Post-Gazette Josh Hungerman

JOSH HUNGERMAN

SCHOOL: North Allegheny

WHO IS HE? A senior left-handed pitcher, Hungerman has led North Allegheny to the WPIAL final for the third consecutive year.

THE PAST WEEK: Hungerman pitched a four-hitter and struck out seven in a 4-0 victory against Baldwin Tuesday in the Class AAAA semifinals. In a quarterfinal game Thursday, Hungerman struck out eight and gave up six hits in a 7-2 victory against Connellsville.

FOR THE RECORD: With the victory against Baldwin, Hungerman tied the school record for victories in a season. He has a 10-0 record and is 17-1 the past two seasons. Hungerman has other impressive statistics. He has a 1.03 ERA and has allowed only eight earned runs and 30 hits in 54 innings. He has struck out 59.

GROWING UP: Two years ago, Hungerman was 5 feet 11, 130 pounds and a pitcher on North Allegheny's junior varsity. Now, he is 6-2, 170 and one of the premiere pitchers in the WPIAL.

CHANGE OF PACE: Hungerman said his changeup was working well against Baldwin. It is a pitch he has tried to develop more. He has been taking private lessons for years at the Matt Bianco School of Baseball in Canonsburg, working under instructor Frank Merigliano, a former Shaler pitcher who played in the Chicago White Sox minor-league system.

THE FUTURE: Hungerman signed last November with Cleveland State, an NCAA Division I college.

-- By Mike White

SCHOOL: Oakland Catholic.

WHO IS SHE?: A junior and one of the top sprinters in WPIAL track. She will compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the PIAA Class AAA championships tomorrow and Saturday at Shippensburg University.

PAST WEEK: At the WPIAL championships Thursday at Baldwin, Davis defended her title in the 200 (24.46 seconds) and finished second in the 100 (12.15). She and Breehana Jacobs of Laurel Highlands (24.59 and 11.77) finished 1-2 in those events.

Davis' time in the 200 was the fourth best in WPIAL championship history, behind Nellie Bullock of Aliquippa (23.72 in 1978), Lauren Williams of Rochester (23.85 in 2001) and Marla Puryear of Thomas Jefferson (24.3 in 1990).

CAREER: Davis distinguished herself as a youth with the River City Elite track club. But in December of her freshman year, in her first indoor meet with River City, her left hip was fractured while running.

"It was the worst pain of my life," she said.

Out of rehab a few months later, and preparing for the varsity season, Davis felt her right hamstring snap. She was out of competition until September.

FUTURE: Davis hopes to at least match her personal-best time of 24.3 in the 200 at the PIAA meet.

Interest in Davis is mounting among NCAA Division I programs.

-- By Rick Shrum