High school roundup for May 15, 2023: 12th-seeded South Fayette upends North Hills

By: Tribune-Review
Monday, May 15, 2023 | 10:57 PM

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Freshman Liv Bonacci had three hits, including a two-run homer, and sophomore Maddie Cavenaugh had two hits and a home run as No. 12 South Fayette upset No. 5 North Hills, 6-5, in a WPIAL Class 5A first-round softball playoff game Monday.

The Lions (11-9) start five freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors, yet any postseason nerves were washed away when Cavenaugh drilled the first pitch of the game over the right-center fence.

After Bonacci hit a two-run homer for the Lions in the fourth inning, the Indians (14-4) responded on an RBI single by Alyvia Merz in the fourth and back-to-back run-scoring doubles in the fifth by Brenna Westwood and Addyson Wrigley.

South Fayette took the lead for good in the top of the sixth inning on a run-scoring wild pitch, a sacrifice fly by Addie Vierra and an RBI groundout by Charlotte Dziki.

North Hills plated two in the bottom of the sixth on a wild pitch and an RBI single by Miranda Groll but could not get the equalizer.

Freshman Emma Earley picked up the win for South Fayette, which advances to the quarterfinals to play fellow Section 3-5A foe West Allegheny, the fourth seed.

Armstrong 10, Upper St. Clair 0 – Cameryn Sprankle threw a six-inning, four-hit shutout with eight strikeouts to lead top-seeded Armstrong (17-1) to a Class 5A first-round win.

Emma Smerick had three hits, including a triple, and an RBI, and Emma Paul doubled and drove in a pair for the River Hawks, who will face No. 8 Thomas Jefferson in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Jessica Pugh also had two RBIs. Elisa Tucker doubled twice and Brooklyn Kemp also doubled for No. 16 Upper St. Clair (8-9).

Franklin Regional 10, Moon 2 – Madison Nguyen and Alexa Patberg each hit two home runs to lead No. 7 Franklin Regional (12-6) to a first-round win in Class 5A.

Nguyen went 3 for 4 with six RBIs, hitting a three-run homer and a two-run shot. Patberg belted two solo homers. Sydney Jackson had three hits, including a double, and Chloe Lancaster singled and doubled for the Panthers, who will meet No. 2 Shaler in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Alyssa Favarella homered, Kendall Chambers singled and doubled, and Cami Chambers doubled and drove in a run for No. 10 Moon (6-10).

Indiana 9, Beaver 0 – Olivia Zimmerman took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, throwing a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts, to lead No. 7 Indiana (16-4) to a first-round win in Class 4A.

Zimmerman also singled, doubled and drove in two runs for Indiana, which will meet No. 2 Montour in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Ella Myers went 3 for 3, Haley Hamilton singled and doubled, Chloe McHugh doubled and drove in a pair and Julia Antonacci had two hits and RBIs.

Taylor Young broke up the no-hitter for No. 10 Beaver (7-10).

Knoch 7, Uniontown 6 – Brynne Smith hit a two-out walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Lizzie Danik, to lead No. 6 Knoch (11-8) to a first-round win in Class 4A.

Winning pitcher Marlee Fraser struck out 13 in nine innings and drove in a run for the Knights, who will face No. 3 Chartiers Valley in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Danik finished with three hits, Smith had two hits and two RBIs, and Lindsay Edwards doubled.

Sequoia Dunlap had four hits for No. 11 Uniontown (5-10). Graci Rodeheaver had three hits and two RBIs and Emmaleigh Noah also recorded three hits.

Shaler 5, Bethel Park 3 – Alyssa Scaffold doubled and homered and winning pitcher Bria Bosiljevac gave up one hit and struck out 11 in 4⅔ innings of relief to lead No. 2 Shaler (17-0) to a first-round win in Class 5A.

Eloise Facher hit the go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning, and Bethany Rodman had two hits and an RBI for the Titans, who will face No. 7 Franklin Regional in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Allison Jones had two hits and an RBI, Lupe McElvenny doubled, and Savanna Knauff had an RBI single in the second inning as No. 15 Bethel Park (7-11) jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

Trinity 3, Penn-Trafford 2 – Miranda Rinehart hit a game-tying home run in the third inning and Hannah Suhoski doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fourth, leading third-seeded Trinity (16-2) to a first-round victory in Class 5A.

Bri Pusateri had a pair of RBI singles, Erin Drotos went 2 for 2 and Rilie Moors doubled for No. 14 Penn-Trafford (6-12).

Suhoski and Amber Morgan each had two hits for the Hillers, who will meet No. 6 Latrobe in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

West Allegheny 18, Fox Chapel 3 – A year ago, No. 5 West Allegheny was stunned in the opening round of the Class 5A softball playoffs by No. 12 Latrobe. This year, the Indians made sure history would not repeat itself.

No. 4 West Allegheny (19-1) turned its first-round matchup with No. 13 Fox Chapel (8-12) into a home run derby, hitting four long balls as the Indians routed the Foxes in four innings at Montour.

Aubrey Police hit a leadoff homer and Emily Nolan cracked a two-run shot in a four-run first inning. The Vicari-Baker sisters each homered in a seven-run second inning, Addy’s a two-run shot and Emily’s a three-run homer.

Addy Vicari-Baker had four hits while Police and Nolan each had three hits for the Indians. Freshman Ava Walmsley had a hit, a walk and an RBI for the Foxes.

West Allegheny now faces a South Fayette team in the quarterfinals Wednesday that it beat twice in the regular season by a combined score of 27-9.

West Mifflin 10, McKeesport 0 – Addie Hillisberg threw a five-inning, two-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and had two hits and two RBIs to lead No. 5 West Mifflin (13-5) to a first-round win in Class 4A.

Jasalin Guenther singled, doubled and drove in two runs, and Samantha Tomko also had two hits and two RBIs for the Titans, who will take on No. 4 Belle Vernon in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Aubrie Mackowiak and Kendal Bercik had hits for No. 12 McKeesport (9-9).

Girls lacrosse

North Allegheny 12, Peters Township 11 (OT) – Mila Prusak’s fourth goal of the game was the overtime winner as No. 9 North Allegheny won a Class 3A first-round matchup.

Isla Abrams and Leigh Failla score three goals apiece for the Tigers, who will meet No. 1 Pine-Richland in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

Lani Filoon scored four goals, including her 50th of the season for No. 8 Peters Township.Emma Kail also scored four goals and Grace Kail had two goals and three assists.

In other Class 3A first-round action Monday, No. 5 Shady Side Academy handled No. 12 Norwin, 13-4, No. 7 North Hills defeated No. 10 Sewickley Academy, 12-9, and No. 6 Canon-McMillan took care of No. 11 Seneca Valley, 15-6.

Brigid Torpey led the Big Macs with four goals. Emily Lukasewicz scored three and Haylee Phenneger, Samantha Buggey and Meghan Torpey added two apiece.

Boys lacrosse

North Catholic 8, Trinity 6 – The No. 12 Trojans pulled off the upset of the first round, knocking off the No. 5 Hillers in a Class 2A first-round matchup. In other first-round action, No. 9 Moon got past No. 8 Indiana, 9-8, No. 4 Hampton handled No. 13 Seton LaSalle, 20-4, No. 7 Quaker Valley rallied past No. 10 Bethel Park, 11-10, and No. 6 Shaler defeated No. 11 Franklin Regional, 16-8.