Charlie Manzi’s walk-off homer lifts Indiana to 1st WPIAL baseball title
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Tuesday, May 27, 2025 | 7:42 PM
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi is greeted at home plate by teammates after hitting a walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against Elizabeth Forward on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi celebrates past Elizabeth Forward pitcher Joseph Crovak after hitting a walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
The Indiana baseball team celebrates with the WPIAL championship trophy after defeating Elizabeth Forward, 4-2 in 11 innings, in the Class 4A final on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
The Indiana baseball team celebrates after defeating Elizabeth Forward, 4-2 in 11 innings, in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi watches his walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game against Elizabeth Forward on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi celebrates his double against Elizabeth Forward during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana pitcher Greg Minnick delivers in the rain against Elizabeth Forward during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Tim Birch celebrates with Mark Collinger after scoring against Elizabeth Forward during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi receives his gold medal after defeating Elizabeth Forward in the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Indiana’s Charlie Manzi celebrates past Elizabeth Forward pitcher Joseph Crovak after hitting a walk-off 2-run homer in the bottom of the 11th inning of the WPIAL Class 4A championship game on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, at EQT Park.
Charlie Manzi came through in the clutch and paid the price for it.
The Indiana junior third baseman smashed an opposite field walk-off homer in the bottom of the 11th inning Tuesday evening to lead the top-seeded Little Indians to a 4-2 victory over No. 3 Elizabeth Forward in the WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship at EQT Park in Washington.
It was Indiana’s first WPIAL title.
“We won 22 times, and most of the games were battles like this. We are battle tested, and these kids are used to these types of games,” Indiana coach Dan Petroff said.
Manzi, who went 2 for 5 with two runs scored, was mobbed by teammates as he crossed home plate and limped away from the ensuing celebratory dogpile that included the entirety of the 21-member roster.
“The entire time around the bases I was just like, ‘Make it to home. Make it to home,’” Manzi said. “I just wanted to get back to my boys because they’re the reason we’re here.”
Left fielder Tim Birch also knocked in a run for the Indians.
Check out the highlights of today's instant classic #WPIAL Class 4A Baseball Championship Game that saw #1 Indiana capture its first championship in a 4-2, 11 inning thriller#HSSN pic.twitter.com/OqLiVzKJ4M
— TribLive HSSN (@TribLiveHSSN) May 28, 2025
The starting pitchers for both teams were regarded among the best in the WPIAL. Elizabeth Forward’s Cy Herchelroath, an Akron recruit, and Indiana’s Greg Minnick, who is headed to Texas Tech, had to battle soggy conditions when they took the mound.
Indiana (22-1) got on the board first after a balk was called on Herchelroath for a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Elizabeth Forward (16-4) answered in the third when Herchelroath’s sacrifice fly evened the score.
After the game, Warriors coach Frank Champ was proud of his team’s effort.
“It’s a great baseball game, and unfortunately, we came out on the other side of it, the wrong side,” Champ said.
Minnick was chased from the game in the top of the fourth inning after allowing two runs on three hits with four walks in 3 ⅔ innings.
JB Crovak’s RBI single put the Warriors ahead 2-1 in the top of the fourth, and the lead stood until the seventh inning.
Indiana put runners on the corners, and with one out, Birch smacked an RBI groundout off Crovak, who came on in relief in the seventh, to tie the game.
Both teams had scoring opportunities in extra innings but couldn’t capitalize until Manzi’s heroics.
Crovak, who tossed four innings of relief and took the loss, went 3 for 5 with a walk for the Warriors.
Indiana got a strong effort from its bullpen, as Ryan Okopal, Brady Oakes and Mark Collinger combined to allow just four hits and five walks with six strikeouts over the final 7 1/3 innings. Collinger earned the victory after tossing four innings of relief.
Both teams advance to the PIAA tournament.
Tags: Elizabeth Forward, Indiana
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