The Pittsburgh Hardball Academy announced today that one of their players, West Mifflin student Eli Kurta, was chosen to attend the MLB Breakthrough Series in Vero Beach, Fla.

​The MLB Breakthrough Series has produced a long list of notable alumni who have gone on to play professionally.

Gateway quarterback Mayson Mitchell was forced into action last year due to injury. The Gators quarterback built some confidence playing in the Big East conference. This weekend on Instagram, Mitchell announced he received his first Division I offer from the University of Akron.

Mitchell passed for 2,036 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions last season. Gateway missed the playoffs due to the WPIAL's tiebreaking system and weren't awarded a Wild Card.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

Pitt baseball relief pitcher David Leslie took the unconventional route to Division I baseball. Leslie, a Butler graduate, initially started at Division III Grove City College. Leslie, a graduate student, has made a splash in the ACC Tournament.

He threw the final three innings and struck out six batters to help the No. 14 seed Panthers pull an 8-6 upset win over the third-seeded Seminoles. He allowed one unearned run and walked tow hitters.

"I'm glad we get to play again," Leslie said in an interview with the ACC Network. "I didn't know if that was going to be the last game I ever played. I'm so glad we rallied together and got it done."

The game was tied at 5 when Leslie entered the game. The Seminoles tested Leslie immediately, as he had to work out of a bases-loaded jam.
Hunter Carns opened the inning by reaching first on an error by Pitt shortstop Caden Dulin.  One batter later, Leslie hit Gabe Fraser with a pitch.

After Leslie struck out Carter McCulley, his second strikeout of the inning, Chase Williams drew a walk to load the bases. Leslie was able to get Cal Fisher to fly out to right field to avoid the danger.

Leslie said he didn't do anything to wild. So far this season, Leslie, a graduate student, has a 4-5 record and has recorded a save. His ERA sits at 6.37 for the season.

"Fastball, curveball, changeup that's what I roll with," Leslie said. "I'll show a slider. It's mainly those three pitches. All it comes down was executing one pitch at a time. Fastball's in, curveball and changeup is down. It sounds simple, but it's tough."

Florida State took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when Ben Barrett reached on a fielding error by Pitt second baseman Trey Fenderson, scoring John Stuetzer.

Pitt rallied in the ninth inning when AJ Nessler got on base with a one-out single. One batter later, Lorenzo Carrier drew a walk. Kai Wagner was facing a 1-2 count from Brodie Purcell when he connected with a pitch that changed the game. Wagner hit a 394-foot blast to center field that put Pitt ahead 8-6.

Leslie recorded two strikeouts and got a groundout in the bottom of the ninth to closer out the game. Leslie said he felt the adrenaline after he crushed

"It was," Leslie said. "I had a tough time keeping my mind focus. But I felt it after that home run, I don't know who wouldn't feel it."

Josh Rizzo is the sports editor of PIttsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

The Penn Hills football program is going through some turbulence. Indians head coach Charles Morris and a majority of his staff recently resigned. Morris was 24-20 in his four seasons with the program and made the playoffs twice.

The district released a statement Thursday emphasizing the lifting program would start again and they are committed to making the best hire for the athletes. The letter, signed by Principal Bernard Taylor, Jr., emphasized that character was going to be a major consideration for who they pick next.

"As we think about the future of this program, we are committed to selecting a coach who not only builds a competitive team, but also develops young men of character," Taylor wrote. "We want leadership that helps all players grow both on and off the field. The central focus in this process, as it is with any staff hiring decision, is to find the individuals whose number one priority is student achievement and student well being."

The offseason has been unkind to the Indians.

Carter Bonner, who committed to West Virginia in April, transferred to Maryland powerhouse St. Frances Academy. Penn Hills graduate Drew Schifino recently reported for Sayless Media that running back Doryan Peay is transferring from to Imani Christian.

Last season, the Indians finished 3-7 overall, losing three of its final four games. The most devastating defeat came in the season finale to Plum, where the Mustangs returned a field goal Penn Hills blocked for a touchdown to seal a 20-14 win.

Before last season started, Penn Hills issued a statement online saying Morris' job wasn't in jeopardy after rumors were floated online that he had been let go by the school. 

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected] or on X @J_oshRizzo.

Colleen Davis will return to action June 13 at the Rumble by the River III event at the Pasquerilla Center in Johnstown. Davis, a Shaler graduate, will return to the ring after a nine-month absence. 

Davis, who is 4-4-1 on her career, last lost to Chiara Dituri during a fight at the The Suffolk in Riverhead, N.Y., on Aug. 25, 2025. Davis won the American Boxing Federation Inter-Continental Super Featherweight championship in July 2023. During the course of her career, Davis, who trains the Ray Schafer Boxing Association in Sharpsburg, has made a career of having a difficult strength of schedule.

At the Johnstown event, Davis will take on a fighter who has fallen on hard times. Davis will fight Lauren Michaels, who fights out of Hollidaysburg, is 2-7 overall and has lost her previous six bouts. Davis will be pursuing her first win since 2024, currently riding a three-fight streak without a victory.

Davis had a pair of close fights with Elise Soto in 2025. The first of the two bouts was ruled a no contest after Davis couldn't continue following an incidental clash of heads. Soto won the rematch in a split decision.

Josh Rizzo is the editor and publisher of Pittsburgh Preps and Colleges. Story ideas can be submitted to [email protected].

Pittsburgh resident Kiserian Spence, who for the first-ever Muay Thai title contested by the locally-based 247 Fighting Championships in January, did enough to claim a Muay Thai title in Baltimore this weekend.