New Kensington defeats Mont Alto in one of two

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. – On Saturday, New Kensington softball went head-to-head with Penn State Mont Alto in a conference doubleheader. New Kensington snagged game one's victory, 12-6, while game two went to Mont Alto, 9-3. New Kensington now sits 5-7 in the conference and 6-8 overall.

Game 1

New Kensington started off the scoring in the bottom of the second. Molly Collins (Verona, Pa./Riverview) batted first and singled to right field. She advanced to third off an Abby Kane (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) single. Kane then stole second and advanced to third on the throw, while Collins scored. Kane soon ran home off a Courtney Biswick (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) single to center field. New Kensington took the first lead of the game, 2-0, heading into the third.

New Kensington was quickly passed up by Mont Alto that scored four runs during the top of the inning. New Kensington answered back with one of its own. Natalie Heltebran (Irwin, Pa./Hempfield) singled, advanced to second, and scored off a Collins hit to center field. At the end of the third, Mont Alto was ahead, 4-3.

In the top of the fourth, Mont Alto ran in two more. This gave it a 6-3 advantage. Scoring resumed in the bottom of the fifth by New Kensington. Heltebran doubled to left center and found herself on third after a Riplee Burkhart (Verona, Pa./Penn Hills) single. Heltebran reached home after Collins got on base on a fielder's choice. New Kensington inched closer to tying the 6-4 game.

New Kensington ran in eight throughout the sixth inning before facing any outs.

Biswick batted first and singled. Tori Young (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler Area) was up next and hit a double to left center which pushed Biswick to third. Biswick was able to score after Auveonna Perkins (Arnold, Pa./Valley) singled, and Young advanced to third base. Young scored on a passed ball. A single by Calle Zmenkowski (Cheswick, Pa./Fox Chapel) advanced Perkin to third. Zmenkowski soon stole second. With a Helebtran double, Perkins and Zmenkowski were next to cross home plate. Heltebran moved along the bases due to a Burkhart single. Ally Albert (Cabot, Pa./Knoch) then came in to pinch run for Burkhart and stole second. Heltebran ran in the fifth score of the inning off a Collins single. Kane made her way to first after getting hit by the pitch. With bases loaded, Lauren Torgent (Tarentum, Pa./Highlands) singled and Albert scored. Collins scored right after off a Biswick single, and Kane scored on the throw.

New Kensington was up 12-6, but with one inning left to play, Mont Alto was only able to get two hits.

Heltebran and Collins both went 3-for-4. Collins added three RBI, while Heltebran had two and doubled twice. Biswick also had three RBI.

Game 2

By the top of the fifth, Mont Alto had already gained a 6-0 head start on New Kensington. In the bottom of the inning, New Kensington ran in its first score of the game.

Biswick got on base with a single to right center. She progressed to second when Zmenkowski walked. Courtesy of a Heltebran double, Biswick scored. This put the game at 6-1 heading into the sixth.

Throughout the sixth and seventh inning, Mont Alto ran in three more and pushed the score to 9-1.

With the bottom of the seventh left to play, Zmenkowski and singled. On a ground out, she advanced to second and scored on a Burkhart hit to center field. Collins batted third and singled which moved along Burkhart. After Kane singled, bases were loaded. Torgent flied out, but Burkhart was able to score. New Kensington faced the loss, 9-3.

Heltebran batted 3-for-3, had an RBI, and doubled.

New Kensington will take on Penn State Greater Allegheny for its next conference doubleheader on Monday, Apr. 12. Game time are 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Written by Janet Surma