Baseball
This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/30/2015
June 30, 2015
What better way to celebrate our great country's birthday than with a heaping helping of pro baseball and softball for the holidays this week here on the MSA Sports Network. The diamonds are red hot with pro baseball as the Washington Wild Things return home to CONSOL Energy Field and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion as they hit the road for a week of diamond action, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 29th: No Broadcasts Tuesday, June 30th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/23/2015
June 23, 2015
The first full week of the Summer of '15 brings plenty of pro baseball and pro softball action coming your way this week here on the MSA Sports Network. The diamonds are red hot with pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion along with another high school football all-star game, plus find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 22nd: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net Tuesday, June 23rd: No Broadcasts Wednesday, June 24th:
2015 MSA Sports Diamond Studs
June 19, 2015
The MSA Sports Diamond Studs all-star team is well-armed. The team is made up of the top 10 players in the WPIAL, regardless of position. More than past years, the 2015 team is extremely heavy on pitchers. Some might play other positions also, but eight of the 10 players on this year’s team made big impacts as pitchers. This year’s team has six seniors, three juniors and a sophomore. It also includes six players who have either signed or made verbal commitments to Division I colleges. Two of those six are non-seniors, including a sophomore who has already committed to a national powerhouse college program. Here is a look at the Diamond Studs and the Player of the Year. PLAYER OF THE YEAR:
2015 PIAA BASEBALL PLAYOFFS – Recap
June 14, 2015
Knoch began the season with a very small postseason resume. In fact in school history, the Knights had only won ONE playoff game. That all changed here in 2015 as Knoch finished a perfect 8-0 in the playoffs and captured not only a first ever WPIAL championship, but now they've added a PIAA state crown as well after a victory over Abington Heights in the Class AAA title game. Shortly thereafter at Penn State, Neshannock overwhelmed Neumann-Goretti to win a second PIAA title and the first state championship in eleven years as Frank Fraschetti picked up his 5th postseason victory and 4th playoff shutout in the AA finals. Here are ALL the final results from the 2015 PIAA Baseball Playoffs.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/14/2015
While the high school sports season is over, tell your Dandy Dad that there is plenty of pro baseball and pro softball coming his way this week here on the MSA Sports Network. Instead of another boring tie, point Dad to www.msasports.net for plenty of pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion along with another high school football all-star game, plus he can find out the latest news and info from the race tracks during the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 15th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net Tuesday, June 16th:
Neshannock Blanks Neumann-Goretti for 2nd PIAA Baseball Crown
June 12, 2015
Frank Fraschetti pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout, leading Neshannock (20-5) to a 9-0 PIAA AA Championship victory over Neumann-Goretti (20-5) on Friday evening at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park in State College. The win gives Neshannock their second baseball state championship in school history and first since 2004. The victory also caps a golden spring for Neshannock, which also won the WPIAL AA Championship in May, a game in which Fraschetti also pitched a complete game shutout in a 4-0 win over Quaker Valley. The Lancers pounded out eleven hits, but their first three runs were scored unconventionally, as two errors and a fielder’s choice factored into the plating of Neshannock’s early scoring.
Knoch Finishes Perfect Postseason With PIAA AAA Baseball Title
Coming into 2015, the Knoch High School postseason resume was nearly empty with only one baseball playoff victory in the history of the program. That all changed big time this spring as the Knights capped off a perfect 8-0 postseason with a 7-5 victory Friday over Abington Heights in the PIAA Class AAA title game at Penn State University. The win gave the Knights the first state championship in school history in any sport. The victory culminated what has been a storybook season for Knoch who can now boast a double fist full of gold as they won both the WPIAL and PIAA Championships this year.WPIAL Players/Alum Selected in 2015 Major League Baseball Draft
There may not be many WPIAL high school seniors or alums selected in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, but there was one taken on Day One of the three day event. As expected, a former Mount Lebanon standout went in the first round. Here are the four alums and one current player taken in this years three day draft, the 50th anniversary of the MLB event. * IAN HAPP - 1st Round: 9th Overall Pick by Chicago Cubs Mount Lebanon High School and University of Cincinnati OF, Junior, Switch Hitter, Throws Right, 6'0, 225, 21-years oldPIAA Baseball & Softball Semifinals Wednesday Recaps
June 10, 2015
After being postponed twice over the previous 48 hours, Knoch baseball and Hempfield softball were finally able to hit the field, both playing at Mount Aloysius College with mixed results. WPIAL AAA baseball champion Knoch used an offensive explosion for the first time this postseason to advance to their first state title game while WPIAL AAAA softball champion had very little offense as their dreams of state gold came to an end. Here are recaps from the final two PIAA Semifinals contests played on Wednesday afternoon in Cambria County. A special thanks to Josh Rowntree and Don Rebel for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:PIAA Baseball & Softball Semifinals Tuesday Recaps
June 9, 2015
Already delayed 24 hours by rain, the forecast was not all that promising for Tuesday. However Mother nature cooperated and all but three PIAA Semifinals games were played, including three contests involving WPIAL teams. Two district softball teams were winners and are headed to Penn State to play for state gold while a district baseball team saw their season end in heartbreak fashion. Here are the three recaps from Tuesday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Bob Orkwis, Bob Gregg and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:PIAA Baseball Semifinals Monday Recap
June 8, 2015
The state championship set was supposed to be set after Monday, however Mother Nature had other plans. Five of the six baseball and softball games scheduled were postponed by the forecast of heavy rain and stormy weather, however the rematch of the 2015 WPIAL Class AA Baseball Championship Game did take place early Monday afternoon. A special thanks to Lou Rood for his help on this recap. BASEBALL: PIAA Class AA Semifinals: Neshannock Lancers 7 - Quaker Valley Quakers 22015 WPIAL Baseball All-Star Game Recaps
June 7, 2015
The WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association hosted their annual all-star games event Sunday at Ross Memorial Field at the Washington & Jefferson College Sports Complex and broadcast here on MSA Sports. Here are recaps from the two contests won by the AAA and the AA all-stars. Class Triple-A 3 - Class Quad-A 0This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 06/07/2015
The 2014-2015 high school sports season comes to an end this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have action from both the 2015 PIAA Baseball and Softball Semiifnals and State Championship Games along with pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 8th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA Semifinals - Donegal vs Knoch at 4:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AA Semifinals - Quaker Valley vs Neshannock at 12:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 06/05/2015
June 5, 2015
Four WPIAL baseball teams have made it to the PIAA semifinals. The main ingredient to their postseason success is simple. Pitching. Of course, pitching always is key in baseball, but you might be scratching your head to come up with a group of WPIAL teams that made it this far and that have such a strong common thread of stellar pitching between them. The four are Shaler (Class AAAA), Knoch (AAA), Neshannock (AA) and Quaker Valley (AA). Of the four, only Neshannock has really made a huge impact offensively, scoring 45 runs in six postseason games. But the pitching of all four teams has been impeccable.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/02/2015
June 2, 2015
As we swing into June, the diamond action turns from the district postseason to the state playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have PIAA Baseball and Softball First Round and Quarterfinals action as the 2015 spring scholastic sports season winds down. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 1st: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA First Round - Shaler vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/29/2015
May 29, 2015
Spring is the time for things to bloom, right? This spring has been a time for a group of young WPIAL athletes to sprout. One of the storylines for spring sports in the WPIAL has been the young blood that has flowed through the league and made an impact. In case you didn’t notice, it has been a spring where an unusually a number of sophomores or freshmen did some terrific things in a few different sports. Let’s examine:2015 WPIAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
May 28, 2015
2015 turned out to be the year of the First Time champions as three of the four district winners had never won a baseball crown before. Pittbsurgh Central Catholic in AAAA. Knoch in AAA and Greensburg Central Catholic in A all made school history by winning inaugural WPIAL baseball gold. The lone exception was powerhouse Neshannock, who became only the third school to win six WPIAL baseball championships by claiming AA gold. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs. All results marked with (MSA) after the score can be heard archived at any time at MSAsports.net 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Central Catholic Shuts Out Norwin for First WPIAL Baseball Crown
May 27, 2015
For the first time in school history, Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings has won a WPIAL baseball championship. The Vikings defeated the Norwin Knights, 2-0, on Wednesday night at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, PA. The Vikings (12-7) had not been to the championship game since 1979. It took 36 years and great pitching, timely hitting and solid defense to add a baseball trophy to the storied sports program at Central Catholic. Jack Tumulty went the distance on the mound for the Vikings, allowing no runs on six hits, while striking out six batters and walking only one.WPIAL Baseball Consolation Wednesday Recaps 2015
Four Class AAAA and Class AAA baseball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Those four returned back to the diamond Wednesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Greg Kuntz and Scott Majesky for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:
Greensburg CC Dethrones California To Win First WPIAL Baseball Crown
May 26, 2015
Greensburg Central Catholic scored three times in the fifth inning to break open a tie game en route to a 6-4 victory against California, capturing the Class A Championship at Consol Energy Park. Tommy Pellis and Collin Liberatore led the way for the Centurions, who captured their first baseball title in school history. Pellis went 3-4 at the plate and scored three times, and also added a pair of sparking defensive plays at shortstop. Liberatore notched the victory for No. 2 GCC, as he threw a complete game, yielding four runs while striking out 12. Liberatore’s final strikeout came against California cleanup hitter Aaron Previsky with the tying run in scoring position.
