BIG FINAL WEEK BEGINS FOR HERITAGE CONFERENCE

BASEBALL

It was Senior Day at First Commonwealth Bank Field, and Homer-Center found itself in a surprisingly tight game with upset-minded Purchase Line, but the Wildcats used a big 6^th inning to beat the Red Dragons.  Todd Marino has the story.

Conemaugh Township clinched the Heritage Conference East and earned its spot in the conference championship game next Monday, erasing a 5-0 deficit and holding off Cambria Heights, 7-5.  The Indians scored 4 runs in the 4^th and 3 more in the 5^th, taking advantage of 4 Highlanders errors.  Larry Weaver had 2 hits, including a home run, and Luke Weber and Brennan Lohr also had 2 hits.  For Cambria Heights, Hayden Leamer and Garrett Jasper each had 2 hits.

SOFTBALL

On Senior Day, all six Homer-Center seniors had hits and Emma Popp and Alaina Fabin each had three of them in a 13-2 win over Purchase Line.  Fabin doubled twice and she and Popp both doubled to help break a 2-2 tie in a 3-run second.  In the third, the Wildcats banged out six hits and scored five runs, with RBI singles by Bri Birchall and Emily Bowser, a two-run double by Fabin, and a run-scoring single by Popp. Homer-Center piled up 16 hits, with Popp collecting 4 RBIs.  Grace Frazer, Bowser, Ciara Richards, and Ashlynn Kerr all had two hits and the Wildcats stole nine bases. Bri Birchall spun a one-hitter, striking out 9.

Punxsutawney scored 4 runs in the first, then added 3 in the 4^th and 2 in the 5^th as they outlasted Indiana, 9-7.  Indiana overcame a 4-0 deficit and took a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the 4^th before Punxsy rallied.  Each team had 12 hits but Indiana committed 4 errors.  Maggie Cunningham had 2 hits, including a home run, and drove in 3 runs.  Hannah Ianarelli had 3 hits, and Haley Hamilton and Olivia Zimmerman each had 2 hits.  Punxsy did not enter their stats.

TRACK & FIELD

The Heritage Conference Track & Field Championships will be held today, starting at 2:15 PM at United High School.  In the team title chase, Conemaugh Township heads into the girls championship at 9-0, followed by 8-1 Cambria Heights, 7-2 Portage, and United, which is 6-3.

For the boys, United is 9-0, Conemaugh Township is 8-1, Cambria Heights is 6-3, and Homer-Center is 5-4.