Abrupt Endings For PIAA Championship Quests: Riverside, Ellwood Both Shutout In Quarterfinals

The South Park Eagles stunned the consecutive WPIAL Championship Ellwood City Wolverines by pounding out eleven hits en route to a 11-0 mercy-rule victory in the PIAA 3-A Softball Playoffs at North Allegheny High School Thursday afternoon.

The Eagles bats were on fire right from the start as they pushed across a pair of runs in the home half of the first inning courtesy of two hits and a key error.  Jess Dean led off the game for the Eagles by doubling to right-center field.  With two outs, the Wolverines Brooklyn Magill misplayed the drive off of the bat of Justine Dean which scored Jess Dean.  Courtesy runner, Hayley Finale, came around to score on a Skyla Greco wild pitch and the Eagles had an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.

South Park would break things open in the 2nd inning by scoring eight runs on seven hits and another Wolverine error.  The Eagles would hit three HR in the inning, getting a 2-run home run from Jess Dean, a solo shot from Justine Dean and a 3-run home run from Grace Albitz.

Albitz finished the game going 3-3 with that home run, a triple and a single, knocking in four runs and scoring twice.

That early run production was much more than Eagles starting pitcher, Justine Dean, would need.  Dean held the powerful Wolverines to just two hits in five innings while striking out two.

Ellwood City’s undefeated season comes to a halt as they finished the 2017 campaign with a 19-1 record.

With the win, South Park (19-3) will take on Philipsburg-Osceola on Monday, site and time to be determined.

source: msasports.net

Central Captures Lead Early To Defeat Riverside Panthers Varsity

Riverside Panthers fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 1-0 loss to Central Martinsburg on Thursday at Graham-Sobota Field at Greater Latrobe High School.

The pitching was strong on both sides. Central pitchers struck out one, while Riverside Panthers sat down three but Central captured the lead in the first inning. Speck grounded out, scoring one run.

A single by Ty Thellman in the first inning was a positive for Riverside Panthers (19-2 Overall).

Nicewogner earned the win for Central. He threw five innings, surrendering zero runs, six hits, and striking out one. Cristian Cicchinelli took the loss for Riverside Panthers Varsity. He tossed seven innings, allowing one run, four hits, striking out three, and walking zero.

Gunnar Boehm, Thellman, Austin Dambach, Ricky Wass, Cicchinelli, and Anthony Tollari all had one hit to lead Riverside Panthers. Riverside Panthers Varsity was sure-handed and didn’t commit a single error. Danny Fox made the most plays with ten.

While the Panthers’ season is over, Central Martinsburg (22-3 Overall) now advances to the 3A semifinals to face district rival Huntingdon on Monday.

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