Peters Township

The past week: Merich, a senior right-handed pitcher, threw a one-hitter in a 5-2 victory Monday against Baldwin.

Check this out: Merich (6 feet, 181 pounds) is 4-0 this season and 13-2 the past two seasons for Peters Township, the defending WPIAL Class AAAA champion. He also plays first base and outfield and will play next season at Point Park.

You guys have lost a few section games recently. Are you worried? Yeah. It's early in the season, but expectations were so high for this year. Now that you look back, some of us were head cases on this team. But now we're pulling together and realizing we can be beat.

Head cases? In what ways? You know, there are just some kids who try to win by themselves rather than as a team.

What is something that bothers you about baseball? Watching it. I know I play baseball, but the pace sometimes is so slow when you watch it. You can fall asleep with it, but in a sport like college basketball you're chewing your fingernails and watching.

Something you're tired of hearing about? Terrelle Pryor.

How old were you when you first threw curveballs? Not until 16.

People might be surprised to know that ... I read Psalm 91 from the Bible before every game, whether I'm pitching or not. And also that I coach a 14-year-old travel baseball team.

-- By Mike White

Beth-Center

The past week: The top softball pitcher for the Bulldogs, Whitman threw back-to-back no-hitters last week, beating Washington and Charleroi. She had 13 strikeouts against Washington and 12 against Charleroi. Through six games, Whitman has 76 strikeouts.

Check this out: Whitman, just 5 feet 4, is being recruited by Division I schools Texas-El Paso, Austin Peay and Tennessee-Martin. She also is considering Lakeland Junior College.

What is the hardest you have thrown? I have hit 64 [mph] before.

In throwing that hard, and being that you are just 5-4, do you ever get tired? If you get up into extra innings, like 10 innings or so, then you can start to get tired. But, normally, I don't get tired. I have gotten tired in tournament ball before, but not in high school.

Because you seemingly strike everyone out, do you think your fielders ever get bored? They do, and they have told me. They say, "Can't you just let a couple of people hit the ball so we can do something?" I just laugh at them and say no because I tell them it is my job to make sure they do not hit the ball.

If you didn't play softball, you would participate in ... Probably track. My dad [Kerry Whitman] threw the javelin when he was in high school at Brownsville and, when I was little, I would go to track practice with him. He is a track coach at Laurel Highlands.

Did you ever try to throw the javelin? Once, in my neighbor's big field in seventh grade. I hit myself in the back of the head with it and I was finished with it.

-- By Colin Dunlap