Softball Game Summaries

For the second consecutive season, North Allegheny and Pine-Richland met up in the WPIAL Class 6A playoffs. Last year, the Tigers earned a 5-1 win over the Rams in the WPIAL semifinals. On Wednesday afternoon at Seneca Valley High School, the fifth-seeded Rams atoned for last year’s defeat with a 5-1 victory over the fourth-seeded Tigers in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals.

Pine-Richland starting pitcher, Izzy Sulesky, surrendered an RBI single to senior Meghan McDonough in the second inning as North Allegheny led early on, 1-0. With the bases loaded and only one out following the McDonough run scoring single, Sulesky wiggled out of the second-inning jam without any more damage. From there, Sulesky retired 17 consecutive batters to finish out the game as the winning pitcher.

The Rams tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning with an RBI single from Illy Aggelou. In the fifth inning with two runners on and two outs, junior Mackenzie Gillis delivered the biggest hit of the game with a go-head two-run double to pull Pine-Richland in front, 3-1. Pine-Richland added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh thanks to a sacrifice fly by Marissa DeLuca and an RBI groundout courtesy of Aggelou. Aggelou went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI’s.

Plotsko took the loss for the Tigers in a complete game effort in the pitcher’s circle.

The senior class of McDonough, Mayson Brokos, Katie Lucas, Reagan Sheets and Sadie Kelly were named the Wright Automotive Players of the Game. Congratulations to all five players for a wonderful four-year career at North Allegheny. Additionally, congratulations to head coach Morgan Vescovi and all of the Tigers for another memorable season.

The 2023 season concludes for North Allegheny with a 14-7 overall record. The upstart Rams of Pine-Richland advance to the WPIAL semifinals with a 7-14 record to take on the top-seeded Seneca Valley Raiders.

Line Score - Softball vs. Pine-Richland - 05/17/2023

North Allegheny wrapped up its regular season today at Norwin, losing the contest 5-2. The Tigers played four section games in three days, splitting two and two.

The Norwin Knights scored first in the first inning, earning two runs on three hits that included a solo home run by Madie Kessler. Kessler struck again in the third inning with another two-run homerun, increasing the lead over the Tigers to 4-0.

The Tigers’ offense strung together hits in the fifth and sixth innings to put two runs on the board. Senior Reagan Sheets went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Tigers in hits. Sophomore Sammy Plotsko and senior Sadie Kelly each earned RBIs with timely shots to the outfield, scoring senior Meghan McDonough who singled and sophomore McKenna Rowlands who walked. However, after a scoreless seventh inning, the Tigers fell to the Knights with a final score of 5-2.

Plotsko started in the circle for the Tigers, allowing six hits and four runs in 3.2 innings. Junior Anne Melle came in for relief, allowing one hit and one run.

The Tigers end their regular season 14-6, finishing with a section record of 11-5. They have qualified for the 6A WPIAL playoffs, which will begin next week.

Line Score - Softball vs. Norwin - 05/10/2023

The North Allegheny softball team’s six-game winning streak was snapped on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 home loss to top-ranked Seneca Valley.  The contest was a pitcher’s duel between NA sophomore Sammy Plotsko and SV sophomore Lexie Hames.

Scoreless after five innings, Seneca Valley scratched across the game’s only run in the top of the sixth on a two-out RBI double by Kara Pasquale for a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, North Allegheny tallied its first hit of the game when McKenna Rowlands laid down a perfect bunt single to reach base with one out. After Hames struck out the next batter, Rowlands stole second but was left stranded as Hames struck out another NA batter to end the threat. That’s as close as the Tigers came to tying the game against Hames, who struck out a career-high 20 batters in a complete game, one-hitter.

Despite taking the loss, Plotsko was also impressive in the pitcher’s circle and retired 12 batters in a row at one point in the game and yielded only one hit through the first five innings. Finishing with three strikeouts and no walks in seven innings of work, Plotsko was named the Wright Automotive Player of the Game.

Following the loss, North Allegheny falls to 14-5 overall and 11-4 in Section 1-6A, while Seneca Valley improves to 15-1 overall and 14-1 in the section. The Tigers will visit Norwin in the section finale on Wednesday afternoon.

Box Score - Softball vs. Seneca Valley - 05/09/2023

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

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

North Allegheny softball traveled to Butler on Monday to play a section contest in 45-degree weather that included rain, sleet, and hail before play was suspended in the top of the fifth inning with two outs. The game resumed today with clearer skies, resulting in a 13-2 Tiger victory over the Tornadoes.

The Tigers’ offense tallied 14 hits in six innings. Senior Meghan McDonough and junior Carlyn Vaupel each got on base in the first inning on Butler errors. Senior Reagan Sheets hit in both runners on a hard-hit single to center field, putting the Tigers on the board. A single by junior Caitlin Logan and a walk by sophomore McKenna Rowlands loaded the bases with senior Sadie Kelly at the plate. Kelly was hit by a pitch, scoring Sheets and leaving the Tigers ahead 3-0 in the first inning.

The Tigers scored again in the second when McDonough led off with a single. With McDonough at third, sophomore Sammy Plotsko grounded out, scoring McDonough and increasing the Tigers’ lead to 4-0.

While both teams were scoreless in the third inning, the fourth brought in runs for both teams. With two outs, Vaupel and Plotsko singled to put runners on base for the Tigers. Butler’s defense misplayed a pop fly by junior Anne Melle, scoring Vaupel. Sheets singled to score Plotsko, followed by a misplayed ball hit by Logan to score Melle. After the top of the fourth, the Tigers led 7-0. The bottom of the inning brough the worst of the afternoon’s weather, as well as two runs for Butler. Butler scored on a series of walks and a hit batter, but the Tigers got out of the inning with runners in scoring position.

The Tigers scored three additional runs in the top of the fifth. Senior Katie Lucas singled and scored on a home run hit by McDonough. Plotsko safely reached first on an error and was hit in on a double by Melle, increasing the Tigers’ lead to 10-2. Sheets was then hit by a pitch, which resulted in an inspection of the mound and ultimately a suspension in play.

When the Tigers returned to Butler on Thursday, they held the Tornado scoreless in the bottom of the fifth inning before scoring three final runs in the sixth. Rowlands doubled, and then scored on a home run hit by Lucas. Vaupel and Plotsko smacked back-to-back doubles, with Vaupel scoring the final run for the Tigers.

Sheets finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while McDonough and Lucas both hit their first career home runs, earning two RBIs apiece. Plotsko earned two RBIs on the day, as well as held Butler to one hit on the mound, allowing two runs and striking out eleven.

The Tigers will host Seneca Valley on Saturday. The game is scheduled to begin at 1:00pm.

Line Score - Softball vs. Butler - 04/24 & 4/27