North Allegheny softball team confident after strong start to 2022 season

By: Chris Harlan
Saturday, April 9, 2022 | 8:01 AM

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Morgan Vescovi was hired as North Allegheny’s softball coach in 2019, but counting seasons is always a tricky task because the pandemic erased 2020.

Third season?

Fourth season?

“Maybe 3.5,” she said.

What is clear is that for the first time with her as head coach, the Tigers felt some continuity this spring and enter the season with a measure of comfort and confidence. The team brought back a shortstop who set a single-season home run record, a pitcher who emerged as a freshman and a handful of starters from last year’s lineup.

“You always rely on the upperclassmen to kind of help the underclassmen understand what our goals are and how we do things,” Vescovi said. “During the season last year, I think I had two girls on our roster who had played in varsity games. You had to kind of re-establish some of those routines and expectations.”

Senior shortstop Alaina Whipkey is one of those leaders. The Cal (Pa.) softball recruit batted .455 a year ago with 27 runs scored, 27 RBIs and a team-record 10 home runs.

The leadoff batter hit a grand slam in this year’s season opener against Baldwin.

“She’s a very strong leader,” Vescovi said. “We’re definitely going to lean on her. She someone I know is going to be able to rally the troops and provide the motivation the girls need.”

Whipkey also pitched 25¹⁄₃ innings last season, but the emergence of sophomore Anne Melle gives the Tigers a young starter to rely on. Melle is off to a strong start this spring after throwing 64¹⁄₃ innings last year.

“She is someone we’re definitely looking to be that leader on the mound,” Vescovi said, “but she’s also really doing well at the plate. She’s had multiple extra-base hits.”

Melle had three hits in a section win over Seneca Valley on April 4. NA started the season 5-0.

The fast start was a good sign for the Tigers, who lost four of their first five games last year, finished 10-11 overall and lost in the first round of the WPIAL playoffs.

Yet, NA is only a few years removed from a championship appearance. The Tigers were 2019 WPIAL runners-up in Vescovi’s first season as head coach.

So, they’re still chasing big goals.

“The mindset is what it always is,” Vescovi said. “We want to be successful. We want to win games. We want to be competitive within the section. I think we have a really promising group.”

Second baseman Annalyn Isaacs and center fielder Meghan McDonough combine with Whipkey to give the Tigers strong defense up the middle. Isaacs made a diving catch on a line drive against Seneca Valley.

“I feel like I blinked and missed most of it,” Vescovi said. “It was so quick.”

McDonough and Isaacs are both juniors. McDonough batted .416 last year and scored 19 runs. The speedy left-handed hitter bats second in the order and Isaacs is fourth.

“(McDonough) is a jack of all trades offensively,” Vescovi said. “She’s a slapper, so she has kept a lot of teams off balance when she’s at the plate.”

NA is playing this season in memory of former coach Rick Meister, who died in August after an extended battle with cancer. Vescovi played for Meister, whose teams won three WPIAL titles and one state championship.

Vescovi said her seniors designed team shirts that say “22 is for you” and include Meister’s initials on the back.

“It was a very nice homage to him and everything that he did for the program for so long,” Vescovi said. “He’s there with us.”

A year ago, NA went 5-5 in Section 2 and finished fourth in the standings behind Norwin, Hempfield and Pine-Richland. The Tigers were pleased to make the playoffs, but want to build on that experience.

“We want to start there and keep going,” Vescovi said. “Our goal is to compete in the section and win the section. It’s a tough section for sure, but it’s a stronger, more veteran team than we had last year.”

Chris Harlan is a TribLive reporter covering sports. He joined the Trib in 2009 after seven years as a reporter at the Beaver County Times. He can be reached at charlan@triblive.com.

Tags: North Allegheny