Sports
PIAA Baseball First Round Recaps for Monday, June 4th
June 4, 2012
A year ago, two WPIAL teams; Riverside in AA and Serra Catholic in A joined Conestoga and Northern York and PIAA baseball champions. Serra did not qualify for the state postseason this spring, leaving Riverside as the lone D-7 school looking to repeat in the PIAA. That dream for the Panthers remains alive after Round One, Here are recaps from the First Round on Monday, June 4th in the 2012 PIAA Baseball Playoffs.Thanks to Steve Nagler, Mark Schaas and Hugh Mulvey for their help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AAAA First Round:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 06/04/2012
With the district high school baseball and softball postseason behind us, the focus switches to the diamond state playoffs starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the First Round and the Quarterfinals from both the PIAA baseball and softball state playoffs along with pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things, women's pro football featuring the Pittsburgh Passion and mens semi-pro football featuring the Tri-State Steel Storm, plus all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin ALL here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 4th:Chambersburg and Bethlehem Catholic Win 2012 PIAA Boys Volleyball Titles
June 3, 2012
In the end, there was nothing but empty dreams returning home to Western Pennsylvania after a pair of District 7 teams fell in the state Semifinals on Saturday at Penn State. Both Norwin in AAA and Ambridge in AA fell one game shy of the state finals, the Knights in three games, the Bridgers in five heartbreaking games. In the end, Chambersburg from District 3 and Bethlehem Catholic from District 11 were crowned champions. Here are ALL of the final results from the 2012 PIAA Boys Volleyball Playoffs.2012 PIAA CLASS AAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH:Scholastic Notebook – 06/01/2012
June 1, 2012
After Blackhawk’s Brendan McKay pitched a shutout in the WPIAL Class AAA championship Thursday, Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia said there is no stage too big for McKay. But as sophomores go, McKay has the entire stage to himself. The way McKay has pitched this season brings about a question. Has there ever been a sophomore pitcher in the WPIAL who has enjoyed this much success in one of the largest classifications? McKay, a sophomore left-hander, has been tremendous for a pitcher in any year, let alone one in his sophomore season. His statistics go beyond impressive.Northern Brights: Seneca Valley, Blackhawk, Ellwood City & Neshannock Are Gold in 2012 WPIAL Baseball
All of the district baseball gold was discovered in the north in 2012. Two Lawrence County, one Butler County and a northern Beaver County team captured WPIAL championships at CONSOL Energy Park, with three of the four title games coming down to the final at-bat. While Neshannock was able to repeat in Class A in somewhat 'comfortable' fashion, Seneca Valley's second straight title in AAAA, Ellwood City's dethroning of rival Riverside in AA and Blackhawk's second baseball crown in AAA all came in the form of heart-pumping finishes. Here are ALL of the final scores from the 2012 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs.Canon-Mac, Montour, Deer Lakes & Char-Houston Are Golden in WPIAL Softball
There was plenty of excitement in this softball postseason all the way down to the wire with half of the championships games being decided on a walk off hit in extra innings. One team successfully repeated as champion while another won their second title in three years. The other two that sit atop the district softball hill are celebrating first time ever WPIAL golden crowns. Here are ALL of the final scores from the 2012 WPIAL Softball Playoffs.All archived broadcasts (MSA after the score) from the softball postseason are exclusively here on the MSA Sports Network is sponsored in part by Carlow University.Big Macs Tasty in Winning First WPIAL AAAA Softball Championship
Canon McMillan won their first-ever WPIAL softball championship with a 4-1 victory over Hempfield Thursday night at Lilley Field at California University. Big Macs' pitcher Alayna Astuto gave up only 3 hits in 7 innings, walking two and striking out one. Hempfield starter Karilyn Null retired the first 9 Canon McMillan batters, and the game was scoreless until Abby McCartney doubled home Maddie Engel in the bottom of the fourth inning to give the Big Macs a 1-0 lead. Olivia Lorusso followed with a three-run homer to left field to make it 4-0, which was all Astuto and Canon McMillan would need. Pinch hitter Sarah DiOrio drove home Michaela LaDonne with an RBI ground out in the top of the 7th for Hempfield's only run.Montour Blanks EF For 2nd WPIAL AAA Softball Crown in 3 Years
At the University of California of PA in the WPIAL girls AAA Softball Championships, the Montour Spartans defeat the Elizabeth Forward Warriors by a score of 7-0 to claim their second title in the last three years.They put on a hitting display and kept the foot on the gas making sure the Warriors could not come back late in the game.The scoring started for the Spartans in the 3rd inning as the number nine hitter, Junior Alyssa McMurtrie led off with a line drive home run to CF to make it 1-0. One out later Megan Vacco started a string of three straight singles, the other two by Kaitlyn Kutchman, and Alllison Hryadil and they led 2-0.The score grew to 4-0 Spartans in the 5th as Tori Roman and Stephanie Seibert singled then Olivia Dixon reached on an error.
Cougars Win Catfight, Beat Leopards in WPIAL AAA Baseball Thriller
May 31, 2012
Coach Bob Amalia's nerves have got to be frazzled as the Blackhawk Cougars won their first WPIAL baseball championship since 2004 with a 1-0 victory over the Belle Vernon Leopards at Consol Energy Field on Thursday night. The Cougars have won three straight 1-0 games on their run to the title, defeating Char Valley in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in nine innings in the semis.
Deer Lakes Comes Back Late to Claim First WPIAL AA Softball Championship
In unlikely fashion, the Deer Lakers Lancers rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and a run in the eighth to claim their first ever Class AA Softball championship with a 3-2 eight inning win over the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions.Becca Babincak bunted to lead off the inning and stole second, after one out, Candace Scanga hit a grounder to first that Alie Perz could not handle, putting runners at first and third. Greensburg Central Catholic brought the outfield in with Siera Sarver at the plate, she drove a deep fly ball to right center over the head of the outfielders to score the game winning run.Chartiers-Houston Rallies in 9th for Dramatic WPIAL Class A Softball Title
In another classic in the Class A softball championship game at California University's Lilley Field, the Chartiers-Houston rallied in the bottom of the ninth to claim back to back titles with a walk-off win. With two outs and trailing 2 to 1, Piper McLaughlin tripled past centerfielder Megan Bayles to bring home both the tying and winning runs to give the Buccaneers their ninth WPIAL championship.
Seneca Valley Wins Second Straight WPIAL Quad-A Baseball Title
May 30, 2012
Back to back was the story of the night as the Seneca Valley Raiders repeated as Quad-A baseball champions with a 5-3 win over Mount Lebanon on Wednesday night at Consol Energy Park. It's the third WPIAL championship for the Raiders. Matt Smith picked up his second straight championship victory. He allowed seven hits and struck out ten. Carson Kessler went 2 for 3 for the Raiders, he drove in a pair of runs.
Back to Back Gold For Neshannock in WPIAL Class A Baseball
The Neshannock Lancers claimed their second consecutive WPIAL Class A title with a 5-0 victory over the previously unbeaten California Trojans at Consol Energy Park on Wednesday night. It's the fifth baseball championship for Neshannock and the fourth since Class A was founded in 1999.Senior pitcher Alex Strittmatter was again superb, going the distance on a five-hitter, he fanned nine, including the final two batters. He also got the job done at the plate, going 2 for 4. Strittmatter was the winning pitcher in last year's title victory over Chartiers-Houston.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Recaps
In the midst of all of the WPIAL baseball and softball championship games are five contests on Wednesday with the postseason future of ten district teams up for grabs. Three softball consolation games at California University of Pennsylvania and a pair of baseball consolation games at the Washington & Jefferson Sports Complex were broadcast on The Network with the five winners earning a berth in the PIAA state playoffs that begin next week. Here are the recaps from those games.Special thanks to Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps!
Ellwood City Claims WPIAL AA Baseball Title by Winning Backyard Brawl
The Ellwood City Wolverines claimed their fifth WPIAL championship with a 9-7 victory over their cross town rival Riverside Panthers at Consol Energy Field on Wednesday afternoon. Sophomore catcher Zach Mathias led the way, going 3 for 3 in the number nine spot in the batting order.WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association Postseason Awards
The WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association (WBCA) announced Tuesday the 2012 winners of its annual Players, Pitchers and Coaches of the Year Awards. Players, Pitchers and Coaches of the Year were selected in Classes AAAA, AAA, AA and A based on regular season performance by a vote of WPIAL head baseball coaches. The winners will be honored at an Awards Banquet on June 8 at the Airport Marriott.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/29/2012
May 29, 2012
Plenty of Diamond Gold will be up for grabs post holiday this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have EXCLUSIVE coverage of all eight 2012 WPIAL Baseball and Softball Championship Games and all five WPIAL baseball and softball consolation games along with a pair of District 6 Softball Championship Games, plus news from the world of auto racing with Rappin on Racin, pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things and women's pro football featuring the Pittsburgh Passion ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 28th:HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY FROM ALL OF US HERE AT THE MSA SPORTS NETWORK!2012 WPIAL BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEWS
May 28, 2012
The baseball season begins to wind down in Western Pennsylvania as four champions will be crowned over the next two days. Stay with the MSA Sports Network for complete pre-game, game and post-game coverage from Consol Energy Park from the first pitch until the final gold medal has been handed out.Here are previews of all four title game:2012 PIAA Track & Field – Day Two Recap
May 27, 2012
At every invitational and championship meet this spring, South Park’s Bill Stanley has set a meet record in the javelin. But Stanley did a lot more than set a meet record today. Stanley is now a national record holder. Stanley, a senior, won the Class AAA javelin title at Shippensburg University and set a national record with a throw of 246 feet, 9 inches. Stanley’s throw, which came on his first of the competition, beat the old record of 244-2, set in 2010 by Sam Crouser of Gresham, Ore. The national record is recognized by the National Federation of High School Associations. NFHS national records can only be set at state championship meets or NFHS-sanctioned meets.Ambridge Kings Again in WPIAL AA Boys Volleyball by Beating Derry
May 26, 2012
Ambridge won their fourth WPIAL Class AA championship in the past five years in dramatic fashion defeating Derry in a comeback victory 18-25, 14-25, 25-12, 25-23, 15-8. on Friday night at Chartiers Valley High School. In the first two games Ambidge never led by more than two points early. Ambridge led 5-3 in the first game when Derry went on a 12-5 run to take control of the game. In game two Ambridge led 4-2 and Derry scored the next 7 and cruised to victory. Matt Vasinko had numerous kills for the Trojans. Game three Lee Smith for Ambridge came alive and pretty much was unstoppable.
