May 6, 2023 4:19 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Bassitt allowed four hits over seven innings, George Springer hit his fourth home run of the season and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0. Bassitt (4-2) struck out five and walked four as Toronto ended a five-game losing streak. Bassitt, who signed a three-year deal with Toronto in the offseason, won for the third time in four starts for the Blue Jays. Pittsburgh managed just four hits against Bassitt and two relievers to lose its fifth consecutive game.
May 6, 2023 4:21 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A spectator fell over a protective railing and into the Red Sox bullpen in the first inning of Boston’s game against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. The fan was taken to the trauma center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, according to medical personnel on the scene. He tumbled one level from an open concourse into the Boston bullpen in right-center field. Security personnel immediately cleared fans from the railing in Ashburn Alley, which sits close to the visiting bullpen, as medical personnel attended to the fan. The spectator was strapped to a backboard and taken from the bullpen and field on a stretcher and a cart.
May 5, 2023 10:52 am
The Presidents Athletic Conference Softball Championship Tournament is underway. Regular season champion Westminster is hosting #2 Waynesburg, the defending champion along with #3 Allegheny and #4 Geneva College, the winner of a three-team play-in bracket. Saturday’s schedule includes the elimination final and the championship round/’if necessary’ games. Follow details at the League’s website: CLICK HERE
Friday:
#2 Waynesburg 1, #3 Allegheny 0
#1 Westminster 3, #4 Geneva 2
Elimination game Geneva 3, Allegheny 1, 13 innings
Winner’s Bracket Waynesburg 9, Westminster 2
Saturday:
11 am Elimination Final Geneva vs. Westminster
1 pm Championship Game Waynesburg vs. Geneva/Westminster winner
3 pm “If Necessary” Game
May 5, 2023 8:05 am
A busy weekend is on tap for area high school baseball and softball teams thanks to the nearly total wipeout of games Monday-Wednesday with a very limited slate played Thursday. At the start of Friday, All 19 Washington/Greene County baseball teams are still alive for playoff spots, though Friday’s schedule could reduce that number significantly. Six Washington County softball teams have been eliminated with eight others, plus all five Greene County teams, still alive. Weather permitting, we’re planning to broadcast the most meaningful games each day on-air and online. WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
Friday’s schedule:
Baseball
Central Catholic 3, Canon-McMillan 1
Peters Township 6, Connellsville 4
Bethel Park 8, Trinity 2
Ringgold 10, Albert Gallatin 0
Yough 8, McGuffey 5
Chartiers-Houston 7, Frazier 1
California 13, Avella 3
|
Softball
Seneca Valley 5, Canon-McMillan 1
Trinity 1, Thomas Jefferson 0
Greensburg Salem13, Ringgold 5
Our Lady/Sacred Heart 14, Fort Cherry 2 |
Baseball: Canon-McMillan has clinched a share of the Section 2 title and will win it outright with a win or a Mt. Lebanon loss. Peters Township clinched a playoff spot with their late rally at Connellsville. Trinity clinches with a win at Bethel Park Saturday or with an Upper St. Clair loss Sunday. Ringgold blanked Albert Gallatin Friday, clinching a playoff spot. McGuffey and Waynesburg are in a three-way battle for the final two 3A playoff spots in Section 4 with a pair of games against each other starting Monday. Burgettstown, Charleroi and Chartiers-Houston have clinched 2A spots and sit with one game of each other at the top of Section 1. Bentworth, Beth-Center and Wash High are in a virtual tie for the final berth, along with Frazier. Bentworth wraps up section play with a home-and-home doubleheader Saturday vs. Beth-Center. Then, the Bulldogs play Wash High twice next week before the Little Prexies have a set with Burgettstown. Avella, California and Carmichaels have clinched playoff spots. Ft. Cherry is in control of its own destiny, rallying from a 2-4 start. Jeff-Morgan, West Greene and Mapletown are all alive but in serious peril. Jeff-Morgan has to sweep Ft. Cherry next week to qualify. West Greene finishes the season against but needs help. Mapletown is eliminated with any loss or any Ft. Cherry win.
Softball: Canon-McMillan, in a three-way battle (Mt. Lebanon, Pine-Richland) for the last two 6A playoff spots, has the most favorable schedule on paper. The Big Macs have games with Pine and the cellar-dwellers Butler & Baldwin. Pine-Richland faces two of the top teams plus both CM & Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils have two more against the already-qualified teams, one against Pine-Richland and Baldwin. Trinity wrapped up the 5A Section 4 title outright with Thursday’s win over Bethel Park. Waynesburg is the 3A Section 4 champion, sitting unbeaten atop the standings heading into the final week. McGuffey is in a three-way tie for third with South Park and Brownsville. The Highlanders clinch a spot with a win against either Waynesburg Monday or winless Keystone Oaks on Tuesday. Charleroi has clinched a 2A playoff berth. Burgettstown (6-3), Ft. Cherry (6-5) and Bentworth (5-4) are all alive for playoff spots in 2A Section 3. At least two of them will qualify. Burgettstown and Charleroi have games remaining with OLSH, the section leader, and all have games against each other over the final week. Chartiers-Houston, Carmichaels and West Greene have clinched 1A playoff spots with the Mighty Mikes likely to win the Section 2 title. Jeff-Morgan and Mapletown play May 8, possibly with the final berth on the line though the Maples still have games with Chartiers and Carmichaels on the schedule.
Softball eliminated: Avella, Beth-Center, California, Peters Township, Ringgold, Wash High
May 4, 2023 2:16 am
After days of limitless rainouts and re-scheduling, a few Washington County teams are actually getting on the field for section games today. All 19 Washington/Greene County baseball teams are still alive for playoff spots. Softball still has 13 of the 19 teams in the hunt. Weather permitting, we’re planning to broadcast the most meaningful games each day on-air and online. WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
Thursday scores:
6A Baseball Canon-McMillan 3, Central Catholic 2
3A Baseball Yough 9, McGuffey 4
1A Baseball Avella at California
5A Softball Trinity 7, Bethel Park 0
Baseball: Canon-McMillan already had a playoff spot in hand, but the Big Macs’ win over Central Catholic Thursday afternoon clinched at least a share of the section championship. The two play two more times before the section schedule ends. Peters Township and Trinity are both alive for 5A playoff spots and at least one of them will qualify. Both play their final section games this week. Peters clinches with one win. Trinity is in with a sweep of Bethel Park or help from South Fayette and Peters Township. Ringgold is in a four-way battle for three spots in 4A Section 2. The Rams play last-place Albert Gallatin twice this week. McGuffey and Waynesburg are in 3A playoff position at the moment but just a game up on Mt. Pleasant. The Highlanders have a pair of games with unbeaten Yough while the Raiders play Mt. Pleasant twice. Then, the two locals meet next week. Burgettstown, Charleroi and Chartiers-Houston have clinched 2A spots with Bentworth, Beth-Center and Wash High in a jumble for the final berth, along with Frazier. The four are in a virtual tie for the last spot. Bentworth wraps up section play this week against B-C. The Bulldogs then play Washington next week. The Little Prexies then have a set with Burgettstown. Avella has clinched a playoff spot for the third straight year, along with California and Carmichaels. Ft. Cherry is in control of the fourth spot, rallying from a 2-4 start. Jeff-Morgan, West Greene and Mapletown are all alive but in serious peril. Jeff-Morgan has to sweep Ft. Cherry next week to qualify. West Greene finishes the season against Carmichaels and California, the top two teams. Mapletown is eliminated with any loss or Ft. Cherry win.
Softball: In 6A, Canon-McMillan, in a three-way battle (Mt. Lebanon, Pine-Richland) for the last two spots, has the most favorable schedule on paper. The Big Macs have games with the cellar-dwellers (Butler, Baldwin), one against Pine and one against section leader Seneca Valley. Pine-Richland faces two of the top teams plus both CM & Mt. Lebanon. The Blue Devils have three against the already-qualified teams, one against Pine-Richland and Baldwin. Trinity locked up the section title outright with Thursday’s win over Bethel Park. The Hillers finish section play at Thomas Jefferson Friday. Waynesburg is unbeaten atop 3A Section 4, three games up on South Park with four to play. McGuffey is in a three-way tie for third with Seton-La Salle and Brownsville. The Highlanders visit winless Keystone Oaks, then host Waynesburg to wrap the regular season. Charleroi (7-3), Burgettstown (6-3), Ft. Cherry (6-4) and Bentworth (5-4) are all alive for playoff spots in 2A Section 3. At least three of them will qualify. All but Bentworth have games remaining with OLSH, the section leader, and all have games against each other over the final 10 days. In 1A, Chartiers-Houston, Carmichaels and West Greene have clinched with the Mighty Mikes likely to win the Section 2 title. Jeff-Morgan and Mapletown play May 8, possibly with the final berth on the line though the Maples still have games with Chartiers and Carmichaels on the schedule.
Softball eliminated: Avella, Beth-Center, California, Peters Township, Ringgold, Wash High
May 5, 2023 2:42 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Zach Eflin pitched seven scoreless innings, Randy Arozarena hit one of three Rays homers and Tampa Bay beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 Thursday to finish a three-game sweep of small-budget teams off to outstanding starts. Taylor Walls and Yandy Díaz also homered for Tampa Bay, and Eflin scattered three hits and struck out 10. The right-hander allowed just one baserunner to reach scoring position, when Carlos Santana hit a two-out double in the seventh. After Ryan Thompson had a perfect eighth, Jason Adam gave up Santana’s two-run, two-out double in the ninth before getting his second save and completing a four-hitter. Adam struck out Connor Joe with two on to end it.
May 5, 2023 3:54 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Churchill Downs has suspended trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. indefinitely and Lord Miles, who is trained by Joseph, has been scratched from the Kentucky Derby days after the sudden death of two of his horses at the track. The suspension prohibits Joseph, or any trainer directly or indirectly employed by him, from entering horses in races or applying for stalls at all Churchill Downs Inc.-owned tracks. The decision comes after the deaths of Parents Pride on Saturday and Chasing Artie on Tuesday. Both collapsed on the track and died after races.
May 4, 2023 3:50 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Shane McClanahan became baseball’s first six-game winner and the Tampa Bay Rays routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-1. In a matchup of small-budget teams off to big starts, the major league-best Rays topped the NL Central-leading Pirates for the second consecutive day. McClanahan gave up one run on five hits over six innings, striking out nine and lowering his ERA to 2.03. Josh Lowe and Wander Franco homered off Pittsburgh relievers as the Rays improved to 25-6. Since 1961, only the World Series-winning 1984 Detroit Tigers, at 26-5, had more wins through 31 games. Tampa Bay has outscored its opponents 207-94. The Rays lead the majors with 64 home runs. Pittsburgh manager Derek Shelton was ejected in the fourth.
May 4, 2023 2:44 am
Retired Waynesburg University men’s basketball coach and director of athletics Rudy Marisa passed away Tuesday night. Marisa led the Yellow Jackets for 34 years including a decade of national prominence in the 1980’s. “Coach Marisa’s legacy of leadership and selfless contribution to Waynesburg University and the surrounding community will forever be an example to others that follow,” said Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee. “Mrs. Lee and I extend our deepest condolences to his beloved family.” Taking over as the team’s head coach in 1969, Coach Marisa guided the Yellow Jackets to 565 wins and built the program into an NAIA powerhouse. Marisa retired following the 2002-2003 season. In October 1999, following win #500, the University named its new gym the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. The Board of Trustees granted Marisa “Coach Emeritus” status in 2012. Nine years later, “Rudy’s Place” opened on campus, a gathering space for students provided through the generosity of a former player as a tribute to his former coach. (Photo courtesy of Waynesburg University Athletics Department)
May 4, 2023 3:52 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The death of four horses at Churchill Downs has overshadowed preparations for the Kentucky Derby. Two horses trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. collapsed on the track and died over the past week. Two others also died as either a result of racing or training, including Derby entrant Wild On Ice. Joseph is set to saddle Lord Miles in the first jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday. But he has said he’s unsure of plans after the two deaths from his barn. Churchill Downs, in a statement, expressed concern over the deaths and said officials would press for answers.
