Brentwood baseball finds success despite challenges

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, April 28, 2018 | 1:18 AM

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Brentwood's baseball team has played a sporadic schedule, thanks to the inclement weather bogging down the spring season in Western Pennsylvania.

But the Spartans were able to enjoy two impressive section wins last week, defeating Riverview, 15-2, and Northgate, 12-0.

“So far, I am very pleased with our effort,” Brentwood coach Greg Perdziola said. “Our hitting is starting to come around. We are playing solid defense, and our pitching is keeping us in games and giving us a chance to win.

“That being said, the weather has really caused a backup of games. Right now, it looks like we will be playing 10 games in 14 days to finish the season. If our pitching can hold up, we will have a very good chance to make the playoffs.”

Junior Brandon Griener (C/P) and senior Austin Veatch (OF/P) were the winning pitchers against Riverview and Northgate. Veatch, senior Kevin Brown and freshman Brendan Wertz combined to hurl a one-hitter over five innings against the Flames.

Jayneil Latham, a sophomore who plays any one of four positions (2B, SS, 1B, CF) depending on who is pitching for the Spartans, had six hits and five RBIs in the two contests. He was complemented offensively by Griener, Brown and Easton Klein, a senior pitcher/infielder.

The Spartans climbed into WPIAL playoff contention with three wins in four games, battling Serra Catholic, Carlynton, Apollo-Ridge and Bishop Canevin in Section 3-2A as the season entered the home stretch.

Veatch led the club in hitting with a .478 batting average, followed by Latham (.435), Klein (.417) and Griener (.364). Latham was the team leader in the RBI department; Veatch led in runs scored.

On the mound, Griener and Veath were 2-0; Klein had 21 strikeouts in 15 innings.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.