Hempfield baseball stays perfect with dominant week

Perhaps no baseball team in the entire WPIAL has been more impressive than Hempfield Area to this point of the season. The Spartans stayed perfect by sweeping a three-game series against Baldwin last week, winning each game in lopsided fashion. Hempfield, which improved to 10-0 overall and 6-0 in Class 6A Section 2, blasted the Highlanders 10-0, 9-2, and 13-1. In Tuesday’s home win that lasted five innings, Carson Shuglie smacked a two-run homer, while Parker Donsen and Chase Sikorski each contributed a pair of RBIs. The following day at Baldwin, Adam Hess had three hits, including a home run, and four RBIs, Shuglie went yard once again, and Colin Polechko had two RBIs. On Saturday at Baldwin, the Spartans won in six innings, as Dylan Firmstone went 5-for-5 with a home run and five runs batted in, Shuglie homered and posted three RBIs, Quinn Watkins notched a pair of doubles and three runs batted in, and Sikorski went the distance on the mound, allowing six hits while striking out five.

Bucs, Warriors softball start 3-0 in section

Both the Burrell and Penn-Trafford softball teams are off to strong starts in section play, as the teams each moved to 3-0 after a pair of victories last week. The Buccaneers defeated Valley 19-5 on Tuesday, and followed with a 3-1 win the next day against Freeport Area. Braelyn Jones had a monster performance in the road win against the Vikings, as she went 3-for-4 with a home run, triple, and double, posting six RBIs, while Pyper Ferres also cleared the fences. The next day at home against the Yellowjackets, Bella Stewart homered, while Ferres added a double. As a result, Burrell moved within a half game of first-place Deer Lakes in Class 3A Section 1. The Warriors, meanwhile, smashed a pair of Westmoreland foes, defeating Franklin Regional 14-1 on Monday and Kiski Area 18-0 on Tuesday. At home against the Panthers, Cam Ponko recorded a grand slam and a three-run blast in the same inning, while Erin Drotos also homered for PT. The next day on the road against the Cavaliers, Allyson Paulone tossed a three-inning no-hitter, while Drotos, Allison Pokrant, and Guiliana Youngo all doubled. Consequently, PT sits atop the Class 5A Section 2 standings.

PT announces latest Football HOF class

Penn-Trafford football unveiled its Hall of Fame Class of 2024 last week, a group that includes five players, a coach, a contributor, and a team. The players who will be enshrined consist of Jerry Lavelle (Class of 1983), Mike Simpson (2000), Kirk Rogers (2001), Luke Graham (2010), and Devin Austin (2015). Additionally, Dan Tarabrella will be inducted as a coach, the 1961 Penn Joint Indians will be the team inductee, while equipment manager Frank Wall will be the recipient of the Sam DeNillo Sr Contributor Award. The induction ceremony will be held in the fall.

Westmoreland County players litter PIHL Girls Division

The PIHL Girls Division season commences this week, and more than a dozen Westmoreland County players will take the ice this season. The East roster is comprised almost entirely of Westmoreland girls, including Penn-Trafford’s Ashlyn Graham, Emmalee Pluck, and Kylie McKenzie, Megan Kubera and Lauren Gray of Franklin Regional, Greensburg Salem’s Anna Daniel and Brylee Webb, Hempfield Area’s Katelyn Porter and Lauren Qualey, Greater Latrobe’s Corinne Brunetto, Alyssa Pilarski of Yough, and Ashlynn Leblanc of Ligonier Valley. Additionally, Burrell’s Elizabeth Jarrett plays for Central and Payton Cline of Kiski Area competes for the Northeast.

Griffins softball notches pair of weekend sweeps

Seton Hill University softball went 4-0 at home over the weekend, claiming sweeps of Mercyhurst University on Saturday and Clarion University on Sunday. The Griffins ousted the Lakers 14-8 and 6-5. In the first contest, Grace Paredes went 3-for-5 with three RBIs, three runs, and two steals, while Brooklyn Fukushima homered. SHU edged Mercyhurst in the second contest, as Bre Athey went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Nina Grandey and Abby Smearman each had a pair of hits. On Sunday, the Griffins overmatched the Golden Eagles 10-2 and 8-0, with both wins coming in five innings via the run rule. In the first contest, Morgan Toal went 2-for-2 with a homer, three RBIs, and two runs, Camryn Murphy also was 2-for-2 with three runs batted in and two runs scored, and Lauren Dellett went 3-for-3 in addition to allowing just one hit with six strikeouts over five innings in the circle. In the second game, Logan Hartman tossed a shutout, permitting just three hits with seven punchouts, while Murphy and Paredes each homered. Seton Hill improved to 17-3 in the PSAC, which tops the West Division.

St. Vincent MVB falls in AMCC Championship

After an undefeated regular season in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC), the Saint Vincent College men’s volleyball team reached the AMCC Championship on Saturday. However, the top-seeded and host Bearcats fell to Hiram College in straight sets, 25-20, 25-20, 25-13. In the defeat, SVC was led by Shawn McSwiggen, who notched nine kills and 14 digs, and Zebadiah Wyant, who added seven kills. Additionally, Zach Wyant dished out 18 assists, while Matthew Minkin contributed three blocks. McSwiggen and Minkin both earned spots on the All-Tournament Team. The Bearcats, who were in pursuit of their first AMCC title, will shift to the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) next season.