Junior High Softball Team Defeats North Allegheny Black

After defeating North Allegheny White on Tuesday, the black squad visited Stiefel Park on Wednesday. This game was more competitive but the end result was another victory for the Lady Wolverines. The young ladies prevailed by a score of 13-9.

The Wolverines jumped out fast as they plated 7 runs in the home half of the first. Keira Rozanski got things started with a one-out double into the left-field corner. Aliya Garroway followed with a walk and both would score on a wild pitch. After a walk to Katelyn Wehman and single by Kaylani Leos, Maddie Hicks provided a line drive double to bring in both Wehman and Leos. Chloe Duncan advanced Hicks to third on an infield single and both would score on a single into center field by Joy Hudspath. Julia Nardone drove in the final run of the inning as she singled in Ellie Kalantzis who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

The Tigers fought hard and would not go away as they trimmed the lead to 7-4 with a run in the second and three more in the third. Ellwood City would build the lead back to 10-4 with a three-spot in the bottom half of the third. Hudspath and Kalantzis reached on errors and Garroway walked to load the bases. Wehman came up huge as she cleared the bases with a two-out double into left-center field that once bounced the fence.

With Nardone tiring a bit in the fourth, North Allegheny continued to battle and scored 4 runs. Garroway then relieved Nardone and got the last two outs to snuff the rally.

Leading by just a 10-8 score entering the fifth inning, the Wolverines gave themselves more breathing room as they plated two more runs. Nardone started the inning with a long single to the center field fence and promptly stole second base. Garroway brought her in with a double blasted off of the fence in left center. Wehman followed with a single to score Garroway from second.

North Allegheny scored one in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 12-9 but Ellwood City would match that run in the home half of the inning. The Lady Wolverines manufactured their run as Maddie Hicks led off and reached second base by way of a single and a throwing error. She advanced to third on a sacrifice fly into right field by Trinity Arlet and would alertly score on a sacrifice fly to the second baseman by Hudspath. Garroway then struck out the side in the top of the seventh to close things out.

Nardone got the win in the circle as she went 3 and one-third innings. She yielded 6 hits while giving up 8 runs, 5 earned with 5 strikeouts and two walks. Garroway closed things out with three and two-thirds innings of 2 hit ball. She fanned 9 batters and did not issue any walks.

Ellwood City will look for win #3 on Monday as they travel to Neshannock to take on the Lancers. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.