The Plum baseball team traditionally starts its season strong, and this spring is no exception.
After a trio of convincing victories in their annual Florida trip, the Mustangs were 7-0 overall through a 3-0 nonsection victory at North Allegheny on March 30.
Plum outscored its first seven opponents by a combined 51-6 with other shutouts at Seneca Valley, 6-0, in nonsection play and against Armstrong, 6-0, in the second game of its Section 1-5A opening series.
The Plum offense was held to its lowest run total of the season against North Allegheny, but the pitching remained lethal.
Seniors Braden Kemmerer and Gregory Huff and sophomore Dom Lauletta combined to limit the Tigers to just two singles while striking out four and walking three.
The Mustangs’ defense committed no errors while the offense collected seven hits.
Junior shortstop Max Vollmer delivered a two-run homer in the fifth to extend Plum’s lead, junior right fielder Brennan Ryan collected a pair of singles and an RBI, and senior Tim Ruggiero, senior Connor Wilson, junior Andrew Monaco and senior Enzo Mele each singled in the victory.
Plum hoped to remain undefeated as it returned to section play Monday and Tuesday with a series against longtime rival Penn-Trafford. The Warriors started out 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the section with a sweep of Armstrong and a two-game split with Latrobe.
Raiders sweep Brentwood in section
The Riverview baseball team ran its overall record to 5-1 and upped its Section 3-2A mark to 3-1 with a sweep of Brentwood last week.
The Raiders, a PIAA qualifier a year ago with a strong core from that team back this year, outscored the Spartans, 11-1, in the two games, taking the first game 8-1 on the road before scoring a 3-0 victory at Riverside Park.
Owen Metz was masterful on the mound in Game 2. He gave up just three hits and walked two while striking out four over seven innings.
The Riverview offense got Metz all the runs he would need with three in the bottom of the first.
Cleanup hitter Miles Ducan led the way with a pair of singles and two of the three runs batted in. Owen Orbich also had two hits and drove in the other first-inning run.
The Raiders collected 11 hits — Miles Duncan went 3 for 3, and Rex Roberts and Ben Radelet had two apiece — in Game 1.
Roberts doubled and drove in three, Lukas Duncan also recorded a double and two RBIs, and Orbich tallied two RBIs.
Lukas Duncan pitched five innings and gave up five hits and three walks while striking out seven.
Roberts added two innings of mound work with two hits surrendered and three strikeouts.
Plum girls flag football starts season strong
With a mix of experience and talented newcomers, Plum flag football hoped to get out of the gate strong in the first season of play under the direction of the WPIAL and PIAA.
Hope turned to reality as Plum won its first five games and built momentum leading into a big early Section 3 home matchup against Latrobe on April 1.
The Mustangs remained undefeated and also improved to 4-0 in the section with a 25-12 victory over Oakland Catholic on March 31 at Mustangs Stadium behind another monster game from junior Tamia West. She caught eight passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns and returned an interception for a score.
Sophomore Kaiden Young was 21 of 33 passing for 152 yards and three TDs.
Senior captain Hannah Woltjen also caught a touchdown pass.
Freshman Brooke Dugas and junior Taylie Auth had six flag tackles apiece.
Plum got out of the gates fast with wins over Gateway (21-0), Kiski Area (28-18), West Mifflin (35-6) and Woodland Hills (34-13).
Juniors Caydence Morgan (24 catches, 213 yards, four TDs) and Isla Filo (20 rushes, 100 yards, TD) and senior captain Hayden Wawrzyniak (9 catches, 87 yards, TD) also have been key in the offense.
Plum boys, girls track fares well at Igloo Invite
Members of the Plum boys and girls track and field teams tested themselves against some of the region’s top talent at the annual Igloo Invitational on March 28 at Altoona’s Mansion Park.
It was the Mustangs’ first invitational of the outdoor season.
The Plum boys claimed five championships and added other medals.
Senior Owen Proskin captured three golds with firsts in the high jump (6 feet, 4 inches), the 110-meter hurdles (14.30 seconds) and the 300 hurdles (39.74).
Junior Kent Holmes won the 400 (51.44), and senior Sloan Humphries triumphed in the triple jump (45-4.25).
The 400 free relay of Holmes, senior Elijah Jackson, junior Tyler Baleno and senior Nico Signor earned silver (44.50).
Jackson added a fourth in the 100 (11.28), and the 1,600 relay of Holmes, Baleno and juniors Eli Matolcsy and Nico Burrell also recorded a fourth-place finish (3:36.90).
Junior Maura Smith led the Plum girls with a fourth in the 800 (2:32.03) and 1,600 (5:31.05).
Senior Mayah Torres was close to Smith in the 1,600, taking seventh (5:33.84). She also ran to sixth in the 3,200 (12:04.98).