball to Sobehart for an out at first, Glaser caught a pop up at third, and Marangoni threw to Sobehart for the final out. In the bottom of the inning, Hannah Anderson (junior) hit a home run, narrowing the gap to 4-3.

In the top of the third inning, Ella Mitchell (junior), Glaser, and Cole made three great catches, but Montour extended the lead to 6-3. However, NA responded strongly in the bottom of the inning.  Kushon hit a hard grounder to third for a single, and Spitz followed with a ground ball to left field for another single. Glaser then hit a critical three-run homerun, tying the game at 6-6.

In the fourth inning, Montour regained the lead by hitting two home runs, bringing the score to 8-6. Mady Daugherty made a fantastic catch in right-center to end the top of the inning. In the bottom half of the inning NA came alive.  Mitchell walked, Anderson hit a single, and Marangoni hit a hard grounder to right field that brought in a run. Addie Lee’s (senior) double added another run, and Sobehart had an RBI. Kushon’s single led to two runners on base, and Spitz hit one out of the park, allowing three runs to score, putting NA back in the lead at 12-8.

In the fifth inning, Montour scored two more runs with another homerun, making it 12-10 in favor of NA. NA’s defense continued to do its job, with Mady Daugherty making another catch in right center, Kushon with an amazing grab at second to get the out to Sobehart at first, and Kushon catching a pop up for the final out. In the bottom half, Lily Daugherty hit a homerun, increasing NA’s lead to 13-10.

In the top of the sixth inning, Montour tied the game 13-13 on a sac fly and a two-run homerun. Montour’s defense held strong, holding NA to a single by Sobehart.

In the top of the seventh, NA held Montour scoreless, with three crucial outs. Kushon made a stop at second and threw the out to Sobehart at first, Marangoni caught a blistering line drive at pitcher, and Spitz made the third and final out at shortstop.

In the bottom of the seventh, it took only two pitches before Reilly Spitz hit the game-winning walk-off homerun, sealing a thrilling 14-13 victory for the North Allegheny Tigers. It was an intense and exciting game that showcased the resilience and determination of NA’s slow-pitch softball team.

NA faces off against Mt. Lebanon at Marshall Middle School on Sunday, September 17 at 2 & 4 pm.

by Slow-Pitch Softball Contributor

In the home opener of the 2023-2024 Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball season, the North Allegheny Tigers started their season strong with a face off against the Hempfield Spartans. 

In Game 1 of the double-header, Emily Sobehart (junior) was on the pitcher’s mound, and Reilly Spitz (senior) made a crucial grab at shortstop for the third out. On offense, Spitz started with a line drive for a single, followed by Anna Kovacic (sophomore) and Keala Glaser (senior) hitting singles that resulted in RBIs. Jayna Cole (senior) also contributed with a single RBI. The first inning ended with the score 3-0 NA.

In the second inning, Spitz managed a double play, and Emily Marangoni (junior) tagged out a runner at first. In the bottom of the inning, Marangoni hit a single and Sobehart was walked. With two runners on base, Claudia Kushon (sophomore) brought them home with a double. The Tigers now lead 5-2.

In the third inning, NA’s defense continued to shine, with Kushon and Spitz throwing to Marangoni on first for two outs, and Glaser catching a pop-up at third base. On offense, Mady Daugherty (junior) and Kovacic both hit singles, maintaining NA’s 5-2 lead.

The fourth inning saw Spitz catching a fly ball at shortstop, and Ella Mitchell (junior) making a catch in left field for NA’s defense. On the offensive side, Sobehart had an RBI.  Hannah Anderson’s (junior) double and Jordan Phillips‘ (freshman) single contributed to another run, extending the lead to 6-2.

The fifth inning featured a triple by Daugherty and a single RBI by Glaser, increasing NA’s lead to 7-2. In the sixth inning, NA’s defense continued to impress, with Glaser involved in multiple plays.

The seventh inning brought some tension as Hempfield managed to score 3 runs, threatening a comeback. However, NA’s defense held strong with Cole making two outstanding catches to secure the victory for the North Allegheny Tigers. The final score of game 1 was 7-5 in favor of NA. Congratulations to junior Emily Sobehart for being named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game in Game 1.

In Game 2, Emily Marangoni (junior) took over the role of pitcher. The game showcased strong performances on both offense and defense by the Tigers, leading to a decisive victory.

The first inning began with the Tigers at the plate. Emily Sobehart (junior) started with a line drive single to center field, and Claudia Kushon (sophomore) followed with a single. The Tiger defense stepped up as Jayna Cole (senior) caught a fly ball, and Mady Daugherty (junior) made an excellent catch over her shoulder at the fence in right-center. Ella Mitchell (junior) also contributed with a catch in left field, and the first inning ended scoreless.

In the second inning, NA’s offense came alive. Anna Kovacic (sophomore) hit a single to right field, and Keala Glaser (senior)  followed with a triple that resulted in an RBI. Jayna Cole also added an RBI. Hannah Anderson (junior) hit a double. On the defensive side, Kushon executed a double play, and Marangoni struck out a batter for the third out. NA led 2-1 after the second inning.

The third inning continued to be fruitful for NA. Jordan Phillips (freshman) hit a single, Sobehart walked, and Reilly Spitz (senior) hit a triple that brought in the two runners. Daugherty, Glaser and Cole hit singles that resulted in RBIs, and Mitchell added an RBI to extend the lead to 8-1. NA’s defense remained solid, with Spitz executing a double play, tagging a runner heading to third and throwing to Kushon at second.

In the fourth inning, Marangoni led off with a line drive single to center field, Sobehart hit a line drive to right field for a double, and Kushon added an RBI. Spitz’s triple to right field also brought in an RBI. On the defensive side, Cole made a catch in right-center, and Kushon to Sobehart at first resulted in two outs. Hempfield managed to score 2 runs, but NA still held a commanding 10-3 lead.

The fifth inning saw NA’s offense continuing to dominate. Kovacic hit a single, followed by the first home run of the season for the Tigers, hit by senior Keala Glaser to bring in 2 runs.Cole was walked, Mitchell hit a single, and Anderson’s double added another RBI. Phillips also contributed with another RBI. NA’s defense held strong, with Daugherty making a catch and Marangoni stopping a ball and throwing to Sobehart for the final out.

The game ended early due to the 10-run rule, with North Allegheny securing a convincing 14-3 victory. It was a strong performance by both the offense and defense, leading to a successful outcome for NA in the second game of the doubleheader. Congratulations to senior Keala Glaser for being named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game in Game 2. 

The next double-header for the Varsity Tigers will be on Sunday, September 10 at Montour High School.