May 25, 2021 2:59 am
SOFTBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets–West Greene (1A) and Canon-McMillan (6A) are the last remaining softball teams from our two-county area. The Pioneers topped South Side Area and are back in the finals for a fifth consecutive season. West Greene has won four straight WPIAL titles and clinched a state tournament berth with the win. The Big Macs have a semifinal date with Norwin Wednesday, a game we’ll have for you on WJPA-AM (1450) and online. The Big Macs are back in the semifinals for the first time since 2014, the last of three straight trips to the final four. This is Norwin’s third straight semifinal berth. Canon-McMillan must win today to return to the state playoffs for the first time in seven years.
BASEBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets— All four baseball teams from the two-county area came up short in semifinal games Tuesday. McGuffey, Peters Township, Carmichaels and Jeff-Morgan saw their WPIAL title hopes dashed but will all play in third-place games next week. Peters Township and Carmichaels have clinched state playoff berths while McGuffey and Jeff-Morgan must win their consolation game to advance.
Wednesday, May 26 — Semifinals
6A #6 Canon-McMillan vs. #2 Norwin, 1:50 pm at West Mifflin – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
WPIAL Championship at California University’s Lilley Field–June 2-3
1A #1 West Greene vs. #3 Union, date/time to be determined
WPIAL Third-Place Consolations at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park–June 1-2
5A #13 Peters Township vs. #3 West Allegheny, date/time to be determined
3A #4 McGuffey vs. #2 Avonworth, date/time to be determined
2A #3 Carmichaels vs. #4 Serra Catholic, date/time to be determined
1A #6 Jeff-Morgan vs. #1 Eden Christian, date/time to be determined
May 26, 2021 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Joc Pederson hit two home runs, Jake Arrieta beat Pittsburgh for the third time this season and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Pirates 4-3. Pederson hit a solo shot in the third inning, and his two-run blast in the fifth tied it at 3. It was the 16th multi-homer game of Pederson’s career, and he doubled his season homer total to four. Arrieta put the Cubs in a 3-0 hole after two innings but settled down to raise his record to 3-0 against Pittsburgh in 2021. He has a 15-6 lifetime record versus the Pirates.
May 26, 2021 12:15 am
Washington & Jefferson College will be the #2 seed at the High Point, NC Regional starting Thursday. In the second game of the tournament, the Presidents (36-1) will play #5 Birmingham-Southern (25-14). Salisbury (25-4) is the top seed in the bracket followed by W&J, LaGrange (24-8), Lynchburg (34-13), Birm-Southern and Marymount (20-5). The double-elimination bracket runs through Sunday with the winner earning a trip to the D3 College World Series in Cedar Rapids, IA.
May 26, 2021 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided not to boycott offseason activities after all. A majority of the 90-man roster showed up for the start of organized team activities. The players hinted last month they may skip the voluntary OTAs due to concerns over health protocols and protections. Defensive end Cam Heyward said the team worked with the players to resolve any issues so the players would be at ease. Heyward added he expects 100% participation during the club’s mandatory minicamp in June.
May 25, 2021 3:51 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Josh Bailey scored 51 seconds into the second overtime to lift the New York Islanders to a 3-2 victory over Pittsburgh in Game 5 of their first-round series. Bailey took advantage of a giveaway by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry to fire the puck into the empty net as New York grabbed a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Anthony Beauvillier and Jordan Eberle also scored for New York. Rookie goaltender Ilya Sorokin stopped 48 shots for the Islanders. Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust scored for Pittsburgh but the Penguins are in danger of a third straight early playoff exit.
May 24, 2021 12:12 am
SOFTBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets–Frazier is the defending PIAA champion. The Commodores downed Chartiers-Houston Monday, eliminating the Bucs. Laurel has won the last two WPIAL titles. The Spartans got a two-hit shutout from Autumn Boyd to oust Burgettstown. The freshman right-hander struck out 19 Blue Devils. West Greene and Canon-McMillan are the last two softball teams from the two-county area. The Pioneers are in the Class 1A semifinals on Tuesday, the Big Macs in the 6A semis Wednesday against Norwin, a game we’ll have on WJPA-AM (1450) and online.
BASEBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets— McGuffey and Peters Township are the last two Washington County teams standing. The Highlanders haven’t allowed a run but will face #1 Hopewell Tuesday afternoon at West Mifflin and on WJPA-FM (95.3). Meanwhile, the #13 Indians continue toward a WPIAL title but will now face the 5A top seed in Franklin Regional. Those two play at Latrobe and on WJPA-AM (1450). West Greene lost a run-rule game against #1 Eden Christian and was eliminated. Jeff-Morgan topped #3 Rochester to reach the semifinals. A number of games were re-scheduled to Tuesday including Carmichaels 2A semifinal vs. Shenango.
Tuesday, May 25 — Semifinals
1A #1 West Greene vs. #4 South Side Beaver, 3:00 pm at Montour
5A #13 Peters Township vs. #1 Franklin Regional , 3:50 pm at Norwin – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
3A #4 McGuffey vs. #1 Hopewell, 4:50 pm at West Mifflin – WJPA-FM (95.3) or Listen Here!
2A #3 Carmichaels vs. #2 Shenango, time TBD at Norwin
1A #6 Jeff-Morgan vs. #7 Riverview, 4:30 pm at Plum
Wednesday, May 26 — Semifinals
6A #6 Canon-McMillan vs. #2 Norwin, 1:50 pm at West Mifflin – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
May 24, 2021 3:52 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Austin Riley drove in five runs while hitting two of Atlanta three homers and the Braves capped their impressive power display in the series by beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1. Dansby Swanson added a two-run homer. The Braves hit 15 homers, adding to their major league lead, while winning three of four games against the Pirates. Max Fried allowed one run and four hits and three walks in seven innings. It marked his fourth consecutive start allowing only one run. After losing the opening game of the four-game series 6-4 on Thursday night, the Braves outscored the Pirates 33-3 in three consecutive wins.
May 24, 2021 3:56 am
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (AP) – Phil Mickelson has become the oldest major champion by surviving a somewhat chaotic final round at the PGA Championship. The 50-year-old Mickelson squandered most of a five-stroke lead on the back nine before finishing two strokes ahead of Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen at Kiawah Island. Mickelson closed with a 1-over 73 to finish 6 under for his sixth career major championship. Julius Boros was 48 when he won the 1968 PGA Championship in San Antonio. Boros held the distinction of oldest major champ for 53 years before Mickelson added to his legacy. Lefty also became the first player to win tournaments 30 years apart, and the 10th to win in three different decades. Koepka was 4 over on the par 5s when the game was still on and closed with a 74. Oosthuizen hit into the water as he was trying to make a final run and shot 73.
May 22, 2021 1:54 am
BASEBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets— McGuffey had never won a baseball playoff game prior to this season. Now, the Highlanders have won two in a row, both by shutout. Winning pitcher Austin Beattie scattered six hits over seven innings and walked just one batter to lead McGuffey to the 2-0 win over Derry in the 3A quarterfinals. Beattie also tripled home one run and scored the other on Jake Orr’s ringing double in the fifth inning. The Highlanders advance to the WPIAL semifinals Tuesday against top-seeded Hopewell.
Peters Township scored in the first and never trailed Latrobe, advancing to the semifinals. That semifinal match-up was originally scheduled for Monday but will likely be bumped back one day due to the suspension of the Franklin Regional/Mars Area game. A field light failure at North Allegheny led to that delay. Seton-La Salle needed just three innings to eliminate California. Carmichaels took advantage of eight walks and four errors, ousting Chartiers-Houston. Peters Township, Seton-La Salle & Carmichales also clinched state playoff spots. In a Class 6A first-round game, Upper St. Clair scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with a win over Canon-McMillan.
SOFTBALL–CLICK for WPIAL Brackets–Remaining teams are all off for the weekend. Quarterfinals are set for Monday, semifinals Tuesday & Wednesday.
Monday, May 24 — Quarterfinals
2A #6 Chartiers-Houston vs. #3 Frazier, 12:50 pm at Peterswood Park – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
2A #7 Burgettstown vs. #2 Laurel, 2:50 pm at North Allegheny – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
1A #8 West Greene vs. #1 Eden Christian, 2:00 pm at Peterswood Park
1A #6 Jeff-Morgan vs. #3 Rochester, 4:30 pm at Peterswood Park
— Semifinals
2A #3 Carmichaels vs. #2 Shenango, 2:00 pm at Shaler
Tuesday, May 25 — Semifinals
1A #1 West Greene vs. #4 South Side Beaver, 3:00 pm at Montour
3A #4 McGuffey vs. #1 Hopewell, 4:20 pm at West Mifflin – WJPA-FM (95.3) or Listen Here!
5A #13 Peters Township vs. #1 Franklin Regional , 4:20 pm at Norwin – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
Wednesday, May 26 — Semifinals
6A #6 Canon-McMillan vs. #2 Norwin, 2:00 pm at West Mifflin – WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here!
May 23, 2021 7:35 am
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — After two tough losses, the New York Islanders turned back to Ilya Sorokin in a game they needed to win, and the rookie goalie came through. Sorokin stopped 29 shots, Oliver Wahlstrom and Ryan Pulock each had a goal and an assist and the Islanders beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 in Game 4 on Saturday to even the first-round series. Sorokin, who had 39 saves in the Islanders’ 4-3 win in Game 1, was back in goal after Semyon Varlamov started Games 2 and 3 — both losses. Josh Bailey and Jordan Eberle also scored and Mathew Barzal had two assists for New York. Tristan Jarry had 23 saves for Pittsburgh, and drew mocking chants of “Jar-ry! Jar-ry!” from Islanders fans. Game 5 is Monday night in Pittsburgh, and Game 6 back at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.
