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 6th 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 4th and 3 more in the 5th, 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 4th and 2 in the 5th as they outlasted Indiana, 9-7. Indiana overcame a 4-0 deficit and took a 7-4 lead into the bottom of the 4th 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.