EC Softball Knocks Off Unbeaten Avonworth; JH Softball, Varsity Baseball Teams Victorious

Varsity Softball Knocks Off Previously Unbeaten Avonworth Record Now 8-4

Avonworth walked into Stiefel Park with an unblemished 13-0 record and were ranked as the #1 team in WPIAL Class 3A. They left with their first loss of the season as The Lady Wolverines made a statement with a convincing 6-1 win. The Wolverines kept their section championship aspirations alive as they improved to 5-2 in section play.

Freshman pitching sensation Angie Nardone stifled the hard-hitting Antelopes offensive attack as she cruised to the complete game victory. Nardone was impressive as she scattered 5 hits over 7 innings. She gave up just 1 earned run while striking out 7 and walking 2. She is now 5-1 on the season with a sparkling 2.23 ERA. She pitched like a seasoned veteran and made just one mistake as she gave up a solo homer on an 0-2 changeup in the 5th inning.

The game had the feel of an old fashioned pitcher’s duel until the Wolverines exploded for 6 runs in the home half of the 4th inning. Leadoff batter Ariana Garroway laced a double down the left field line and immediately stole 3rd. She would score the game’s first run as Anna Ferrucci hammered a single into right. A walk to Natalia Greco would put runners on first and second for Nardone. She blooped a single into left field and Ferrucci scored as the throw from the outfield was offline to third base. Greco then scored from second as the shortstop airmailed a throw to first base on a hard hit grounder by Makinley Magill. Freshman Kyla Servick then drilled a single into right-center to score Nardone and move Magill to third. Magill scored on a wild pitch and Servick advanced to second. Servick scored the 6th and final run of the inning as Freshman Kali Barnett ripped a two-out double into left.

The Wolverines hit the ball well from top to bottom as 6 different players contributed 8 hits on the evening. The defense was solid as usual with first baseman Maria Ioanilli, second baseman Servick and third baseman Barnett showing their smoothness. Shortstop Magill showed off her cannon of a right arm on numerous occasions throwing out runners at first from deep in the hole. Nardone made a key play to put out a fire in the third inning. Avonworth bunted with no outs and runners on second and third in the third inning. She deftly faked the throw to first and picked the runner off at third with a dart to Magill. Catcher Garroway controlled the running game as Avonworth didn’t even think about stealing a base. Left fielder Ferrucci ran down a couple of fly balls and center fielder Natalia Greco made the play of the game with a highlight reel catch with one out in the 7th. The fleet-footed Senior got back to the fence in right-center field and brought back a potential home run with a leaping grab for the second out.
The Lady Wolverines will travel to Beaver on Thursday looking for revenge against the Bobcats. First pitch is set for 4:00 pm.

Junior High Softball Team Defeats Freedom; Record Improves To 7-2

The Lady Wolverines got back to their winning ways in grand fashion as they mercy ruled Freedom 18-0 in a 5 inning affair Tuesday afternoon on the Bulldog’s home turf. Ellwood City started fast as they plated 12 runs in the first two innings.

The first 6 batters reached base in the first inning to jump on the Bulldogs. Julia Nardone led off the game with a laser into left field and then stole second base. Keira Rozanski was hit by a pitch and Aliya Garroway loaded the bases with a bloop single into left field. Nardone would score as Katelyn Wehman would also be plunked by the pitcher. Maddie Hicks brought in Rozanski with a fielder’s choice ground ball to the pitcher. Garroway and Wehman then scored on a 2 run single to center by Kaylani Leos. Ellie Kalantzis followed with a single to score Hicks and Paige Wearing brought in Leos with another single to center. Nardone scored Kalantzis with her second single of the inning and Rozanski plated Wearing with a sacrifice fly to right field. Garroway brought in the 9th run when she blasted a double off of the wall in dead center to score Nardone.

Hicks led off the second inning with a triple into the gap in left-center field. She scored on a two-out single by Bree Falesnik which was Falesnik’s first career junior high hit. Falesnik moved up to second on the throw and scored on a single up the middle by Wearing. After Asia Irving reached first base via catcher’s interference, Trinity Arlet brought Wearing in with a single.

Ellwood City scored the 13th run of the game in the 4th inning as Wearing walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on Arlet’s second hit of the game. The Wolverines finished the scoring as they scored 5 times in the 5th. Irving, Arlet, Leos, Aaliyah Kinney, and Falesnik all scored while hits were provided by Wehman, Joy Hudspath, and Kinney.

Nardone ran her record to 7-2 as she went the first two innings. She gave up 3 hits while fanning 3 Bulldogs without walking a batter. Garroway went the final 3 innings and did not allow a baserunner or hit. She fanned 4 and also did not issue a free pass. The defense was much improved as they did not commit an error on 11 balls put in play. Second baseman Falesnik was the defensive player of the game as she put out 5 baserunners at first base via ground balls, including retiring the side in the 3rd inning.

The young ladies will travel to Blackhawk on Thursday in hopes of bringing home win number 8. First pitch is set for 4:00 pm.

Wolverine Baseball Walks Away Victorious Over Shady Side Academy

The Ellwood City varsity baseball squad won a contest on the road against Shady Side Academy on Wednesday by a score of 4-2.

Ellwood City fired up the offense in the first inning to take an early one-run lead. Shady Side Academy evened things up at one in the bottom of the third inning.

The Wolverines pulled away for good with two runs in the fourth inning. In the fourth an error scored one run for Ellwood City and Doug Balin singled on a 1-2 count, scoring one run.  After taking on an insurance run in the fifth inning, the Wolverines withstood a late rally by Shady Side Academy to hold on to the victory.

Ryan Gibbons took the win for Ellwood City Wolverines. He went five and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out eight. Brady Welsh threw one and one-third innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Welsh also collected two hits at the plate, his second consecutive two-hit performance of the week.

John Salvitti took the loss for Shady Side Academy. He went seven innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out four and walking one.

The victory for the baseball squad came on the heels of a 4-3 defeat on Tuesday at the hands of New Brighton.

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