Softball
This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/14/2015
June 14, 2015
While the high school sports season is over, tell your Dandy Dad that there is plenty of pro baseball and pro softball coming his way this week here on the MSA Sports Network. Instead of another boring tie, point Dad to www.msasports.net for plenty of pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion along with another high school football all-star game, plus he can find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 15th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net Tuesday, June 16th:
Trinity Washed Away by Bethlehem Catholic in PIAA AAA Softball
June 13, 2015
Bethanne Brandstetter and Angelys Cotto had RBI singles leading Bethlehem Catholic to a 2-0 win over Trinity Friday in the PIAA Class AAA Softball Championship. The title is the first for the Golden Hawks (19-7) in the third trip to the finals. Winning pitcher Elyse Cuttic held the Hillers (20-6) to five hits in the game, none with less than two outs. Trinity was making a first-ever appearance in the championship game.
Big Inning Helps Holy Redeemer Beat Deer Lakes in AA Softball
June 12, 2015
Holy Redeemer scored 5 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a lead they would never relinquish as the Royals defeated Deer Lakes 10-5 to capture their first ever Class AA State championship at Beard Field on the campus of Penn State University.PIAA Baseball & Softball Semifinals Wednesday Recaps
June 10, 2015
After being postponed twice over the previous 48 hours, Knoch baseball and Hempfield softball were finally able to hit the field, both playing at Mount Aloysius College with mixed results. WPIAL AAA baseball champion Knoch used an offensive explosion for the first time this postseason to advance to their first state title game while WPIAL AAAA softball champion had very little offense as their dreams of state gold came to an end. Here are recaps from the final two PIAA Semifinals contests played on Wednesday afternoon in Cambria County. A special thanks to Josh Rowntree and Don Rebel for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:PIAA Baseball & Softball Semifinals Tuesday Recaps
June 9, 2015
Already delayed 24 hours by rain, the forecast was not all that promising for Tuesday. However Mother nature cooperated and all but three PIAA Semifinals games were played, including three contests involving WPIAL teams. Two district softball teams were winners and are headed to Penn State to play for state gold while a district baseball team saw their season end in heartbreak fashion. Here are the three recaps from Tuesday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Bob Orkwis, Bob Gregg and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 06/07/2015
June 7, 2015
The 2014-2015 high school sports season comes to an end this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have action from both the 2015 PIAA Baseball and Softball Semiifnals and State Championship Games along with pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 8th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA Semifinals - Donegal vs Knoch at 4:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AA Semifinals - Quaker Valley vs Neshannock at 12:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 06/05/2015
June 5, 2015
Four WPIAL baseball teams have made it to the PIAA semifinals. The main ingredient to their postseason success is simple. Pitching. Of course, pitching always is key in baseball, but you might be scratching your head to come up with a group of WPIAL teams that made it this far and that have such a strong common thread of stellar pitching between them. The four are Shaler (Class AAAA), Knoch (AAA), Neshannock (AA) and Quaker Valley (AA). Of the four, only Neshannock has really made a huge impact offensively, scoring 45 runs in six postseason games. But the pitching of all four teams has been impeccable.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/02/2015
June 2, 2015
As we swing into June, the diamond action turns from the district postseason to the state playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have PIAA Baseball and Softball First Round and Quarterfinals action as the 2015 spring scholastic sports season winds down. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 1st: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA First Round - Shaler vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/29/2015
May 29, 2015
Spring is the time for things to bloom, right? This spring has been a time for a group of young WPIAL athletes to sprout. One of the storylines for spring sports in the WPIAL has been the young blood that has flowed through the league and made an impact. In case you didn’t notice, it has been a spring where an unusually a number of sophomores or freshmen did some terrific things in a few different sports. Let’s examine:2015 WPIAL SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
May 28, 2015
A tip of the cap to the WPIAL Softball Steering Committee. Three of the four title game matchups were #1 vs #2-seeds with the fourth being a #1 vs #3. And after the dust settled at Lilley Field. three of the four champions crowned were top-seeds who went the distance. While Jefferson-Morgan celebrated a first time championship, its was the second softball title in school history for Deer lakes and Belle Vernon and a third golden crown for Hempfield. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Softball Playoffs. All results marked with (MSA) after the score can be heard archived at any time at MSAsports.net 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
4-run 7th Helps Belle Vernon Stun Yough 5-4 for AAA Gold
The Belle Vernon Leopards had one out in the bottom of the seventh of the Class AAA championship game with no runners on base and trailed 4-1. Five batters later the Leopards had a 5-4 victory after a two-run single by Emily Frederick capped a four-run rally to give Belle Vernon (20-2) its 17th straight win and its first WPIAL championship since 2007. "This is so unreal," Frederick said after the game seemingly trying to grasp what just transpired at California University of Pennsylvania's Lilley Field . Belle Vernon actually didn't have a hit through the first five innings as Yough pitcher Macy Mularski held the Leopards in check, only allowing four walks in the first five frames.
Deer Lakes Hands Mohawk First Loss With 13-5 Win in AA Finals
Maria Taliani belted three home runs, and Deer Lakes used a six-run explosion in the fourth inning to capture the Class AA softball title, defeating Mohawk 13-5 at Lilley Field at California University of Pennsylvania. The victory marks the second championship for the Lancers, who captured the crown in 2012, and finished in second place in each of the past two seasons. Top-seeded Deer Lakes (21-1) collected 13 hits, and Taliani and Katie Gozzard combined for 11 RBIs in the Lancers’ offensive onslaught. Both players homered in the crucial fourth inning, as the Lancers turned a 4-3 deficit into a five-run lead.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Tuesday Recaps
May 26, 2015
Eight baseball teams and eight softball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Now 12 of those 16 teams are in action Tuesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Sean Meyers, Mike Azadian, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/25/2015
May 25, 2015
After broadcasting the WPIAL Boys Volleyball and Boys & Girls Lacrosse championships last week, we'll have end to end coverage of the battles for WPIAL diamond gold in both baseball and softball making this another memorable week this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have WPIAL Baseball and Softball Championship action from CONSOL Energy Field and California University of Pennsylvania, along with all eight consolation games from both sports and District 9 baseball and softball postseason play. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro softball with the 2015 start of the Pennsylvania Rebellion season, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show on a special night of Thursday evening and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/22/2015
May 22, 2015
Neshannock High School’s baseball team has made it to the WPIAL Class AA championship game. It’s another chapter in one of the most successful coaching stories in the WPIAL. You might not think of Mike Kirkwood as one of the elite coaches in the WPIAL. Maybe because Neshannock is on the edge of the WPIAL and doesn’t get a ton of publicity in the Pittsburgh area, the heart of the WPIAL. But consider this: Kirkwood has won four WPIAL championships. No other active coach has four WPIAL titles. And next Tuesday, Kirkwood will go after one for the thumb when Neshannock plays Quaker Valley for the WPIAL Class AA championship. Making it to the title game this year is impressive for Kirkwood. The Lancers had competed in Class A, but moved up to Class AA in 2013.WPIAL Softball Playoff Recaps for Thursday 5/21
May 21, 2015
The Final Four. The winners reach a major goal and earn a spot in a WPIAL championship game. The losers have to deal with a dream dashed and yet still prepare for a consolation game and a berth in the upcoming state playoffs. Here are summaries from all seven softball Semifinals contest played on Thursday. A special thanks to Sean Meyers, Lee Mohn, Mike Azadian, Rob Longo and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:WPIAL Baseball and Softball Playoff Recaps for Wednesday 5/20
The Final Four. The winners reach a major goal and earn a spot in a WPIAL championship game. The losers have to deal with a dream dashed and yet still prepare for a consolation game and a berth in the upcoming state playoffs. Here are summaries from all eight baseball and the one softball Semifinals contest played on Wednesday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Jason Tennant, Sean Meyers, Steve Nagler, Lee Mohn, Lou Rood, Scott Majesky, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL: WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:WPIAL Baseball/Softball/Lacrosse Playoff Recaps for Tuesday 5/19
May 20, 2015
What a difference 24 hours makes. Late Monday, severe storms swept through Western Pennsylvania, postponing several baseball, softball and lacrosse postseason contests. But under sunny skies, it was time for teams to shine en route to the Final Four on the diamond and the title matches in lacrosse. Here are recaps from those games heard Tuesday here on the MSA Sports Network. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Steve Nagler, Greg Kuntz, Sean Meyers, Bob Gregg, Scott Majesky, Jason Tennant, Rick Smith, Bob Orkwis, Jess Levo and Lee Mohn for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL: WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:
2015 Positive Athlete Awards
May 19, 2015
2015 Positive Athlete Awards On Wednesday, May 13th, 27 Western PA High School students were recognized at the John Heinz History Center by Hines Ward as “Positive Athletes” . These athletes were nominated by coaches, teachers, administrators, parents, and friends for their ability to meet the following criteria in their day-to day lives as athletes, students and members of their communities.WPIAL Baseball/Softball/Lacrosse Playoff Recaps for Monday 5/18
The forecast was promising, but there was hope that most of the WPIAL spring sports playoff schedule could get squeezed in before expected storms hit. Oh well. While most of the early action did get played, that was not the case for most of the baseball and softball scheduled games. Heck, even half of the lacrosse matches were postponed and pushed back until Tuesday. Here are some of the recaps from the action that did take place on a stormy Monday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Jason Tennant, Bob Orkwis, Rob Longo and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL: WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:
