Canon-McMillan strikes again in win
Canon- McMillan did it again.
A week after knocking off Hempfield and denying the Spartans a sixth consecutive WPIAL title, the Big Macs upset another Westmoreland County team with championship dreams by downing No. 2 seed Norwin, 7-4, in a 6A semifinal thriller.
With two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning, Taylor Eckles lofted a double over the head of the Knights center fielder to clear the bases and provide the winning runs.
Bigs hits were a part of the game. Canon- McMillan’s Abby Allen bashed a two-run home run, while Norwin got homers from Bailee Bertani and Madie Kessler.
With the win, the Big Macs improved to .500 on the season ( 9- 9) and snapped a seven-game win streak for the Knights (14-3), who lost for the first time in more than a month. Canon- McMillan stumbled into the playoffs having lost its final three regular season games before ripping off two huge postseason wins.
Class 4A
Highlands 6, Elizabeth Forward 4: The Rams offense got going late as Highlands mounted a comeback to secure a win in eight innings. Highlands ( 16- 4- 1) plated three in the seventh to force extras before knocking in two more in the next frame. Jaycee Haidze earned the win by tossing all eight innings and striking out 10. She helped her cause by doubling home a run. Teammate Kassidy Cambal belted a homer and drove in two runs. For Elizabeth Forward (16-3), Kailey Larcinese struck out 11, but was tagged for seven hits and five earned runs. Both Anna Resnik and Brianna Sersevic had a double and an RBI.
Beaver 7, West Mifflin 4: The Bobcats (16-0) plated four in the first and tacked on three more runs in the fifth to pull away from the Titans (165). Payton List threw all seven innings and struck out eight and allowed one earned run. Anna Blum and Emilee Hohenshell had two RBIs each.
Class 2A
Laurel 15, Frazier 4: With 13 more strikeouts against Frazier (16-4), Autumn Boyd has 32 in two postseason contests for Laurel (16-1). The Spartans’ Abbie Miles homered and drove in four while Addie Deal had two doubles and three RBIs.