South Fayette wins

Surprises Knoch in nine innings in Class 4A, 6-4

South Fayette softball coach Olesia Stasko had a hunch her squad’s WPIAL Class 4A first-round playoff game against Knoch would come down to the final atbats. What she didn’t know was just how many at-bats it would take.

In a back-and-forth battle that lasted nine innings, the Lions pulled off the upset and stunned Knoch, 6-4, at North Allegheny.

“It was a pretty big win,” Stasko said. “We knew that we would get a pretty tough test and we did.”

In the top of the ninth, freshman Ashley Micholas doubled home Sara Jubas to give South Fayette (12-7) the lead. Delaney Ging provided an insurance run by driving home Micholas with a single.

The Lions’ Lauren Barnett lined a two-run triple in the sixth that tied the score, 44.

Knoch (16-3) was held scoreless after the fifth inning. who struck out five.

Elizabeth Forward 14, Beaver 1: Elizabeth Forward (9-11) had three home runs and pounded Beaver (10-7) at Baldwin to move on to the second round. Taylor Ludwick had a grand slam, while Jess Cartia and Lauren Matthews each smashed threerun homers. South Fayette celebrates after beating Knoch, 6-4, in the first round of the WPIAL Class 4A softball playoffs Monday at North Allegheny. Hampton.

Shaler 6, Norwin 1: Lyndsey Lakatos was a onegirl wrecking crew, as she smacked three hits, including two doubles, and drove in four runs for the Titans (11-7) in their triumph against Norwin (8-9) in the first round at Gateway.