2023 WPIAL Class 3A baseball championship preview: Riverside vs. Neshannock

By: Bill Hartlep
Tuesday, May 30, 2023 | 3:15 PM

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WPIAL Class 3A baseball championship

1-Riverside (20-0) vs. 6-Neshannock (18-4)

4 p.m. Wednesday at Wild Things Park, 4 p.m.

On the air: Trib HSSN (video)

How they got here: Riverside defeated No. 16 Valley, 9-0, in the first round, No. 8 Freeport, 9-1, in the quarterfinals and No. 4 East Allegheny, 11-2, in the semifinals; Neshannock beat No. 11 Shady Side Academy, 6-5 in 10 innings, in the first round, No. 3 Yough, 2-1, in the quarterfinals and No. 2 Avonworth, 2-1, in the semifinals.

WPIAL titles: Riverside 5 (1996, 2006, ‘11, ‘16, ‘17); Neshannock 6 (1991, 2002, ‘04, ‘11, ‘12, ‘15)

Coaches: Dan Oliastro, Riverside; John Quahliero, Neshannock

Players to watch: Hunter Garvin, Riverside; Jack Glies, Neshannock

Extra bases: This is a matchup between two decorated WPIAL baseball teams that have combined for 11 district championships. The Panthers are looking for their first title since 2017. They have outscored opponents 202-40 this season, including 28-3 in the playoffs. They are the only unbeaten baseball team in the WPIAL. Hunter Garvin is batting .442 with four homers and 24 RBIs, Bo Fornataro is hitting .452 with 28 RBIs and Ashton Schlosser bats .483 with 18 RBIs. Sophomore Christian Lucarelli is 4-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Oliastro is coaching his 55th season. … Neshannock has won six straight games since back-to-back losses to Riverside in early May, 12-4 and 4-3. The Lancers have played three one-run games in the playoffs. They capitalized on two Avonworth errors in the eighth inning to win in the semifinals. Jack Glies is batting .516 to lead the Lancers.

Bill Hartlep is the sports editor of the Tribune-Review. You can contact Bill at bhartlep@triblive.com or via Twitter @BHartlep_Trib.

Tags: Neshannock, Riverside