Kelsey Ferguson reached base on an error and scored in the ninth inning to lift defending WPIAL champion Mars (11-8) over Moon (13-7), 2-1, in Class AAA first-round game at North Allegheny. Monica Glomb struck out 12 batters and limited Moon to two hits.
Class AAAA
Peters Township 5, North Allegheny 1
Junior pitcher Shaylee Ianno allowed just three hits and struck out 16 to help No. 9 seed Peters Township (14-4) defeat defending WPIAL Class AAAA softball champion and No. 8 seed North Allegheny on Monday at Fairhaven Park.
Ianno struck out the side three times and had a streak of eight consecutive strikeouts after North Allegheny's Melanie Boozel led off the game with an infield single.
Ianno was also 2 for 3, drove in two runs and scored another. Lindsey Hoover drove in two runs with a double in the sixth inning.
Peters Township will meet defending PIAA Class AAAA champion and No. 1 seed Shaler (16-2) in the quarterfinals at a date, site, and time to be determined.
Connellsville 3, Kiski Area 1
Sophomore pitcher Erica Bartholow led Connellsville to a Class AAAA first-round playoff victory over Kiski Area (15-4) at California (Pa.) University. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Connellsville (7-11) tagged Kiski Area pitcher Lauren Yohe for two runs. Freshman Cassie Show's triple was the only extra-base hit for Connellsville.
Class AAA
Knoch 6, Montour 2
Kirsten Brant drove in three runs, including the game-winner, as Knoch (15-5) rallied to beat Montour (11-9) in the first round at Hampton Township Community Park. It was Knoch's first playoff victory in school softball history.
Class AA
Mohawk 2, Freeport 0
Two errors in the third inning led to the game's only runs, as Mohawk (10-4) topped Freeport (9-9).
"The third inning was the key to the whole game," Freeport coach Jim Rapp said. "We gave up those two runs on three errors and it killed us. That was pretty much the story."
Freeport starter Brittany Showers allowed two runs, both unearned, on two hits.
"Brittany has been doing fine for us all season," Rapp said. "She did well today, too."
South Park 3, Beth-Center 2
South Park (18-3) scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to beat Beth-Center (13-6) at Elizabeth Forward.
South Park was led by Angela Doyle, who hit a solo home run. Nikki Doria contributed a double and triple.
Class A
OLSH 9, West Greene 0
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart scored six unearned runs in the second inning and cruised to a first-round victory at California.
Kara Hertzburg and Megan Batista each had two RBI for OLSH (15-4). Darian Ouzts was 3 for 4 for the Lady Chargers. Alyson Clark doubled for West Greene (12-6).
