BASEBALL
With first place in 4A Section 3 on the line in the first game of a back-to-back home-and-away series, Indiana fell to Valley, 4-1. Ethan Shank had two hits and drove in a run for Indiana, which will travel to New Kensington today hoping for a split in the series.
Marion Center outlasted Portage 12-8. The Stingers’ Camden Rising had three hits and Jaxon Davis had two and each drove in three runs. Trent Slovinsky also had two hits for MC. For Portage, freshman Connor Skico was 4-for-4, Tyson Burkett had three hits, and Easton Slanoc, Owen Slanoc, and Lucas Shuniak all had two hits in a 16-hit attack.
Blacklick Valley scored 8 runs in the fourth and went on to a 13-3 win over Penns Manor. For the Comets, Logan Keith, Zak Schleicher, and Drew Valazak all had two hits.
Harmony downed Purchase Line 9-3. Ryan Matko had three hits and Jacob Stein two for the Red Dragons.
Conemaugh Township stepped out of conference and remained undefeated with a 3-2 walkoff win over Windber. Colin Dinyar had three hits and Greyson Studer had two, but the big news for the Indians was the return to the field of senior standout Brennan Lohr, who suffered a knee injury during basketball season and played for the first time, going 1-for-2 at the plate.
SOFTBALL
Kameryn Dunlap homered for Derry as the Trojans topped Indiana 5-2. Hannah Ianarelli and Sophia Boyer each had two hits for the Indians, with Ianarelli and Claire Brewer each driving in a run and Boyer hitting a double. Indiana falls to 12-4, 10-2 in 4A Section 1, while Derry improved to 9-4, and 8-3 in the Section.
Homer-Center and West Shamokin were swinging the bats yesterday, each team with ten hits, but the Wolves played error-free and remained undefeated with a 9-3 win over the Wildcats. Leah Mondi and Evie Grantz both had two hits and Maddie Kiern tripled and drove in three runs for West Shamokin, which led 6-0 before Homer-Center scored twice in the fifth. For the Wildcats, Bry Haer, Khylee Beer, Bekah Marshall, and Taicha Bartlebaugh all had two hits. The same two teams are scheduled to play today at West Shamokin.
Penns Manor hammered Blacklick Valley 10-3. The Comets did not provide any stats.
TENNIS
Indiana dominated Central Valley, 4-1 in the first round of the WPIAL boys tennis championships at the White Township courts.
Muhammad Abulaila was near perfect in his match, which he won love-and-love. Jonas Vick and Andrew Manzek followed up with a 6-3, 6-0 win at second doubles. Micah Weigner and Nick Lamantia won at first doubles to get the third point for Indiana, also at 6-3, 6-0. At first singles, Evan Riffer dropped his match 3-and-3 before Michael Dubtesky closed out the afternoon at second singles, 6-2, 7-5.
Indiana will play South Park in an away match tomorrow in the quarterfinals.
MATCH SUMMARY PROVIDED BY IHS TENNIS:
IHS Boys Tennis defeated Central Valley 4-1 in the opening round of the WPIAL Championships on Monday at home on the White Township courts.
Muhammad Abulaila got things started for IHS, bageling his opponent 6-0, 6-0 in a near-perfect match. He was a force on the court, utilizing his aggressive topspin all-court game to defeat his opponent.
Jonas Vick and Andrew Manzek followed up with a 6-3, 6-0 win at second doubles. After settling down in the first set, they moved right through their opponents in the 2nd. Manzek’s shot placement, Vick’s volleys, and their excellent team play got Indiana the second win.
Micah Weigner and Nick Lamantia won at first doubles to get the 3rd point for Indiana, 6-3, 6-0. Both players used their speed to close off balls at the net and played consistently from the baseline.
Evan Riffer played a hard-fought match at first singles, losing to Cody Clayton 3-6, 3-6. Riffer served well, and his deep topspin game was effective but came up just short.
Michael Dubetsky defeated Hunter Hazelwood at second singles, 6-2, 7-5. Dubetsky held off the hard-hitting Hazelwood with a mix of defense and his own aggressive, consistent baseline play, moving his opponent all over the court.
IHS Tennis will play South Park away on Wednesday at 3:30 for a spot in the WPIAL Championships Semifinal.
