Slow-Pitch Softball Game Summaries

by Slow-Pitch Softball Contributor

The North Allegheny Tigers Varsity Slow Pitch Softball Team fell short during the quarter final round of the WPISL playoffs, losing to Plum 3-1. The Tigers had a bye in the first round of playoffs, which took place in Mt. Lebanon on Saturday. 

In the first inning, sophomore Claudia Kushon caught a fly ball at 2nd, senior Reilly Spitz caught a pop up, and junior Mady Daugherty caught a fly ball in center field. On offense, Kushon had a double and Spitz had a single, but the inning ended with a score of 0-0.

In the second inning, Mady Daugherty and freshman Amara Daugherty caught fly balls for oust, and Spitz had an out to junior Emily Marangoni on first. On offense, seniors Keala Glaser, Jayna Cole, and junior Hannah Anderson had singles. Senior Addie Lee singled and had an RBI. The score is now 1-0 Tigers. 

In the third inning, Glaser, Amara Daugherty, and Mady Daugherty caught fly balls, holding Plum scoreless again. On offense, Kushon and Mady Daugherty had singles, but no runs were scored for the TIgers.

In the fourth inning, Mady Daugherty caught a fly ball, Spitz stopped a grounder and threw to Marangoni for an out, and Sobehart stopped a line drive and threw to Marangoni for an out at first. On offense, the Tigers saw singles from Glaser, Cole, Marangoni, and Anderson, but the score remained unchanged.

The fifth inning had Glaser catching a pop up at 3rd, Kushon making an out at 2nd, and Amara Daugherty catching a fly ball. However, the Mustangs managed to bring in a run, tying the score at 1-1. On offense, junior Ella Mitchell and Kushon had singles, but the Tigers did not score.

The sixth inning saw another 3 up 3 down situation with Amara Daugherty and Spitz catching fly balls, and Sobehart to Marangoni for the final out. The Tigers were unable to extend their lead in the bottom of the sixth.

The score remained tied after seven innings, with Spitz to Marangoni for an out, Mady Daugherty catching a fly ball, and Spitz to Marangoni for an out. In the bottom of the 7th, sophomore Olivia Klaich had a single and freshman Lily Daugherty had a single. Anderson and Lee also had singles, but the game ended regulation in a tie.

In the 8th inning, the Mustangs were able to score 2 runs, making the score 3-1. Amara Daugherty caught a fly ball. Marangoni had an out at first, and Kushon had an out at second. In the bottom of the 8th, Spitz had a double to left field, but the Tigers were unable to score, and the Mustangs advanced to the semi-finals.

The Tigers did not ever give up, and their defense was solid and showed teamwork, effort, and dedication. They outhit the Mustangs 13-9. They have so much to be proud of. Congratulations to the team on being regular season champions and for winning the WPISL Offensive Team of the Season.

by Slow-Pitch Softball Contributor

The Tigers Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball team are the WPISL regular season champions after defeating Baldwin at their final games of the regular season. The Tigers are 12-2 on the season and will play in the WPISL playoffs this weekend at Mt. Lebanon.

In Game 1, the Tigers came out swinging. It all started with sophomore Claudia Kushon, who hit a double. Junior Emily Sobehart followed with a walk, and senior Reilly Spitz’s powerful double to left field brought in two runs. The lineup continued to produce, with junior Mady Daugherty and freshman Amara Daugherty hitting singles, resulting in more runs. The inning featured notable contributions from seniors Keala Glaser and Jayna Cole and juniors Emily Marangoni, Hannah Anderson,and Ella Mitchell, and another big hit from Kushon, an inside-the-park home run, capping off a 10-run inning. In the bottom of the first inning, NA showcased their defensive skills, with Glaser catching a pop-up at 3rd. Spitz got a runner out at second and threw to Marangoni, but the runner was safe at first. Marangoni then quickly threw to Anderson at catcher for an out at home, completing the double play.

In the second inning, Mady Daugherty began with a single, but no remaining runs were scored. Baldwin still struggled to get on the board, and the inning ended at 10-0.

In the third inning, the Tigers continued to extend their lead. Marangoni and Anderson led off with hits, and Mitchell, Kushon, and Mady Daugherty added to the run tally with RBIs. Spitz had a triple which brought in an additional two runs, and Glaser’s single brought in two more. Baldwin’s offense continued to have difficulty scoring runs. A batter stepped on home plate, another one had a double hit, and Kushon made an out at 2nd base. After three innings, the score was now 17-0.

In the fourth inning, freshman Viola Laswell began with a fly ball to center field, resulting in a single. The inning featured hits from Anderson, senior Addie Lee, Mitchell, and freshman Lily Daugherty. On defense, Glaser caught a pop-up at 3rd, and Lily Daugherty made an out at 2nd. Mitchell made a throw to Glaser for another out at 3rd. Baldwin managed to score one run, bringing the score to 17-1.

In the fifth inning, Sobehart started the inning with a fly ball to left field, resulting in a single. Spitz added to the hits with a single to right field. Mady Daugherty contributed another single and an RBI. Sophomore Olivia Klaich had a grounder to center field, resulting in an RBI. Cole came up with a double, bringing in two more runs. Laswell had another single, and Anderson and Mitchell both had singles that resulted in RBIs. In the bottom of the 5th inning, Lily Daugherty caught a pop up at 2nd, Spitz made a throw to Lily Daugherty for another out at 2nd, and Mady Daugherty ended the game catching a fly ball in center field. The final score was 23-1 in favor of the Tigers.

In Game 2, the story continued in a similar vein. The opening inning saw Baldwin take an early 1-0 lead, but NA quickly responded with a barrage of hits, demonstrating their offensive capabilities. In the bottom of the 1st inning, NA’s batters collectively contributed to a substantial eight-run lead, highlighting their offensive proficiency.

The following innings maintained NA’s impressive offensive performance, with Glaser’s home run in the top of the 3rd inning being a standout moment. The Tigers scored 33 runs in the 4th inning. Baldwin found it challenging to counter NA’s consistent hitting and strong defense, resulting in a final score of 47-1 in favor of North Allegheny. Game 2 mirrored the earlier match, with NA’s exceptional offensive performance securing another resounding victory, reaffirming their dominance on the softball field.

Congratulations to the North Allegheny Tigers Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball Team on their outstanding 12-2 season and for being the WPISL regular season champions. Best of luck in your playoff run this weekend. The Tigers first playoff game will be at 3:00 pm in Mt. Lebanon.

The North Allegheny Tigers Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball team defeated Shaler in both games of their double-header in Week 7 on their Senior Day, and are now 12-2 on the season. Congratulations to seniors Jayna Cole, Keala Glaser, Addison Lee, and Reilly Spitz.

The game began with North Allegheny’s defense taking the field. The defense proved solid as shortstop Reilly Spitz (senior) caught a pop-up, and then Spitz threw to Emily Marangoni (junior) for two outs at first, leaving Shaler unable to score.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers stepped up to bat.  Spitz had a base hit to left-center field, and Mady Daugherty (junior) followed suit with another base hit. Lily Daugherty (freshman) hit a base hit to center field, driving in a run, and Keala Glaser’s (senior) double to center field brought in two more runs. Jayna Cole (senior) added to the lead with a single, and the inning ended with North Allegheny leading 4-0.

At the top of the second inning, North Allegheny’s defense continued to shine as Spitz made a catch to record an out, pitcher Emily Sobehart (junior) struck out a batter, and Amara Daugherty caught a fly ball in center field, once again preventing Shaler from scoring.

When the Tigers went back on offense in the bottom of the second inning, Hannah Anderson (juinor) had a double, and Ella Mitchell (junior) and Amara Daugherty (freshman) each had singles. However, North Allegheny was unable to add any runs, and the score remained 4-0 after two innings.

In the top of the third inning, the Tiger defense maintained their grip, with Sobehart to Marangoni resulting in an out, and Glaser catching a line drive at 3rd. Lily Daugherty (freshman) made an out at 2nd, keeping Shaler scoreless for the third inning in a row.

In the bottom of the third inning,  Mady Daugherty had a base hit to center field, and Lily Daugherty hit a double. Glaser hit a single, driving in a run, and Cole’s hit was caught for an RBI. Marangoni hit a double to left field, driving in another run, and Anderson had a base hit to center field. The inning ended with the Tigers leading 7-0.

In the top of the fourth inning, Amara Daugherty to Lily Daugherty made an out at 2nd, and Spitz caught a pop-up. Mady Daugherty caught another pop-up, but the Spartnas rallied and managed to score 6 runs. The score was now 7-6 North Allegheny.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Mitchell and Sobehart both walked. Mady Daugherty hit a base hit to first, and Lily Daugherty hit a double with the bases loaded, bringing in two runs. Glaser hit a triple, with two more runs scoring, and the Tigers extended their lead to 11-6.

In the top of the 5th, North Allegheny’s defense held Shaler to one run, making the score 11-7. Glaser, Cole, and Spitz / Lily Daugherty recorded outs.

In the bottom of the 5th, Marangoni hit a base hit to center field, Anderson hit a triple, leading to a score. Viola Laswell (freshman) walked, and Amara Daugherty had a base hit, bringing in an RBI. North Allegheny maintained their lead at 13-7.

In the top of the 6th, Lily Daugherty had a hand in all three outs during the inning, holding the score at 13-7.

In the bottom of the 6th, Mady and Lily Daugherty had base hits, and Glaser hit a single that hit the fence, driving in an RBI. Cole’s fly ball to center field brought in another RBI, and Marangoni hit a single, taking advantage of an error to bring in an RBI. Anderson capped the game with a walk-off 3-run homerun, securing a final score of 19-7 in favor of North Allegheny.

In the second game, the Tigers continued to demonstrate their dominance on both offense and defense.

The game began with North Allegheny on the offensive. Amara Daugherty (freshman) got things rolling with a double. Reilly Spitz (senior) hit a triple, bringing in an RBI, and Mady Daugherty (junior) added to the score with a base hit, also resulting in an RBI. Keala Glaser’s (senior) home run allowed two more runs to score. 

In the bottom of the 1st, the Tiger defense showed its strength with Shaler’s first three batters being out: Spitz to Emily Marangoni (junior) on first for two outs, and left-fielder Ella Mitchell (junior) caught a fly ball in left field. At the end of the first inning, the Tigers led 4-0.

North Allegheny was unable to score in the top of the 2nd inning. Marangoni led off the inning with a base hit to first, but a double play by Shaler quickly cleared the bases. 

North Allegheny’s defense was equally strong in the bottom of the 2nd, with a double play executed by Lily Daugherty (freshman), who made an out at 2nd, and threw to Marangoni, who recorded an out at first. Spitz also caught a pop-up in center field, keeping Shaler from scoring. The score remained 4-0.

North Allegheny couldn’t score in the top of the 3rd inning, with Amara Daugherty and Spitz having base hits.

Shaler managed to score 2 runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Amara Daugherty caught a fly ball in left-center and Glaser had a tag out at 3rd. Lily Daugherty to Spitz resulted in another out at 2nd. The score stood at 4-2 in favor of North Allegheny.

North Allegheny couldn’t score in the top of the 4th inning. Lily Daugherty and Marangoni’s base hits didn’t result in runs.

In the bottom of the 4th, pitcher Sobehart struck out a batter, Mady Daugherty caught a fly ball in the outfield, and Sobehart caught a pop-up. Shaler managed to score a run but didn’t catch up to North Allegheny, with the score at 7-3.

In the top of the 5th, North Allegheny extended their lead. Addison Lee (senior) walked, and Mitchell had a base hit. Spitz hit a 3-run homerun, bringing the score to 10-3 Tigers.

North Allegheny’s defense held firm in the bottom of the 5th, as Sobehart threw to Marangoni for an out at 1st. Spitz caught a line drive at short, and Mady Daugherty caught a pop-up in left-center field. The score remained 10-3.

North Allegheny continued to build on their lead in the top of the 6th.  Glaser hit another home run, making the score 11-3. 

Shaler was unable to score in the bottom of the 6th, and the score remained 11-3 in favor of the Tigers.

In the final inning, North Allegheny’s offense exploded, with Anderson hitting a line drive single, Lee following with a single, and Mitchell hitting a single. Amara Daugherty added another single.  Sobehart hit a line drive to center field, bringing in 2 RBI.  Spitz hit a line drive to center field for an RBI, and Lily Daugherty added 2 more runs with a hit. Glaser’s double drove in an RBI, and Cole walked. Marangoni hit a single, bringing in another RBI. Anderson hit a single, followed by Lee’s line drive single, and Mitchell also hit a single.

In the final inning, North Allegheny’s defense held strong. Sobehart struck out a batter, Lily Daugherty caught a line drive at 2nd, and Sobehart caught a pop-up, securing a final score of 16-3 in favor of North Allegheny.

The Tigers  put on a strong display of offense and defense in both games of the doubleheader, ultimately coming out on top against the Shaler Area Spartans with  convincing victories.

by Slow-Pitch Softball Contributor

In Week 6 of the Slow-Pitch Softball season, the North Allegheny Varsity Slow-Pitch Softball team dominated its longtime rival North Hills. Both games ended after five innings, and the Tigers are now 8-2 on the season. 

The game kicked off with North Allegheny on offense in the top of the 1st inning. Claudia Kushon (sophomore) started things off for the Tigers with a line drive double, followed by Reilly Spitz (senior) and Keala Glaser (senior) each notching singles, with Glaser driving in a run. Mady Daugherty‘s (junior) pop-up added another run to the board. Amara Daugherty‘s (freshman) single kept the rally alive, and the Tigers ended the top of the inning 2-0. NA’s defense held strong as Glaser and Kushon caught two pop-ups, and Spitz threw an out to Kushon on second, but North Hills managed to tie the game at 2-2. 

In the top of the 2nd inning, North Allegheny’s offense came alive. Jayna Cole (senior) and Emily Marangoni (junior) both singled, and Ella Mitchell (junior) walked to load the bases. Olivia Klaich (sophomore) walked, driving in a run, and Kushon followed suit, adding another run. With two outs, Spitz hit a single for an RBI. Then, in a spectacular play, Glaser’s inside-the-park home run cleared the bases, tallying three more runs. Mady Daugherty’s base hit kept the rally going, and Amara Daugherty and Emily Sobehart (junior) both singled, bringing the total to 9-2 in favor of North Allegheny.

North Allegheny’s defense continued to hold strong in the bottom of the 2nd, with Spitz executing a double play to maintain their lead. 

The top of the 3rd inning had North Allegheny adding to their lead. Addie Lee (senior) walked, and Mitchell hit a single to left field. Klaich followed with another single, driving in a run, and Kushon’s single to center field added another. Spitz walked, loading the bases.  Mady Daugherty walked, driving in a run, and the Tigers led 12-2. Once again the Tiger defense was strong, with Spitz making an out to Marangoni at first, and Glaser and Spitz catching pop ups, leading North Hills by 12-3.

The top of the 4th was explosive for North Allegheny, with Sobehart and Cole both hitting singles. Marangoni hit a single, and errors by the North Hills defense allowed both Cole and Sobehart to score. A double by Lee added one more. Kushon’s line drive single brought in another run, and Spitz’s inside-the-park home run added two more. North Allegheny’s lead surged to 18-3. The bottom of the 4th inning saw North Hills unable to score. 

In the top of the 5th, Emily Clark (sophomore) walked, Sobehart and Cole had base hits, but no runs were added.  In the bottom of the 5th, Mitchell caught a fly ball in left field, Klaich struck out a batter, and Mady Daugherty made a catch to seal the victory in Game 1. North Hills managed to score one more run, but North Allegheny emerged victorious with a final score of 18-4 after just 5 innings.

In Game 2, North Allegheny’s defense started off rock-solid as Kushon, Glaser, and Amara Daugherty caught all three pop-ups, holding North Hills to zero runs. In the bottom of the 1st, North Allegheny’s offense roared to life. Kushon hit a single, followed by a walk to Spitz and another single by Glaser. Mady Daugherty hit a single, bringing in a run. Sobehart hit a single, adding another score. Cole walked, and Marangoni had a base hit, scoring two more runs. Lee hit a single, bringing in one more run, and Mitchell walked. Klaich hit a single, driving in three more runs, and Kushon’s triple, brought in one more run. Spitz followed with a single, bringing in another run, and Glaser hit another single, with two more runs scored. The inning ended with North Allegheny in a dominant position, leading 11-0.

In the top of the 2nd, North Allegheny’s defense remained strong, with Marangoni making a fielder’s choice to second, Kushon making an out a 2nd, and Glaser throwing an out to Spitz at 2nd, continuing to hold North Hills scoreless. In the bottom of the 2nd, North Allegheny continued their offensive onslaught. Amara Daugherty had a base hit to first, Sobehart walked, and Cole hit a single, adding an RBI. Marangoni followed with another single, driving in another run, and Lee hit a single, bringing in one more. Klaich hit a double, adding another RBI, and Kushon hit a double as well, with one more run scored. North Allegheny extended their lead to 16-0.

In the 3rd inning, the Tiger defense continued to shine, with Spitz making an out at shortstop, left-handed pitcher Marangoni striking out a batter, and Mady Daugherty making a catch for the final out. In the bottom of the 3rd, Mady and Amara Daugherty hit singles, Cole hit a single, adding another RBI. After 3, the score stood at 17-0.

In the top of the 4th, North Allegheny’s defense continued to dominate, with Spitz making a catch at shortstop, Marangoni striking out another batter, and Kushon making a catch at second base. In the bottom of the 4th, North Allegheny’s Lee hit a double, but the inning ended without any further runs scored.

In the top of the 5th, North Allegheny’s defense closed out the game in style. Kushon executed a double play, and Mady Daugherty made a catch for the final out, shutting out North Hills with a final score of 17-0. 

North Allegheny’s dominant offensive performance and solid defense secured a resounding victory against North Hills. North Allegheny is scheduled to play a make-up game that was canceled due to weather next Saturday, October 14 at Baldwin at 1 & 3 pm. Their final home game of the season will be against Shaler at Marshall Middle School next Sunday, October 15 at 2 & 4 pm. Senior Recognition Ceremonies will be held at 1:00 pm prior to the game vs. Shaler. 

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.