Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week for May 17, 2021

By: Don Rebel
Monday, May 17, 2021 | 10:43 PM

The top teams in WPIAL Class A baseball this season have a shiny history coming into the postseason.

No. 2 Greensburg Central Catholic won gold in 2015, No. 3 Rochester was a runner-up in 2008, No. 4 Union lost in the finals in 2018 and 2019, and No. 5 OLSH finished second in the district in 2013.

Then there is the top seed, Eden Christian Academy.

The Warriors were a .500 team the last two seasons, reaching the district quarterfinals but no further.

“We look at it as a nice reward for the regular season, but we are not satisfied yet,” Eden Christian coach Stephen Good said. “We have talked about the fact that we have not arrived and need to stay humble, be focused and work hard each day.”

After ending section play and securing the Section 3-A title, the Warriors finished last week with three nonsection games.

On Monday, Eden Christian closed out its home schedule with a win over playoff-bound Bishop Canevin, 10-1.

“We got another great start from senior Jacob Fisher,” Good said. “The middle of our lineup delivered again. Luke Vittone and David Kelly drove in five runs.”

For their final two games, the Warriors stepped up in class. Actually, way up in class Wednesday when they visited the No. 3 seed in the Class 5A playoffs, West Allegheny.

“I thought we played a good game,” Good said. “We split the game with our pitchers, junior Jared Bees and freshman Celab Emswiler. I thought both did well against a really good lineup.”

Eden Christian lost for only the fourth time this season, 4-0, to the Indians.

Finally, it was another tough challenge Thursday when EC visited the No. 2 seed in Class 3A, Avonworth.

“A strong start from senior Logan McNelis,” Good said. “Our offense had some really good at-bats and timely hits.”

It all added up to a 4-1 eyebrow raiser for the Warriors, as they finished the regular season with a 15-4 record.

The Warriors were led these past three games by senior shortstop Luke Vittone, who had five hits including a pair of doubles, two triples and four RBIs. Senior David Kelly drove in four runs this week as well.

On the mound, the trio of starters in Fisher, Bees and McNelis gave up only two earned runs in 15⅔ innings combined.

In fact, the Warriors’ pitching has been a big part of their success this spring.

“Yes, we have been really good this year,” Good said. “Our team ERA is 1.83, and we have only given up 44 runs in 19 games.”

With the No. 1 seed, Eden Christian earned a first-round bye and will play the Sewickley Academy/West Greene winner in the quarterfinals Monday.

“We want to stay in a rhythm with our practices and we are trying to line up a couple scrimmages this week to stay in game shape,” Good said.

2021 Trib HSSN Baseball Teams of the Week

Week 6 – Laurel Highlands Mustangs

Week 5 – Bethel Park Black Hawks

Week 4 – Hopewell Vikings

Week 3 – Hempfield Spartans

Week 2 – Shaler Titans

Week 1 – Valley Vikings