NEW CASTLE — G.J. Senchak helped the New Castle High baseball team end Blackhawk’s head-to-head dominance.

Senchak tossed a complete-game, three-hit gem to lead the Red Hurricane to a 3-0 WPIAL Section 1-AAA victory over the Cougars on Saturday.

New Castle (1-1 section, 3-2 overall) had lost seven straight games against Blackhawk. It was the ’Canes’ first win over the Cougars since an 8-7 verdict in the second meeting of the regular season in 2007. Blackhawk started the streak with a 10-6 decision in the WPIAL semifinals that year.

New Castle coach Paul Malley Jr. was 0-4 against the Cougars (1-1, 2-1) during his tenure. The ’Canes lost both games last year, 10-6 and 14-2, while suffering 15-0 and 16-0 verdicts in 2009.

“I talked to the kids before the game. I told them they haven’t just beaten us the last two years, they’ve thoroughly embarrassed us,” Malley said. “I told the guys this is the year we do something about it.

“It was a good statement to make and I’m proud of the guys. This was probably the best game we’ve played in my three years here.”

Senchak walked two and struck out two. He helped the ’Canes (1-1, 3-2) take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Sean Coyne walked in the first inning and Senchak singled Coyne to third. Michael Motto grounded into a fielder’s choice, driving in Coyne for a 1-0 New Castle lead.

The ’Canes got an insurance tally in the fourth when Joe Paul singled in Dillon Robbins for a 2-0 lead. Robbins led off the frame with a double.

“Once we get confidence we know we’ll get confidence every game,” Malley said. “We didn’t have a lot of hits, but we had timely hits. I thought we did what we had to do.”



Laurel 6,

Mohawk 3

Strong pitching propelled Laurel to a Section 5-AA win over Mohawk.

Kyle Richeal (3-0) earned the victory, working six innings. He gave up four hits and three earned runs with seven walks and 10 strikeouts. Rick Jones tossed a scoreless seventh for his first save. Jones surrendered one hit.

Richeal worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth with no outs without allowing a run. He recorded two strikeouts and a flyout to end the threat. In the sixth, Mohawk (1-1, 2-3) loaded the bases again, this time with one out, and got just one run. Richeal fanned the last two batters to escape further damage.

“Richeal found ways of pitching out of huge spots,” Spartans coach Eric Verdi said. “He did a very good job and the defense played well behind him.”

Todd Fennick paced Laurel (2-0, 4-0) with two hits and a pair of RBIs. Fennick belted his second homer of the season.

Ryan Hites and Brad Telesz also had two hits each for the Spartans.

“Fennick had a big homer and Richeal had a big hit,” Verdi said. “I’m proud of our timely hitting; that’s how you win games.

“This was just a good game; very well played by both teams and very intense with great defense. It was everything I felt a high school game needs to have and it had it.”

Kevin Martin led the Warriors with two hits and a pair of RBIs. He drove in both runs on a two-run single in the seventh.

“Kevin has hit very well for us the last two games,” Mohawk coach Kevin Sapp said. “Kyle Richeal did an excellent job for Laurel. He really shut us down.”



Ellwood City Lincoln 6,

Shenango 1

The Wolverines’ Christian Kerns shut down Shenango in a Section 5-AA victory.

Kerns (3-0) allowed just one hit and an unearned run in six innings for Ellwood City. He walked two and struck out nine.

The Wildcats’ Doug Bennett broke up Kerns’ no-hitter with two outs in the sixth and he later came around to score their lone run.

“Kerns has been doing well and he did a good job again against Shenango,” Wolverines coach Jeff Fotia said. “They didn’t hit the ball hard until the sixth when he was coming up in the strike zone.

“Once he lost the no-hitter and his pitch count was getting up there, we thought he had enough for the day and it was time to go to a reliever.

“This is a tough league. We’re happy with the win, but we have to keep things in perspective.”

The Wolverines pounded out 12 hits in just 26 at-bats. Matt Morella was 3 for 3 for Ellwood City and Jared Vetica contributed two hits and a pair of RBIs.

Chris Shurtz and Vetica drove in two runs apiece for the winners.

Bennett (0-1) took the loss. He started and pitched 41⁄3 innings, allowing eight hits and four runs — all earned — with a walk and no strikeouts.

“Kerns pitched a real good game and he kept us off balance,” Shenango coach Mike Othites said. “We had a couple of opportunities to get runs but we didn’t get the hit we needed.

“I was pleased with how we played. You’re never pleased with losing, but there was a silver lining. Bennett pitched well and it was great to see.”



Neshannock 3,

Wilmington 2

Neshannock built a 3-0 lead through six innings and hung on for a nonsection win over Wilmington.

Rhett Murphy (1-0) picked up the win. Murphy tossed six innings, allowing four hits and no runs with five strikeouts and a walk.

Erik Welker earned his third save. Welker pitched one inning, giving up no hits or runs with a walk and no strikeouts.

Alex Welker, Erik’s younger brother, started the seventh but didn’t record an out. Both of the Greyhounds’ runs were charged to Alex Welker.

Matt Cioffi drove in Anthony Van Eman with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth for Neshannock with what proved to be the winning run.

“I thought Murphy did a great job,” Lancers coach Mike Kirkwood said. “He threw so well with a low pitch count that we let him pitch deeper into the game.

“Erik Welker did a nice job closing it out.”

Neither team boasted a player with multiple hits or RBIs.



Neshannock 7,

Washington 2

The Lancers capped the day with a nonsection victory over Washington.

Neshannock broke the game open with four runs in the fifth to make it 6-0.

Erik Welker (1-0) started and threw five innings. Welker got the win, giving up one hit and no runs with two strikeouts and two walks.

John Sansone was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and an RBI for the Lancers (5-1), while Alex Welker contributed two hits and RBI. John Conglose registered two hits for the victors.

“Erik Welker did a great job throwing strikes,” Kirkwood said. “We had some timely hits and John Sansone is seeing the ball pretty well right now.”



Softball

New Castle 7,

Hopewell 3

New Castle jumped on Hopewell for two runs in the first and cruised along for a Section 1-AAA win.

Shannon Dudich (3-1) picked up the victory, tossing seven innings. Dudich allowed five hits and three earned runs with one walk and six strikeouts.

Cassi Jannetti recorded two hits and a pair of RBIs for the Lady ’Canes, while Christina Evans added two hits as well. Dana Perrotta knocked in two runs for the winners.

New Castle (1-1, 4-1) built a 6-0 lead after five innings. The Lady Vikings (0-1, 0-3) notched two runs in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-2.

“This was a big win for the girls,” Lady ’Canes coach Leah Ann Williams said. “They played really hard and as a team, too.

“Shannon is pitching very well for us.”



Wilmington 15,

Jamestown 4

Wilmington banged out 16 hits en route to an easy nonregion win over Jamestown.

Courtney Cohen went 4 for 4 for the Lady Greyhounds (4-1), while Julie Burns was 3 for 3.

Abby Sotter (4-1) earned the win, allowing nine hits with two strikeouts and a walk.



Mohawk 4,

Laurel 2

Mohawk built a 3-1 lead after four innings and held on for a Section 5-AA win over Laurel.

Devon Giancola recorded three hits for the Lady Warriors (2-0, 3-1) and Hannah Morrow was next with two.

Merran Nottingham (2-0) earned the win. Nottingham allowed four hits and two earned runs with three walks and one strikeout.

“It was a good win and it was good to just get the game in,” Mohawk coach Pam Beatty said. “Merran is doing a real nice job pitching and our defense is doing a real nice job behind her.

“Devon hit the ball real well against Laurel.”

Erica Latess and Aislinn Deinert posted two hits each for the Lady Spartans (1-1, 4-1).

Marissa Duddy (4-1) took the loss. Duddy worked six innings, giving up 11 hits and four earned runs with two walks and two strikeouts.

“It was a tough loss, but it was a great softball game,” first-year Laurel coach Lori Krol said. “I think the girls learned a lot from this and it gave them a lot of encouragement.

“Marissa pitched great. She knows she has a great defense behind her and she’s not afraid to let the other team hit the ball because she knows the fielders will back her up.”



Track and field

Wilmington boasts

three first-place finishes

Mariah Burns, Alexis King and Jon Yohman earned first-place finishes for Wilmington at the Brookville Invitational.

A total of 30 boys teams and 30 girls teams competed in the event. There were no team standings kept for the invitational.

Yohman won the shot put (51-9) and took second in the discus (150-7).

Slavi Pontius tied for third in the high jump at 5-10.

On the girls side, Burns won the triple jump at 35-8, while King claimed the long jump (16-8) and placed fourth in the triple jump (32-8).

Alaura Hanssen placed third in the shot put (36-5) and fifth in the discus at (98-1). Tessa Sikora tied for sixth in the high jump at 8-8.

The Lady Greyhounds’ 400-meter relay team of Emily Yohman, Burns, King and Ally Miller placed fourth in 53.9.

“I thought our kids did a great job,” Wilmington boys and girls track and field coach J.R. McFarland said. “The temperature was low and it was windy.

“I thought all of our athletes did a great job under those conditions. It was great to get the first invitational under our belts.”