Baseball
2016 WPIAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS Results
June 2, 2016
It was not a good championship for the favorites. All four higher seeds, including three top-seeds fell in the finals as gold was hoisted by a pair of #2-seeds, a #8-seed and a #14-seed. Four new champions were crowned as Norwin, Chartiers Valley, Riverside and Serra Catholic are celebrating district gold. Here are ALL of the results from the 2016 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs. All Results marked with (MSA) are games that can be heard archived on the MSA Sports Network. 2016 WPIAL BASEBALL CLASS AAAA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Norwin Knights 7 - Plum Mustangs 3 (MSA) WPIAL CLASS AAAA Consolation:
Norwin Hands Plum First Loss in WPIAL Quad-A Finals Upset
The year of the upset continues in the WPIAL, however the nightcap of Wednesday action may have been the biggest shocker as the 14th seeded Norwin Knights defeated the previously unbeaten Plum Mustangs, 7-3. The Knights got off to a very hot start, a leadoff single by Dan Kiester was followed by a walk and a single by Reno Rainey loaded the bases early. Plum pitcher, Alex Kirilloff walked in one of those runs before Jonathon Pringee crushed a base clearing triple to give the Knights a 4-0 lead in the first. A few pitches later, Brad Lucas brought in Pringee on a hard single to give Norwin a 5-0 lead. Norwin pitcher, Chad Coles began his outing just as well as his offense, shutting down the Mustangs in order leaving the score 5-0 after one.
Big Inning Helps Serra Catholic Unseat GCC for WPIAL Class A Gold
June 1, 2016
The third time this season was the charm for the Serra Catholic Eagles (22-2). After dropping two decisions to the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurions (15-4) earlier in the year, the Eagles responded in a big way with five runs in the fourth inning to claim a 6-3 victory in the WPIAL Class A baseball championship game at Consol Energy Park on Wednesday night.WPIAL Baseball Consolation Wednesday Recaps 2016
While district baseball gold was being handed out at CONSOL Energy Park again on Wednesday, state playoff berths were at stake next door at the Washington & Jefferson College Sports Complex. A pair of Class AAA and Class AA teams were hoping to win and continue their season into the state playoffs. Here are the recaps from the two games heard here on The Network. A special thanks to Mike Azadian and Jake Holmes for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAA Consolation:
Chartiers Valley Gallops Past Blackhawk for First Baseball Title
May 31, 2016
The Chartiers Valley Colts (16-7) won their first baseball championship in school history with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Blackhawk Cougars (18-5) In the WPIAL AAA Championship at Consol Energy Park in Washington, PA. Cole Horew was the star on the mound for the Colts, pitching all seven innings with seven strikeouts and seven scattered hits, walking none. Chartiers Valley would threaten in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Dante Panucci doubled deep to left field. Horew then reached on an error, putting runners at second and third base. A walk to Joe Sibeto loaded the bases. But Blackhawk's Mark Engel induced Tristen Zimmer into an inning ending double play.
600 is Golden As Riverside Wins WPIAL Baseball Crown
It was thought that the WPIAL Class AA baseball championship game would turn into a pitcher's duel. The game lived up to that billing and then some. Riverside's Mike Boswell and Neshannock's Frank Fraschetti pitched over eight scoreless innings each, but it was the Riverside Panthers (20-2) came out on top, defeating the Lancers 1-0 in nine innings at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington.WPIAL Baseball Consolation Tuesday Recaps
While the spotlight was shining on the district championship games at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, there was important action going on right next door at Ross Memorial Park and the Washington & Jefferson College Sports Complex. A pair of battles in Class A and Class AAAA to determine third place in the district and a coveted spot in the upcoming PIAA state baseball playoffs. Here are recaps from those contests. A special thanks to Mark Uriah and Greg Kuntz for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Consolation:
2016 WPIAL Baseball Championship Previews
May 30, 2016
For 75 percent of the teams in the WPIAL baseball championships, foes are familiar. Three of the four championships match teams that have already played once this season. Greensburg Central Catholic vs. Serra, and Neshannock vs. Riverside are title games between teams from the same section. Plum played Norwin in a non-section game. The Class AAA championship – Blackhawk vs. Chartiers Valley – is the only game where teams have not played before. All of the championship games will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at Consol Energy Park, home of the Washington Wild Things and heard here on the MSA Sports Network. Here is a breakdown of the four championships: WPIAL CLASS AAAA:
WPIAL Alum Q&A – Brendan McKay
During the 2014 WPIAL baseball season, watching Brendan McKay was a must-see event. McKay, of Blackhawk High School, produced one of the best pitching streaks in high-school baseball history for the Cougars. Now at Louisville, the lefty hurler has continued his excellence on the mound, as well as at the plate, for the Cardinals. McKay is the focus of the final WPIAL Alum Q&A of the 2015-16 sports season.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/29/2016
May 29, 2016
A holiday weekend leads us right into Championship Week on the diamonds and the final WPIAL Finals of the 2015-2016 school year this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have Championship and Consolation action in both WPIAL Baseball and WPIAL Softball along with another full week of Washington Wild Things pro baseball, plus Rappin' on Racin' and the final edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes this spring on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 30th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net Tuesday, May 31st:WPIAL Baseball Recaps From Tuesday, May 24th
May 25, 2016
You've read it here before and will read it again. The unkindest loss of the all is the district Semifinals loss. So close and yet so far. Sure, losing in the championship game is rough, but realizing that goal and being part of the pageantry is a lifetime memory. And yes, losing at this stage doesn't mean season over as you get to play for a berth in the upcoming state playoffs where dreams can be still be realized from the third-seed out of the WPIAL. But don't sell that to the eight teams on the wrong end of the score today. They ain't buying it...at least until their next practice. Here are recaps from all eight WPIAL Semifinals games played in great weather conditions on Tuesday.Scholastic Notebook – 05/22/2016
May 22, 2016
Plum’s Alex Kirilloff has a good chance to be selected in the first round of the June 9 Major League Baseball draft. Teams love his bat and also like the way he plays the outfield. At Plum, they also love the way he pitches. Kirilloff has a bright future as an outfielder, but at the present, he is one dominating pitcher. He is certainly one of the best hurlers in the WPIAL. When Plum defeated Peters Township, 2-0, in the WPIAL Class AAAA quarterfinals Thursday, Kirilloff led the way with his hitting – and pitching. He had a double and triple at the plate. But he also pitched six innings , struck out 11 and gave up only one hit.WPIAL Baseball Recaps From Thursday, May 19th
May 19, 2016
Some soggy fields on a chilly, dreary Wednesday gave way to a sunny Thursday as the WPIAL pushed back eleven games to make for a busy day with all sixteen Second Round contests taking place around Southwestern Pennsylvania. When all was said and done, the Final Four field was set for the final four classification district postseason with the expansion to six classes taking place next spring. Here are all the recap from Quarterfinals Thursday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Kyle Dawson, Bob Orkwis, Sean Meyers, Brandon Showers, James Dotson, Josh Rowntree, Bob Gregg, Jake Holmes, Brian Mroziak, Greg Kuntz, Mark Schaas and Chris Lackner for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:WPIAL Baseball Recaps From Tuesday, May 17th
May 18, 2016
Day Two of the WPIAL baseball Playoffs saw the conclusion of the First Round with a pair of Quad-A, eight Double-A and seven Single-A contests. The underdogs enjoyed the day as six lower seeds pulled off victories to advance, including a pair of #14-seeds. Here are recaps from the 17 high school baseball playoff games that put a wrap on Round One. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Steve Nagler, Jason Tennant, Jake Holmes, Kyle Dawson, Chris Lackner, James Dotson, Sean Meyers, Mark Schaas, Bob Gregg, Ed Troup, Greg Kuntz for their help on these recaps. WPIAL CLASS AAAA First Round:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/16/2016
May 16, 2016
Let the postseason begin! While other are wrapping up their gear for the summer, The Network prepares for exclusive coverage of the district baseball, softball, lacrosse and volleyball playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have First Round and Quarterfinals action in WPIAL Baseball, First Round play in WPIAL Softball and Quarterfinals matches in WPIAL boys and girls lacrosse along with the first full week of the Washington Wild Things 2016 campaign, plus Rappin' on Racin' and another edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes on a special night ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 16th:FINAL 2016 WPIAL Baseball Standings
May 14, 2016
Here are the FINAL WPIAL baseball standings for the 2016 season...including the FINAL WPIAL playoff clinchings. The standings will be updated daily through the regular season. You can follow the high school baseball season with schedules, scores, weekly rankings every Monday and near daily game broadcasts here on the MSA Sports Network. The 2016 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs can be heard ONLY on the MSA Sports Network. The top three teams in each section qualify for the WPIAL playoffs. # - Clinched Section Title * - Clinched Playoff Berth x - Eliminated From Playoff Contention {SET WITH 17 QUAD-A PLAYOFF TEAMS}Scholastic Notebook – 05/13/2016
May 13, 2016
Plum High School’s nickname is Mustangs. But when it comes to athletes, Plum has a thoroughbred in Ashley Amato. The MSA Sports staff doesn’t name a female athlete of the year until late June. But you would think Amato will get serious consideration. There are three-season rooms in houses, but Plum houses a three-sport standout in Amato. And in the spring, she shines brightest. So far this track and field season, Amato has the best 200-meter time in WPIAL Class AAA at 25.3 seconds. She has the third-best 100 hurdles time of 14.69 and is tied for the third-best 100 time at 12.2. She is has the third-best AAA long jump at 18-2 ¾. At the Baldwin Invitational last Friday, Amato won the long jump, was second in the 100 hurdles and sixth in the 200.MSA Sports Top Ten – WPIAL Baseball Playoff Teams – 05/11/2016
May 11, 2016
Each week during the 2016 regular season, MSA Sports ranked the top ten baseball teams in the WPIAL in all four classifications. Now that the district postseason field is set, we rank ALL of the 60 playoff bound teams. HOWEVER, it is not a true ranking from #1 to whatever. Like the steering committee does, we seed the teams to avoid the teams from the same section playing each other in the First Round. You fill in the top four, then the next four, then you start plugging teams in. Not an exact science, but it makes the guess work fun. Don't forget to listen to the 2016 WPIAL Baseball Pairing Show Friday night at 8:00pm on your home for EXCLUSIVE coverage of the 2016 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs, the MSA Sports Network at MSAsports.netThis Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/09/2016
May 9, 2016
The final contests of the high school baseball, softball and lacrosse regular season will give way to postseason talk this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have WPIAL and District 6 high school baseball and softball regular season finales as well as WPIAL girls lacrosse and college baseball postseason play featuring the LaRoche Red Hawks, plus Rappin' on Racin', another edition of WPIAL Diamond Notes and the WPIAL Softball Pairings Show and the WPIAL Baseball Pairings Show ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, May 9th: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/06/2016
May 6, 2016
It was against lowly competition, and each game lasted only five innings. But still, the recent pitching performances of Zach Bowen were ones for the national record book. Bowen is a sophomore at Serra Catholic who pitched back-to-back perfect games. Both games were blowouts and lasted only five innings because of the 10-run rule. Bowen’s first perfect game came April 27 against Clairton in a 17-0 win. Then this past Monday, Bowen pitched another perfect game in another 17-0 win, this time against Geibel Catholic. According to the National Federation of High School Associations record book, only two other pitchers are known to have thrown consecutive perfect games. Mike Bradley of Fort Bragg, Cal., did it in 1991 and Anthony Velasquez of Bayside, N.Y., in 2006.
