Blackhawk wins key game

Engel shines both in batters box, on mound in victory

The first five innings of Blackhawk’s game against South Fayette produced no runs, so Cougars pitcher Mark Engel took matters into his own hands.

Engel knocked in a run to kick start the scoring, and picked up the win by scattering four hits over six innings and striking out four to lead Class 4A No. 1 Blackhawk (8-0, 4-0) past No. 2 South Fayette, 5-1, in a Section 2 matchup.

“Mark Engel did an outstanding job,” said Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia. “He made the difference today.”

Engel’s pitching line — he also walked one and allowed an earned run — wasn’t the most eye-grabbing. But he was solid throughout and came up big when needed. In the fourth inning, the host Lions (4-1, 3-1) had runners on second and third with no outs. Engel struck out the next two batters and forced the third to ground out.

Engel helped his cause with a sixth-inning RBI single. The Cougars tacked on three runs in the seventh, including RBI doubles from Nick Ceriani and Mike Turconi. Penn-Trafford’s Mara Mallon barely misses a diving grab against Kiski in a WPIAL Class 5A Section 1 game Tuesday. Norwin in Class 6A Section 2. The Spartans (5-4, 2-0) plated four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead. Norwin (4-2, 1-1) loaded the bases in the seventh, but Hempfield turned a game-ending double play to halt the threat. Nick DiAndreth went 3 for 3 with a double and scored twice.