NEW CASTLE — Neshannock High softball pitcher Amanda Furst was in control yesterday.

Furst tossed a no-hitter to lead the Lady Lancers to a 3-0 WPIAL Section 5-AA road win over New Brighton.

Furst (6-0) walked three and struck out five. She drove in two runs as well.

“Amanda pitched real well,” Neshannock coach Tracy Kimmel said. “We’ve been off for over a week.

“I thought she was pretty sharp, though. Her movement was working well and she was throwing pretty hard.”

Madison Shaffer and Madison Altmyer contributed two hits apiece for the Lady Lancers.

Neshannock (3-0 section, 6-0 overall) scored all three of its runs in the first inning. The Lady Lancers loaded the bases in the second with one out but couldn’t score.

“We could have opened it up right there,” Kimmel said. “But this is a nice win in section play.”

Neshannock has two crucial home section games on the schedule in the next two days. The Lady Lancers entertain Mohawk (4-0, 6-2) at 4:15 p.m. today and Riverside (5-0, 7-0) at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

“We’ve got a tough schedule coming up,” Kimmel said. “I’m hoping Amanda can stay in the groove like she was in today.”



Laurel 11,

Freedom 5

Kristan Fedrizzi came through for Laurel in a Section 5-AA road victory over Freedom.

Fedrizzi was 3 for 3, including a triple, with three RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases. She earned the victory as well.

Fedrizzi (4-0) started and tossed a complete game. She gave up five hits and five earned runs with six strikeouts and five walks.

“Kristan pitched very well for us and she’s been pitching very well for us,” second-year Lady Spartans coach Lori Krol said. “She hit her locations and she did real well with her control.

“She came through for us at the plate, too. She did it all around for us.”

Brittany Grannis and Ellen Shaffer posted two hits each for Laurel, while Marissa Duddy knocked in two runs.

The Lady Spartans (2-3, 5-3) recorded a run in the first, three in the third, two more in the fourth and a marker in the fifth. Laurel finished off the Lady Bulldogs with two runs in the sixth and two in the seventh.

“I’m so proud of the girls. They did a great job in getting the win,” Krol said.

Freedom (0-5, 0-9) tallied a run in the third, two in the fourth and one each in the fifth and sixth innings.



Blackhawk 10,

New Castle 9

Blackhawk’s Emily Emge recorded a two-run double with one out in the bottom of the seventh to lift Blackhawk to a Section 1-AAA home win over New Castle.

Emge delivered the game-winning hit with runners at first and third.

“This was a tough section loss,” second-year Lady ’Canes coach Leah Ann Williams said. “We have to regroup and get back up on our horse.”

Shannon Dudich (2-5) started and took the loss. Dudich pitched a complete-game 6 1/3 innings, giving up eight hits and seven earned runs with three walks and no strikeouts.

Dana Perrotta, Lauren Pavia and Dudich recorded two hits apiece for New Castle. Alyea Cioffi knocked in three runs for the Lady ’Canes (1-2, 2-6) and Jenna Frank was next with two.

New Castle pounded out 13 hits.

The Lady ’Canes erased a 2-0 deficit with six runs in the third and another marker in the fifth for a 7-2 advantage. But the Lady Cougars battled back with four in the bottom of the fifth to close to 7-6.

New Castle tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh and Blackhawk (3-0, 5-1) capped the comeback with four tallies in the home half of the seventh.



Mohawk 12,

Beaver 3

Mohawk pulled away for a Section 5-AA home win over Beaver.

Rachelle Miller (4-0) started and picked up the win. Miller worked five innings, giving up three hits and three unearned runs with three walks and a strikeout.

“It was good to get out and play and good to get a game in,” Lady Warriors coach Pam Beatty said. “I thought Rachelle did real well pitching. She gave up some walks but she gathered herself and we scored some runs for her.”

Merran Nottingham and Shelby Brown delivered two hits and a pair of RBIs apiece for Mohawk. Samantha Carr also had two hits.

Taylor Yarletts, Devon Giancola and Haley Sainato drove in two runs each for the Lady Warriors.

Mohawk scored four runs in the third, two in the fourth, five in the fifth and one more in the sixth.

The Lady Bobcats (0-4, 1-5) tallied single markers in the first, third and fourth innings.



Union 9,

Western Beaver 6;

Western Beaver 7,

Union 2

Union split a Section 5-A doubleheader with Western Beaver, dropping its first section game of the year.

The Lady Scots (4-1, 5-4) took the first game, 9-6, thanks to an inside-the-park grand slam from Allison Bertolino.

With two outs and Union trailing, 6-5, in the sixth inning, Bertolino ripped a pitch to left-center field that rolled to the fence and gave the Lady Scots a 9-6 advantage. She added an RBI double to finish the game 2 for 3 with five RBIs and a walk.

Krista Zorens struck out seven, walked one and allowed seven hits and five earned runs to earn the win.

Union lost the nightcap, 7-2, as the Lady Scots were done in by a rough second inning.

Western Beaver (3-3, 4-6) plated six runs in the second, with Union giving up six runs on five hits and two errors.

The Lady Scots scored both of their runs in the fifth.

“It was kind of disappointing because we had momentum after the first game,” Union coach Gary Trimble said. “We struggled to score in the second game and we got behind, and it kind of set us back on our heels — it felt like we were pressing. We were fighting from behind the whole time, and we just couldn’t get a big hit.”

Zorens (5-4) took the loss despite striking out nine.





Baseball

Ellwood

Ellwood City Lincoln High pitcher Anthony Carusone just missed a no-hitter yesterday.

Carusone took a no-no into the bottom of the seventh before settling for a complete-game, two-hit shutout in a 4-0 WPIAL Section 5-AA road win over Beaver Falls.

The Tigers’ Derek Bozic broke up the no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh. He connected for the hit on an 0-2 count.

Carusone (3-0) walked two and struck out four. His outing was coming off a complete-game three-hit shutout by Christian Kerns in a 3-0 section win over Laurel on Wednesday.

“Carusone pitched a great game,” Wolverines coach Jeff Fotia said. “He just missed his spot against Bozic; he’s a good hitter.

“I’m very pleased with the pitching we’ve got from Kerns and Carusone in the last two days.”

Carusone faced just two batters over the minimum in the first six innings.

Jared Vetica had two hits and a pair of RBIs for the Wolverines (4-0 section, 9-0 overall). Ellwood City has allowed just seven total runs this year.

“We’ve been running the bases very well and putting it in play,” Fotia said of his team’s performance to this point. “We’ve been causing havoc on the bases.

“Good pitching and good defense, that’s what it’s all about. It all starts on the mound.”

The Tigers, losers of five straight, dropped to 0-2 and 2-7.



Neshannock 2,

Grove City 1

Alex Strittmatter shut down Grove City, leading Neshannock to a nonsection home victory.

Strittmatter (3-0) started and tossed a complete game to earn the win. He surrendered four hits and an unearned run with six strikeouts and no walks.

“Alex threw strikes early and often,” Lancers coach Mike Kirkwood said. “He got ahead in counts and forced them to hit his pitches; he had great location on his pitches.”

Anthony Van Eman had two hits for Neshannock (6-2) and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth.

Van Eman posted a one-out single in the sixth and took third on Alex Welker’s single. Van Eman scored from third on a delayed steal to put the Lancers up 2-0.

The District 10, Class AAA Eagles (3-4) scratched a run across in the top of the seventh but couldn’t get any closer.

“We just haven’t played for a while, since before Easter break,” Kirkwood said. “I thought we’d be a little rusty with the bats and we were.

“Grove City is a quality team. It’s fun to play them because they battle you.”



Boys track

’Canes cruise

Khalil Huddleston won three events to lead New Castle to a 116-33 win over Montour.

Huddleston won the 100 and 200, while competing on the victorious 400-meter relay team.



Laurel holds on

James Steele earned three wins to propel Laurel to an 82-68 decision over Mohawk.

Steele claimed wins in the 100, 400 relay and the triple jump.

Lucas Grim paced the Warriors with verdicts in the 400, 800, 1600 relay and 3200 relay.



Girls track

Treloar sets mark

New Castle’s Tara Treloar set the school record in the pole vault in an 88-61 win over Montour.

Treloar tallied a vault of 9-4, breaking her old mark of 9-3, which was set last year. She participated on the winning 400 relay team as well.

Kyrstin Hood paced the Lady ’Canes with four wins (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles, long jump, triple jump).



Lady Warriors roll

Melissa Durbin, Katherine Harding, Maria Fleck and McKenzie Stelter won two events apiece to pace Mohawk to a 107-43 win over Laurel.

Durbin won the 100 and 400 relay, while Harding captured the 100 hurdles and 1600 relay. Fleck won the 300 hurdles and 1600 relay. Stelter claimed the 400 relay and the long jump.

Brooke Dicks (3200, 3200 relay) and Dalainey Meals (discus, javelin) won two events each for the Lady Spartans.





Tennis

Neshannock competes in section singles tournament

Not all was lost for Neshannock on a tough day at the WPIAL section singles tennis tournament at Pearson Park.

The Lancers’ Jono Acosta won his first-round match, but neither he nor Eric Salle were able to advance further. The top three placers in the single-elimination tournament advance to the WPIAL Championship next week.

Acosta, a No. 8 seed, defeated Scott Lewis of Ellwood City Lincoln, 10-4, in the first round, but lost to top-seeded Clint Davies of Blackhawk, 10-0. Salle, the No. 6 seed, lost to Jimmy Covatto of Beaver, 10-3, in the first round.

Lancers coach Chuck Dess said each player can build from his loss.

“Any extra matches these guys get are gong to help them in our stretch run over the next few weeks,” he said. “The first time Acosta beat Lewis, he beat him in three sets, and today was a much more decisive win.

“Salle’s score was very deceiving. It was a very competitive match, a lot of long rallies and points. It really could have gone either way.”