RAYLAND - Aliyah Marelli hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Buckeye Local softball team overcame a 5-2 deficit to beat visiting Union Local, 8-7, Friday.
"It's a hard sport to figure out, really," said rookie Buckeye Local skipper Joe Soos. "This is a game we were probably supposed to lose, but it's a credit to these girls because they've been battling back all season."
After Buckeye Local cut into the Lady Jets' 3-0 lead, Union Local responded with a two-spot in the fourth, making it a 5-2 contest.
Marelli drew a walk before junior Taryn Tonkovich looped a single. Hard-hitting senior shortstop Dana Bettineschi then drove a single into left to score both runners. She moved to second on the throw.
Third-baseman Karlee Leonard singled and stole second before Kierstyn Czuchran cleared the bases with a double to make it a 6-5 reading in favor of the Lady Panthers.
"We've been hitting the ball well all year, and we continued that tonight," Soos pointed out. "Our hitting ability certainly helps."
The Jets made it 7-6 with two more runs in the sixth.
The Lady Panthers knotted it again in its half of the sixth when Tonkovich blooped a single into right center, scoring Kaylee DeCesare, who reached on an error to start off the inning.
After Union Local went quietly in the seventh, the Lady Panthers broke through.
With two outs, DeCesare then reached on an error and Sydney Omaits reached on an infield single, which set up the Marelli theatrics and set off a wild celebration on senior day.
"We needed every last hit we got today," Soos said. "We were down and hurting. UL came to play and played a heck of a game, but the ball just bounced a little bit more our way today."
Ivy Starcher earned the circle win, while Minamyer, who worked from the bullpen, suffered the tough-luck loser on the rubber.
Buckeye Local 8, Union Local 7
Union Local 003 202 0 - 7 8 2
Buckeye Local 002 041 1 - 8 13 7
UNION LOCAL: Bethel, Minamyer (5) and Keiser; Minamyer S, rbi; Sliva S; Brahler S, D; Stack S, rbi; Keiser S, rbi.
BUCKEYE LOCAL: Primovic, Starcher (WP, 4) and Nest; Marelli S, rbi; Tonkovivh 2S, rbi; Bettineschi SS, 2rbi; Leonard S; Czuchran D, 3rbi; Omaits S.
Central beats Bulldogs
BRIDGEPORT - Lara Householder had a perfect game going into the sixth inning and a no-hitter into the seventh inning as Catholic Central beat host Bridgeport 9-1 Friday.
Householder was replaced in teh circle by Kayla Lloyd after Ashley Hadzima hit a triple in the seventh.
Householder struck out five and walked two.
Allee Vandeborne had a double, single and RBI. Maddy Gulan added a triple and RBI, Ashlynne Daley a single, triple and two RBIs and Rachel Sommers an RBI single.
The Crusaders are 16-4.
Catholic Central 9, Bridgeport 1
Catholic Central 201 202 2 - 9 10 1
Bridgeport 000 000 1 - 1 2 3
CATHOLIC CENTRAL (16-4): Householder (WP, 5K, 2BB), Lloyd (7, 1K, 0BB) and Moziejko, Gulan (5); Vandeborne S, D, rbi; Gulan T, rbi; Mirabella S; Clark S; Grandinetti S; Lloyd S; Daley S, T, 2rbi; Sommers S, rbi; Capaldi rbi.
BRIDGEPORT (7-13): Hadzima (LP, 4K, 5BB) and Meyers; Hadzima T; Stewart S, rbi.
Wildcats nip Brooke
RICHMOND - Brooke took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning, but Edison came back with two in the bottom half of the inning and eventually grabbed a 3-2 victory Friday at Jefferson Lake State Park.
Edison is 13-7, while the Bruins fell to 7-17.
Junior Mikayla Tice earned the victory. She fanned seven and walked one.
Trisha Trifonoff led the offense with three singles. Natalie Snyder added a single and two RBIs and Lynsey Morrison two singles and an RBI.
Shannon Reardon collected two singles for the Bruins. Kristen Ewing added a single and RBI.
Edison 3, Brooke 2
Brooke 000 100 1 - 2 3 1
Edison 000 201 x - 3 7 3
BROOKE (7-17): Kuchinski (LP, 6K, 1BB) and S. Reardon; S. Reardon 2S; Ewing S, rbi.
EDISON (13-7): Tice (WP, 7K, 1BB) and Sheets; Trifonoff 3S; Ka. Prokopakis S; Brenstuhl S; Snyder S, 2rbi; Morrison 2S, rbi.
Madonna downs Bears
NEW CUMBERLAND - Madonna pounded 13 hits in Friday's 17-7 win over host Oak Glen.
Isabella Anile led the charge with three singles and a double. Amanda Paul added a double and single and Emily Pietranton two singles.
Ashley Pryor paced the Golden Bears with three singles. Tia Smith added a double and single.
Madonna visits Morgantown Trinity today for a doubleheader.
Madonna 17, Oak Glen 7
Madonna 140 219 - 17 13 4
Oak Glen 300 004 - 7 11 5
MADONNA (8-7): Pulice (WP, 2K, 0BB) and A. Magnone, Alongi (5). Anile 3S, D; Paul D, S; Pietranton 2S.
OAK GLEN: Cunningham (2K, 9BB), Murray (6th, 1K, 0BB) and Pryor; Pryor 3S; Smith D, S.
Baseball
Jets whip Panthers
RAYLAND - Union Local scored eight times in the top of the first inning and went on to beat Buckeye Local, 15-2, Friday at Mazeroski Field.
Jonathan Borkoski had a double and RBI and Chase Hopkins a double for the Panthers.
Union Local 15, Buckeye Local 2
Union Local 805 11 - 15 13 4
Buckeye Local 010 01 - 2 6 4
UNION LOCAL: Riley (WP, 2K, 1BB) and R.Simpson; McDonald 2S, HR, 4rbi; McGary 2S; Bruce S, D, 3rbi; B.Simpson 2D, rbi; R.Simpson D, rbi; Dunfee S; Smith 2S, 2rbi.
BUCKEYE LOCAL: Malesky (LP, 2K, 3BB), Williams (3) (2SO, 2W) and Roth. Marshall S; Zeroski S; Williams rbi; Borkoski D, rbi; Banal S; Duncan S; Hopkins D.
Oak Glen wins two
BLACKSVILLE - The Oak Glen baseball team picked up two wins Friday at Clay-Battelle, 9-2 and 13-0.
Tyler Steed pitched seven innings in the first game.
Jeff Hissam was the winning pitcher in the second game. Hissam helped his cause by going 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run.
Oak Glen is scheduled to play at 2 p.m. today at home against Burgettstown.
Game 1
Oak Glen, 9 Clay-Battelle 2
Oak Glen 300 005 1 - 9 5 1
Clay-Battelle 000 002 0 - 2 2 3
OAK GLEN: Steed (WP) and Koper.
CLAY-BATTELLE: Lemley (LP) and Tinney.
Game 2
Oak Glen 13, Clay-Battelle 0
Oak Glen 355 00 - 13 15 1
Clay-Battelle 000 00 - 0 3 1
OAK GLEN (10-9): Hissam (WP) and Koper.
CLAY-BATTELLE: Tinney (LP) and Poling.
