Page 60 - North Allegheny Athletics Fall 2023

58 NORTH ALLEGHENY ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
SOFTBALL
2023 WPIAL Quarterfinalist
The 2023 North Allegheny softball team followed up a WPIAL runner-up showing in 2022 with another playoff appearance, qualifying for the postseason for an astonishing 23rd consecutive year.
North Allegheny got off to a great start to the season going 7-1 in the first eight games. The only loss came to 5A state finalist Shaler and included a 1-0 win over eventual 6A WPIAL champion Hempfield.
The best streak of the Tigers season came from April 20 to May 8 when they strung together six consecutive wins before dropping the last two of the regular season.
North Allegheny got the No. 4 seed in the WPIAL playoffs but was upended by fifth-seeded Pine-Richland in the WPIAL Quarterfinals.
Individually, senior centerfielder Meghan McDonough, an all-state selection, dazzled with her defense and anchored the leadoff spot in the batting order with a .440 average and team-best 29 runs scored. Sophomore Sammy Plotsko not only led the Tigers with six home runs and 29 RBI’s, but she also paced the pitching staff with 10 wins and a 3.15 ERA. Junior Anne Melle added four wins in the circle, along with four home runs and 20 RBI’s offensively.
2023 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS
GAME OPPONENT SCORE
1 SOUTH FAYETTE 7-5 (W)
2 PHILLIPS EXETER 12-2 (W)
3 SHALER 14-4 (L)
4 FOX CHAPEL 9-2 (W)
5 HEMPFIELD 1-0 (W)
6 CANON-MCMILLAN 9-7 (W)
7 BALDWIN 12-1 (W)
8 BUTLER 9-5 (W)
9 SENECA VALLEY 2-0 (L)
10 PINE-RICHLAND 10-6 (W)
11 NORWIN 10-7 (L)
12 HEMPFIELD 9-2 (L)
13 MT LEBANON 12-1 (W)
14 CANON-MCMILLAN 3-2 (W)
15 BALDWIN 8-1 (W)
16 BUTLER 13-2 (W)
17 MT LEBANON 13-3 (W)
18 PINE-RICHLAND 8-5 (W)
19 SENECA VALLEY 1-0 (L)
20 NORWIN 5-2 (L)
WPIAL QUARTERFINALS PINE-RICHLAND 5-1 (L)