Baseball
2012 MSA SPORTS MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – LUKE HAGY of MOUNT LEBANON
June 29, 2012
Whether he carried one, shot one, dribbled one, hit one or caught one, Luke Hagy’s high school career was a ball. In these days of teenagers specializing in one sport, Hagy was highly unusual. He had a ball year round. He was a three-sport athlete at Mount Lebanon High School, which is in the largest classification (Class AAAA) in the WPIAL. You don’t see many high schoolers playing three sports at a large school. But it wasn’t just playing three sports that made Hagy unusual. It was how much talent he had in the three sports – and how long he played the three.Altoona Curve Win Streak Ends With Tuesday Loss at Binghamton
June 27, 2012
A one-run lead slipped away in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Binghamton Mets scored twice to steal the final game of the series, 3-2, and halt the Curve win streak at five games. Binghamton scored twice on back-to-back fielder’s choices with no one down to take the lead. Leading 2-1 entering the eighth, Altoona brought reliever Jeff Inman (1-2) into the game to try and hold on to the one-run lead. Inman walked Eric Campbell to start the inning and then Allan Dykstra singled to move Campbell to third and put the tying run 90 feet away. Jefry Marte drew the second walk of the inning to load the bases before Dustin Martin hit into a fielder’s choice that scored Campbell from third to tie the game at two.This Week on MSA Sports Network – 06/26/2012
June 26, 2012
The action heats up on the pro baseball diamond as we officially bid farewell to June and welcome in July this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of Class AA Eastern League baseball with the Altoona Curve hitting the road to Harrisburg and Binghamton along with Frontier League play featuring the Washington Wild Things as they also hit the road to Traverse City and London, plus minor league football and all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin is here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 25th:TALK SHOW - Rappin on Racin at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netPro Baseball: Class AA Eastern League - Akron Aeros vs Altoona Curve at 7:00pm on MSAsports.netRiverside, LaSalle, West York & Bishop McCort Win 2012 PIAA Baseball Titles
June 19, 2012
It was a historic day at Penn State University as the Riverside Panthers repeated as PIAA baseball Class AA champions. Dan Oliasto's Panthers became the first Pennsylvania school to win a fourth PIAA baseball title. Here are ALL of the results from the 2012 PIAA Baseball Playoffs, including all four state baseball finals at Penn State University.2012 PIAA CLASS AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:LaSalle College Explorers Council 3 - Rock South Golden Hawks 1PIAA CLASS AAAA Semifinals:Council Rock South Golden Hawks 4 - Altoona Mountain Lions 0LaSalle College Explorers 7 - Hatboro-Horsham Hatters 5PIAA CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:This Week on MSA Sports Network – 06/19/2012
The action heats up on the pro baseball diamond as we officially bid farewell to spring and welcome the Summer of 2012 this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of Class AA Eastern League baseball with the Altoona Curve and Frontier League play featuring the Washington Wild Things, plus the high school football all-star game season continues with the Lezzer Lumber Classic and all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin is here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 18th:TALK SHOW - Rappin on Racin at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netPro Baseball: Frontier League - Washington Wild Things vs London Rippers at 6:30pm on WJPA-FM 95.3
2012 MSA SPORTS DIAMOND STUDS BASEBALL ALL-STARS
June 16, 2012
Two players who led Blackhawk to a WPIAL championship, two players taken in the Major League Baseball draft, and a pitcher who was close to untouchable lead the 2012 MSA Sports Diamond Studs all-star team.The team is made up of the top 10 players in the WPIAL and is selected by the MSA Sports staff. The two Blackhawk players are Brenday McKay and Matt Emge.The two drafted players are Neshannock’s John Sansone and Valley’s Zarley Zalewski.The stud pitcher who rarely gave up a run was Thomas Jefferson’s Greg Schneider.Here is a look at the MSA Sports Diamond Studs team.PIAA Baseball Class A, Class AAAA and Class AAA Finals Recaps
June 15, 2012
The PIAA baseball championships took place Friday at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on the campus of Penn State University. Here are recaps from the Class A, Class AAAA and Class AAA state baseball finals.PIAA CLASS A CHAMPIONSHIP: Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers 14 - Montgomery Red Raiders 2
Riverside Goes Back To Back AGAIN In Winning Class AA State Title
Defense ruled as the Riverside Panthers became the first team to win back to back PIAA baseball championships twice as the Panthers claimed a 5-4 decision over the Pine Grove Cardinals at Penn State University's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park on Friday. Riverside used four web gem quality plays to get the win.The Panthers rallied from an early 3-0 deficit and used sharp fielding to also become the leader with four state baseball gold medals. The first web gem came in the top of the fifth with two outs and runners at the corners for the Cardinals. Jordan Shiffer hit a liner to right, junior Ian Sutherland was fooled on the ball initially, it didn't look pretty, but Sutherland made the catch to end the inning.PIAA Baseball Semifinals Recaps for Monday
June 12, 2012
Two weeks ago, Blackhawk was celebrating a WPIAL Class AAA championship while Riverside was trying to oversome a stinging loss to arch-rival Ellwood City in the WPIAL Class AA title game. One Semifinals Monday in the state baseball playoffs, it was the Panthers celebrating a return trip to the PIAA finals while the Cougars are left to wrap up a memorable season one game shy of the finals. here are recaps from both games.PIAA CLASS AAA SEMIFINALS:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/11/2012
June 11, 2012
As the state high school baseball and softball postseason winds down, so does the 2011-2012 high school sports season this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the Semifinals and select Championship Games from both the PIAA baseball and softball state playoffs along with pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things, plus all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin ALL here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 11th:TALK SHOW - Rappin on Racin at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netPIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAA Semifinals - West York vs Blackhawk at 3:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 06/11/2012
Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia must decide whether or not to bring back standout pitcher Brendan McKay on only three days rest for the PIAA semifinals Monday. But Blackhawk’s opponent also has an ace who pitched a complete-game Thursday. Blackhawk (22-2) will meet West York (21-4) in a Class AAA Semifinal 3 p.m. Monday at Hollidaysburg. West York features Kaden Hepler, who will be pitching Division I college baseball next year at Winthrop. Hepler has been superb this season with a 12-0 record. He has a 0.54 ERA and has struck out 116 in 78 1/3 innings. He has allowed only 46 hits.2012 WPIAL Baseball All-Star Game Recaps
The top senior baseball players in the WPIAL were on display Sunday afternoon at the Burkett Complex in Robinson Township in the 2012 WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association All-Star games. The doubleheader event pitted Class AAAA stars vs. Class AAA stars and the top players from Class AA against the best from Class A. One game was a nail-biter was the other was a rout. Here are recaps from both games.CLASS AAAA 16 - CLASS AAA 3 By Mike AzadianIn the WPIAL baseball coaches association AAAA versus AAA all star game held at Burkett Field in Robinson Twp, the AAAA squad put a hitting and pitching lesson on in winning 16-3.PIAA Baseball First Round Recaps for Monday, June 4th
June 4, 2012
A year ago, two WPIAL teams; Riverside in AA and Serra Catholic in A joined Conestoga and Northern York and PIAA baseball champions. Serra did not qualify for the state postseason this spring, leaving Riverside as the lone D-7 school looking to repeat in the PIAA. That dream for the Panthers remains alive after Round One, Here are recaps from the First Round on Monday, June 4th in the 2012 PIAA Baseball Playoffs.Thanks to Steve Nagler, Mark Schaas and Hugh Mulvey for their help on these recaps.PIAA CLASS AAAA First Round:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 06/04/2012
With the district high school baseball and softball postseason behind us, the focus switches to the diamond state playoffs starting this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have coverage of the First Round and the Quarterfinals from both the PIAA baseball and softball state playoffs along with pro baseball featuring the Class AA Eastern League's Altoona Curve and the Frontier League's Washington Wild Things, women's pro football featuring the Pittsburgh Passion and mens semi-pro football featuring the Tri-State Steel Storm, plus all of the news from the auto racing world with Rappin on Racin ALL here at MSAsports.netMonday, June 4th:Scholastic Notebook – 06/01/2012
June 1, 2012
After Blackhawk’s Brendan McKay pitched a shutout in the WPIAL Class AAA championship Thursday, Blackhawk coach Bob Amalia said there is no stage too big for McKay. But as sophomores go, McKay has the entire stage to himself. The way McKay has pitched this season brings about a question. Has there ever been a sophomore pitcher in the WPIAL who has enjoyed this much success in one of the largest classifications? McKay, a sophomore left-hander, has been tremendous for a pitcher in any year, let alone one in his sophomore season. His statistics go beyond impressive.Northern Brights: Seneca Valley, Blackhawk, Ellwood City & Neshannock Are Gold in 2012 WPIAL Baseball
All of the district baseball gold was discovered in the north in 2012. Two Lawrence County, one Butler County and a northern Beaver County team captured WPIAL championships at CONSOL Energy Park, with three of the four title games coming down to the final at-bat. While Neshannock was able to repeat in Class A in somewhat 'comfortable' fashion, Seneca Valley's second straight title in AAAA, Ellwood City's dethroning of rival Riverside in AA and Blackhawk's second baseball crown in AAA all came in the form of heart-pumping finishes. Here are ALL of the final scores from the 2012 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs.
Cougars Win Catfight, Beat Leopards in WPIAL AAA Baseball Thriller
May 31, 2012
Coach Bob Amalia's nerves have got to be frazzled as the Blackhawk Cougars won their first WPIAL baseball championship since 2004 with a 1-0 victory over the Belle Vernon Leopards at Consol Energy Field on Thursday night. The Cougars have won three straight 1-0 games on their run to the title, defeating Char Valley in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in nine innings in the semis.
Seneca Valley Wins Second Straight WPIAL Quad-A Baseball Title
May 30, 2012
Back to back was the story of the night as the Seneca Valley Raiders repeated as Quad-A baseball champions with a 5-3 win over Mount Lebanon on Wednesday night at Consol Energy Park. It's the third WPIAL championship for the Raiders. Matt Smith picked up his second straight championship victory. He allowed seven hits and struck out ten. Carson Kessler went 2 for 3 for the Raiders, he drove in a pair of runs.
Back to Back Gold For Neshannock in WPIAL Class A Baseball
The Neshannock Lancers claimed their second consecutive WPIAL Class A title with a 5-0 victory over the previously unbeaten California Trojans at Consol Energy Park on Wednesday night. It's the fifth baseball championship for Neshannock and the fourth since Class A was founded in 1999.Senior pitcher Alex Strittmatter was again superb, going the distance on a five-hitter, he fanned nine, including the final two batters. He also got the job done at the plate, going 2 for 4. Strittmatter was the winning pitcher in last year's title victory over Chartiers-Houston.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Recaps
In the midst of all of the WPIAL baseball and softball championship games are five contests on Wednesday with the postseason future of ten district teams up for grabs. Three softball consolation games at California University of Pennsylvania and a pair of baseball consolation games at the Washington & Jefferson Sports Complex were broadcast on The Network with the five winners earning a berth in the PIAA state playoffs that begin next week. Here are the recaps from those games.Special thanks to Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps!
