May 21, 2024 12:01 am
Wednesday–Chartiers-Houston won a back-and-forth third meeting against section foe Carmichaels to clinch a spot in the WPIAL 1A championship game. Canon-McMillan (6A) lost to Seneca Valley, managing just one hit while West Greene (1A) was beaten by top-seeded Union.
Tuesday–Sofia Gaussa’s two-out, two-run double lifted Bentworth to a 2-1 win over Laurel in the WPIAL 2A softball semifinals. Aubrie Logan walked with one out, went first-to-third on a sacrifice bunt and Sydney Gonglik was intentionally walked. Gaussa stroked middle-of-the-plate fastball past the leftfielder scoring both runners and igniting a wild celebration on, and off, the field. Gonglik held Laurel to one run on just four hits while striking out 13 batter. The Bearcats struggled at the plate most of the night themselves, Gaussa’s double just the fourth hit of the night for the winners who also clinched a berth in the state tournament.
Baseball semifinalists from the two-county area were not as fortunate as Avella, Burgettstown and Carmichaels all will need to win WPIAL third-place games to advance to the state tournament. Bethel Park jumped in front of Trinity in the 5A quarterfinals and rolled to a run-rule win, ending the Hillers’ season.
We’ll have coverage of a pair of softball semifinals on Tuesday: Chartiers-Houston / Carmichaels in the 1A bracket, Canon-McMillan / Seneca Valley in the 6A class. Hear the CHHS/Carmichaels game on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. The Big Macs/Raiders game will be online only. Both games will also have NFHS video available.
WPIAL Bracket Links: Softball Baseball
Wednesday–Softball Semifinals
1A #1 Union 10, #5 West Greene 0
1A #3 Chartiers-Houston 3, #3 Carmichaels 2
6A #2 Seneca Valley 7, #6 Canon-McMillan 1
Tuesday–Softball Semifinals
2A #2 Bentworth 2, #3 Laurel 1
Baseball Quarterfinals
5A #4 Bethel Park 11, #12 Trinity 1 (6 inn)
Baseball Semifinals
2A #1 Serra Catholic 5, #4 Burgettstown 1
1A #2 Eden Christian Academy 11, #6 Avella 2
1A #4 Bishop Canevin 7, #8 Carmichaels 1
May 22, 2024 4:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Gonzales’ run-scoring single in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-6 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. Gonzales’ leadoff hit up the middle off Erik Miller (0-2) scored automatic runner Connor Joe from second base and ended the Giants’ season-high four-game winning streak. The Pirates have won four of their last five games. The Pirates scored four runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 6-all and pin Camilo Doval with his first blown save in nine opportunities this season.
May 22, 2024 4:37 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Justin Fields is embracing a fresh start in Pittsburgh. The Steelers acquired the quarterback from the Chicago Bears in March. Fields says he was relieved when the Bears traded him to Pittsburgh and thanked Chicago general manager Ryan Poles for sending him to a place he wanted to be. Fields says he is fine with backing up veteran Russell Wilson but added it’s his job to help Wilson get better.
May 21, 2024 12:01 am
Brayden Fuller stroked a two-run double, breaking a 2-2 tie in the fifth, leading Avella to a 6-3 in over Fort Cherry in the 1A baseball quarterfinals. Winning pitcher Bryce Wright held the Rangers to 3 runs on just five hits over 6 1/3 innings. Isaiah Bradick picked up the save. Eric Kovach struck out 13 batters while allowing just three hit over 5 2/3 innings propelling Burgettstown to a 3-1 win over Greensburg Central Catholic. Brodie Kuzior got the final four out for the save and also drove in a run. Sam Elich and Wyatt Stevenson had RBIs for the Blue Devils who advance to the WPIAL semifinals for the third straight year. Carmichaels scored three times in the top of the first and made it stand up, ousting top-seeded Union, 3-1. All three winner play semifinal games Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, after an extra day off, Trinity squares off with section opponent Bethel Park Tuesday afternoon in the 5A quarterfinals, a game we’ll have on WJPA-AM and online. All remaining baseball teams from Washington/Greene Counties are in 1A, 2A or 5A. Each of those classes will send the top three teams to the state playoffs. Quarterfinal winners will then need one more victory to qualify.
West Greene won the only softball game on Monday’s schedule, topping Frazier, earning a trip to the semifinals and a berth in the state tournament. Chartiers-Houston and Carmichaels have also clinched state playoff berths. Bentworth needs one win in its next two games to qualify. Canon-McMillan must win the WPIAL to advance to the state tournament.
WPIAL Bracket Links: Softball Baseball
Monday–Softball Quarterfinals
1A #5 West Greene 13, #4 Frazier 5
Monday–Baseball Quarterfinals
2A #4 Burgettstown 3, #5 Greensburg Central Catholic 1
2A #3 Seton-La Salle 9, #6 Chartiers-Houston 1
1A #6 Avella 6, #3 Fort Cherry 3
1A #2 Eden Christian Academy 5, #7 West Greene 1
1A # 8 Carmichaels 3, #1 Union 1
Tuesday–Baseball Quarterfinals
1:45 pm 5A #12 Trinity vs. #4 Bethel Park at Boyce-Mayview Park, WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
Baseball Semifinals
1:45 pm 1A #6 Avella vs. #2 Eden Christian Academy at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park, WJPA.com audio Watch/Listen Here
2:00 pm 2A #4 Burgettstown vs. #1 Serra Catholic at West Mifflin
4:30 pm 1A #8 Carmichaels vs. #4 Bishop Canevin at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park
Softball Semifinals
5:45 pm 2A #2 Bentworth vs. #3 Laurel at North Allegheny, WJPA-AM (1450) Listen Here
Wednesday–Softball Semifinals
3:00 pm 1A #5 West Greene vs. #1 Union at Montour
4:45 pm 1A #3 Chartiers-Houston vs. #3 Carmichaels at Montour, WJPA.com audio Watch/Listen Here
4:45 pm 6A #6 Canon-McMillan vs. #2 Seneca Valley at North Allegheny, WJPA-AM (1450) Watch/Listen Here
May 21, 2024 4:39 am
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a goal and an assist as Edmonton scored three times in the second period and held on to beat the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 in Game 7 to advance to the Western Conference final. Zach Hyman and Cody Ceci also scored, and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers. Stuart Skinner finished with 15 saves. Edmonton, back in the conference finals for the second time in three years, will next face Dallas with Game 1 of that series on Thursday night.
May 21, 2024 4:40 am
University presidents around the country are scheduled to meet this week to vote on whether to accept a proposed settlement of an antitrust lawsuit that would cost the NCAA nearly $3 billion. The deal would also create a landmark revenue-sharing system with college athletes. The terms of the agreement have met some pushback from the Division I conferences that do not compete in major college football. They say they are being asked to bear an undue financial burden on the damages portion of the settlement. Attorneys for the defendants in House vs. NCAA gave college sports leaders until Thursday to agree.
May 20, 2024 4:43 am
CHICAGO (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched six effective innings, Nick Gonzales hit a key two-run single and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2. Jack Suwinski connected for another homer against Jameson Taillon as Pittsburgh closed out a 4-3 road trip by taking three of four from Chicago. Gonzales, Andrew McCutchen and Jared Triolo each had two of the Pirates’ 10 hits. Keller improved to 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three May starts. Seiya Suzuki and Christopher Morel each hit a sacrifice fly for Chicago.
May 20, 2024 4:44 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Xander Schauffele has won his first major with a thrilling win at the PGA Championship. Schauffele made a 6-foot birdie putt on the last hole at Valhalla for a one-shot victory over Bryson DeChambeau. Schauffele set a major championship scoring record in the process. The Olympic gold medalist now has something even more valuable in silver. He gets to hoist the Wanamaker Trophy. Schauffele finished at 21-under 263, breaking by one shot the major record. Schauffele is the first player since Phil Mickelson in 2005 to birdie the last hole of the PGA Championship to win by one.
May 20, 2024 4:45 am
Jim Otto, the Hall of Fame center known as Mr. Raider for his durability through a litany of injuries, has died. The team confirmed Otto’s death Sunday night. He was 86. The cause of death was not immediately known. Otto joined the Raiders for their inaugural season in the American Football League in 1960 and was a fixture on the team for the next 15 years. He never missed a game because of injuries and competed in 210 consecutive regular-season games and 308 straight total contests despite undergoing nine operations on his knees during his playing career. His right leg was amputated in 2007.
May 19, 2024 6:52 am
CHICAGO (AP) — Christopher Morel singled in Cody Bellinger with one out in the ninth to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bellinger got the winning rally started with a ground-rule double down the left-field line with one out off David Bednar. Morel then cracked a 3-2 pitch up the middle, and Bellinger narrowly beat Michael A. Taylor’s throw to the plate on a play that withstood a video review. Hector Neris tossed a perfect ninth, striking out two, for the win. Bednar took the loss.
