By JIM RUMBLE

Not even the excitement of playing at PNC Park could evoke a win for the Avonworth baseball team when they met Our Lady Of Sacred Heart last Friday.

The Antelopes, who jumped out to an early lead, surrendered six runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 7-3 loss.

Starting pitcher Tom Turnbull seemed to have things under control, keeping OLSH off the scoreboard for the first three innings.

OLSH came to bat to start with the lead-off batter reaching base on an error. The runner advanced to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Turnbull struck out the next batter and forced a ground-out to end the threat in the top of the first.

Both teams were set down in order at their next at-bats before the Antelopes came to bat in the bottom of the second. Nick Hobbs led off the inning with a triple that rolled to the wall in center, then scored on a base hit by Brian Vales to put Avonworth up 1-0.

Vales stole second base, and Joe Galante drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Bryan Bartram's grounder to second base allowed Vales to score on the force-out at second to give the Antelopes a 2-0 lead.

Turnbull set the OLSH batters down in order before Avonworth picked up a run in the bottom of the third. Turnbull led off with a double to left center then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Michael Giampole picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly ball to right to give Avonworth a 3-0 lead.

A walk to Coby Croft and a base hit by Hobbs followed, but OLSH managed to get out of the inning with Avonworth stranding two runners in scoring position.

OLSH exploded on offense in the top of the fourth to acquire the lead. Their inning consisted of five hits, three of them for extra bases, and two walks that produced six runs and a 6-3 lead.

OLSH added another run in the sixth to put the final score at 7-3.

Avonworth managed seven hits offensively, including base hits by Bartram, Carl Pietrusinski and Jake Winter.

The Antelopes got back on track this week with two consecutive section wins. On Tuesday, April 27, Avonworth traveled to Sewickley Academy and came out on top in a slugfest, 15-13. The next day, the Antelopes played at home and picked up their third section win by defeating Quigley for the second time this season, 8-6.