The North Allegheny baseball team salvaged game three of a three-game series against the Butler Golden Tornado on Friday afternoon with an 8-1 home victory. The Tigers pounded out 11 hits and scored at least one run in all but one inning en route to the Section 1-6A win.

The Tigers capitalized on erratic pitching from Golden Tornado starter Blake Scott, who issued five free passes, including three walks and two hit-by-pitches. In the bottom of the first, NA cashed in when Jake Fritz scored on a wild pitch and Christian Simons drove in a run with an RBI groundout, giving NA a 2-0 lead. The lead grew to 4-0 in the second inning on an RBI single by J.J. Mancuso and a Butler throwing error that allowed Jake Fritz to score. 

As a light rain began to fall in the middle innings, the Butler bullpen fared no better as NA continued to pour it on. A one-out triple by Nate Fritz in the bottom of the fourth and another RBI single by Mancuso stretched the lead to 5-0, Tigers. 

Butler got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth when Nash Cuffman drove home Ryan Rattigan on a sacrifice fly, cutting the NA lead to 5-1. The Golden Tornado’s momentum was short-lived, however, as the Tigers put the game away in the late innings. A Nate Fritz RBI single, a bases-loaded walk, and RBI for Christian Simons in the bottom of the fifth ballooned the North Allegheny lead to 7-1. Carter Boehm put the finishing touches on the victory with a sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Evanish in the bottom of the sixth to bring the score to its eventual final, 8-1.

Nate Fritz earned Wright Automotive Player of the Game honors by reaching base four times. He went 3-for-3, including two singles, a triple, a hit-by-pitch, an RBI, and scored two runs. J.J. Mancuso also reached base four times, going 2-for-2 with two walks, a pair of singles and two RBIs. Ryan Evanish also collected two hits with a 2-for-3 day and a run scored.

On the mound, Nate Surman made his first appearance of the season and was dominant, tossing four innings of one-hit baseball, striking out six batters and issuing just one walk. Surman earned the win and was followed by Mason Dratfinksy and Jake Fritz in relief. Dratfinsky allowed one run in two innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Jake Fritz pitched a scoreless seventh inning to close out the victory. For Butler, Scott was chased in the third inning and was saddled with the loss.

With the win, North Allegheny improves to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in Section 1-6A action. Butler falls to 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the section. The Tigers open a new section series on Monday against Central Catholic on the road at 3:30 p.m.