Westmoreland PIAA baseball playoff preview capsule for June 11, 2018

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, June 10, 2018 | 4:12 PM

Class A

Semifinals

Greensburg Central Catholic (16-6) vs. Vincentian Academy (18-4)

4 p.m. Monday, Wild Things Park, Washington

Winner plays: Sayre (17-5)/Southern Fulton (21-4)

Coaches: Dennis Reist, Greensburg Central Catholic; Brad Bestic, Vincentian Academy

Players to watch: Bryce Kurpiel (Jr., 1B), Greensburg Central Catholic; Kyler Fedko (Sr., SS) Vincentian Academy

Extra bases: Greensburg Central Catholic is in the PIAA semifinals for the second consecutive year after surviving a wild 12-11 win in nine innings over District 6 champ Homer-Center in the quarterfinals. The Centurions are seeking their first trip to the finals since 2002 when they won their only state title. The Centurions trailed Homer-Center 8-3 entering the seventh. Six walks led to five GCC runs to force extra innings. Kurpiel had a two-run double in the ninth that scored the go-ahead run. He leads the team with a .585 batting average. The Centurions lost 1-0 to Clarion in the semifinals last year. Seniors Antonio Cavallo (.455) and Ethan Bailey (.406) are key offensive cogs. … Vincentian has had a pair of 10-0 shutouts in five innings in the playoffs, the latest coming against District 9 runner-up Oswayo Valley in the quarterfinals. The Royals are coming off their first WPIAL title and are looking to reach the state finals for the second time in three years. They won a PIAA championship in 2016. Fedko, a UConn recruit, has a .648 batting average with 13 doubles, eight homers, four triples and 39 RBIs. Vincentian has belted 40 doubles, 15 triples and 14 homers as a team. Dan Morgano is hitting .420, and Aidan Thomson is hitting .403.

—Jerin Steele

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Vincentian Academy