JACKSON TWP — Somebody was due to have a big inning.

“I'm just glad it was us,” North Allegheny coach Morgan Vescovi said.

The Tigers snapped a 2-2 tie by scoring four times in the seventh inning, defeating Seneca Valley, 6-2, in a mutual Section 2-6A softball opener Friday on the Raiders' field.

“We had our chances,” SV coach George Trew said. “We didn't hit the ball today. If you don't hit, you can't win.”

The Raiders (4-1, 0-1) made a go of it, anyway.

Seneca Valley took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning as Kaitlyn Wolfe began the frame with a walk. Courtney Stephenson reached on a bunt single and Lina Chardella's sacrifice bunt moved the runners up.

Hayley Walter's infield single loaded the bases. Wolfe scored on a passed ball to give the Raiders the lead. Stephenson was caught off third on Mack Baker's sharp grounder near the bag and North Allegheny escaped further damage.

Alaina Whipkey's home run to left leading off the sixth pulled the Tigers even. The Raiders had two on and two out in the bottom of that inning, but shortstop Whipkey caught Stephenson's liner just above the shoe-tops to end the threat.

“Alaina is such a dependable player,” Vescovi said. “She's fourth in our lineup because she hits the ball hard. And she makes all the plays at shortstop.”

And she wasn't done yet.

Freshman pinch-hitter Caitlin Logan began NA's seventh inning with an infield single. Kendall Trunzo singled to center and Meghan McDonough loaded the bases on a bunt single.

With one out, Whipkey doubled to the gap in left-center, plating two runs. Annalyn Isaacs delivered a two-out, two-run single later in the frame.

“If we take the lead into that seventh inning, it probably plays out differently,” Trew said. “We missed our chances. We'll learn from this, move on, be a better team for it tomorrow.

“Izzy (Roule) pitched a strong game for us. We just didn't score enough.”

NA freshman Anne Melle scattered six hits and struck out four for the Tigers.

“I'm excited about our freshmen and the future of this program,” Vescovi said. “We had 17 freshmen come out for varsity this year. There's a lot of talent there.”

The Tigers (2-4, 1-0) snapped a four-game losing streak. They had scored only six total runs in their previous three games.

“We know how strong an opponent Seneca Valley is,” Vescovi said. “This is a confidence booster for us.”

Kara Pasquale made a lunging catch in deep center to rob Trunzo of a double to begin the game. Chardella cut down a runner trying to get to second base to cut short a third-inning North Allegheny rally.

“We did some good things today,” Trew said. “This is one loss. We have nine more section games and I guarantee no one is going to go undefeated in our section. That's simply how it's going to be.”

North Allegheny 001 001 4 — 6 10 1

Seneca Valley 100 010 0— 2 6 1

W: Anne Melle 7IP (4K, 1BB). L: Izzy Roule 7IP (5K, 3BB).

North Allegheny (2-4, 1-0): Kendall Trunzo 2-1B, Meghan McDonough 2-1B 2-R, Ashley Sollenday 2B RBI, Alaina Whipkey 1B HR 2B 3-RBI 2-R, Annalyn Isaacs 1B 2-RBI, Caitlin Logan 1B

Seneca Valley (4-1, 0-1): Hayley Walter 1B, Jocelyn McNany 1B, Maddie Gross 1B, Shelby Roller 1B, Kaitlyn Wolfe 1B, Courtney Stephenson 1B

Monday: Seneca Valley at Pine-Richland