Matt Freed, Post-Gazette Mollie Puskar has been solid at second for Mt. Lebanon. Click photo for larger image.

MOLLIE PUSKAR

SCHOOL: Mt. Lebanon.

WHO IS SHE?: A second baseman for the Blue Devils (23-1), who are playing Shaler today in the PIAA Class AAA softball quarterfinals.

THE PAST WEEK: A senior, Puskar helped Mt. Lebanon defeat North Allegheny, 1-0, in eight innings a week ago for its first WPIAL softball championship. Mt. Lebanon then downed Gateway, 5-0, Monday in PIAA first-round play.

SEASON: Megan Rigos' pitching isn't the only reason the Blue Devils are still playing. Puskar is a quality fielder on a team that has allowed just 20 runs in 24 games and has shut out its past two opponents. She also is a steady hitter who had a run-scoring single against Gateway.

CAREER: Talk about reliability ... Puskar has started at second base for four seasons and played in every game. "I think I missed part of a game my sophomore year because I had a conflict," she said.

DIAMOND GIRL: Puskar did not play softball until she was a freshman, but she was familiar with the basic concepts.

"I played baseball until then," said Puskar, who pitched, played shortstop and catcher in the male-dominated Mt. Lebanon leagues.

"Initially, switching [to softball] was a big transition, especially hitting. But I got used to it and have grown to love softball."

GOAL-ORIENTED: Rarely does Puskar kick the ball around the diamond. But that is her specialty on the soccer field.

She was a four-year starter at sweeper and was a primary factor in the Blue Devils allowing only 14 goals in 25 games last season. Mt. Lebanon reached the WPIAL Class AAA championship game, losing to Penn-Trafford, 1-0, in double overtime.

Asked if she had a favorite sport, Puskar said: "There's not one that I place clearly above the other. I think over the years, I've kind of focused more on soccer, and I will continue to play it in college."

FUTURE: Puskar, who has a 4.3 grade-point average, will attend Colby College in Waterville, Me. She chose Colby for academics, but will play soccer for the Division III school.

JARED SHAFFER

SCHOOL: Kiski Area

WHO IS HE? A standout senior shortstop-pitcher on the Cavaliers' baseball team that has made it to the PIAA Class AAA quarterfinals.

THIS WEEK: Shaffer pitched 6 2/3 innings Monday in a 7-4 victory against Erie Cathedral Prep in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. Shaffer struck out 10 and allowed only five hits.

SEASON: Shaffer is batting .382 (26 for 68) with 3 doubles, 5 triples, 3 home runs and 15 RBIs. He has a 6-2 pitching record with 74 strikeouts in 52 innings, but his best attribute is his defense at shortstop.

"He just has really nice instincts defensively," Kiski Area coach Jack Jewart said. "He has very good range and a very strong arm."

FEELING THE DRAFT: Kiski Area was practicing Tuesday afternoon when Shaffer's mother showed up at the field. She asked Jewart if she could talk to her son. When Jared approached his mom, he found out he had been selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 40th round of the Major League Baseball draft. The Braves want him as a shortstop.

Shaffer does not know if he will sign with the Braves. He has signed a letter of intent to play at Liberty University in Virginia.

"I talked to the Braves and they told me I was going to be a summer follow-up," Shaffer said. "I think that means they're going to watch me play this summer [in American Legion] and go from there. So at this point in time, I don't know what's going to happen. It's just an honor to get drafted, no matter where it is."

FEEDING OFF WALKER: Some scouts were showing interest in Shaffer, but what helped him was his performance in a game against Pine-Richland. More than a dozen scouts were there to watch Pine-Richland catcher Neil Walker, who was taken by the Pirates in the first round.

"After that, I started to get more phone calls from scouts and they started showing up more," Jewart said.

LATE BLOOMER: Shaffer always displayed baseball talent, but as a sophomore he was on the junior varsity team and was only 5 feet 8, 145 pounds. In two years, he grew 6 inches and is now 6-2, 170 pounds.

"I'm still growing into my body," Shaffer said. "But growing did help me out a lot."

THE BUBSTER: Shaffer is known as "Bubby" to many at Kiski Area. He has had the name since he was a toddler. "I have a brother who is a couple years older," he said. "When I was born, he couldn't say 'baby.' He would say 'Bubby.' So everyone has called me that since."

DOWN ON THE FARM: Shaffer and his family live on a farm owned by Shaffer's grandmother.