Clarion outslugs Greensburg Central Catholic in state quarterfinals
By:
Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 8:48 PM
Clarion’s Parker Miller scores behind Greensburg Central Catholic catcher Anthony Grippo during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
Greensburg Central Catholic’s Robert Smithnosky delivers an RBI hit against Clarion during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
Clarion’s Dylan Smail is safe at first as Greensburg Central Catholic’s Alex Martin tries to handle the throw during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
Clarion’s Hayden Weber scores behind Greensburg Central Catholic catcher Anthony Grippo during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
Clarion’s Noah Harrison scores behind Greensburg Central Catholic catcher Anthony Grippo during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
Clarion’s Ethan Rex tags out Greensburg Central Catholic’s Beau Bossert after stealing second and coming off the base during a PIAA Class A quarterfinal Thursday at Slippery Rock University.
The No. 9 hitter in a baseball team’s lineup could be perceived as the team’s weakest link. If that’s the case for Clarion, the weakest link is very strong.
Designated hitter Billy Kahle, the No. 9 hitter, went 4 for 5 with five RBIs as the Bobcats tallied 14 hits and had all nine batters cross home plate to defeat Greensburg Central Catholic, 15-5, in the PIAA Class A quarterfinals Thursday at Jack Critchfield Park.
Clarion (16-6) came to the plate ready to hit, beginning in the first inning. Even when the Bobcats did not get a knock, they were patient in the box, drawing 10 walks.
“First two games we played, I think we only mustered four hits,” Clarion coach Rob Jewett said. “And I said, ‘I think we’re a better team than that. We’re a better hitting team than that.’ And they proved it today, and we saw some really good pitching over there.”
GCC (18-5) had a similarly good day on offense, tallying 12 hits, but six errors helped create the 10-run difference.
Following Dylan Smail’s walk to lead off the first inning, Noah Harrison and Derek Smail hit back-to-back RBI doubles to give the Bobcats a 2-0 lead.
The Centurions responded in the bottom of the inning. Second baseman Bobby Smithnosky ripped a leadoff double to right before Clarion pitcher Ethan Rex hit a batter and walked another to load the bases. Tyler Samide grounded out to score Smithnosky. Rex then escaped a bases-loaded jam.
The offenses exploded for seven combined runs in the second inning. Clarion, the District 9 runner-up, scored three runs from a Harrison sacrifice fly, a dropped fly ball and an error.
GCC was determined not to go down without a fight.
The Centurions one-upped Clarion with four runs in the bottom half. Designated hitter Blasé Bugosh and Ian Shipley hit RBI singles, Samide hit an RBI double and left fielder Jackson McMullen singled him home to tie the score 5-5.
“It was great. They never gave up through all seven innings. They believed in themselves. We got some good barrels on the ball,” Greensburg Central Catholic coach John Boyle said. “They just were at ’em balls towards the end. So the bats were still hot. We were just starting to find gloves.”
Rex went just two innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits, walking three and striking out one. Despite the comeback, Samide’s run was the last time the Centurions scored.
After the second inning, Jewett pulled Rex and moved Dylan Smail from shortstop to the mound. That change proved to be the boost Clarion needed because after the switch, Smail lasted the final five innings, surrendering seven hits, but most importantly, zero runs. He walked two and struck out one in picking up the win.
“We were trying to preach, ‘Throw strikes. Attack the zone.’ Unfortunately, Ethan was a little wild, and a couple errors behind him, too, that didn’t help,” Jewett said. “And then Dylan came in and attacked the strike zone, and we’ll give up hits as long as we can manage them, and that’s what we did. We managed as best we can, played good defense behind him. I thought our outfield played tremendous today. That’s good. It was a great team effort.”
After a scoreless third inning, Clarion broke open the game with a five-run, two-out rally in the top of the fourth on both sides of a nearly two-hour weather delay.
“It slows everything down, and the kids get tight. And our left fielder (McMullen), he was already dealing with a thigh injury,” Boyle said. “And that kind of exacerbates it a little bit. So in that respect, it really hurts.”
GCC starting pitcher Alec Martin took the loss. He reached the 105-pitch limit after going 32⁄3 innings, giving up nine runs (seven earned) off seven hits and six walks. He struck out three.
Clarion added three runs in the fifth and two runs in the seventh to reach the final score.
While Greensburg Central Catholic’s season is over, Clarion advances to face Eden Christian Academy in the PIAA Class A semifinals Monday.
“I started coaching with this (senior) group when they were freshmen, and it’s tough to see them go. They’re such great kids,” Boyle said. “So you remember the seniors, and then you look around the rest of the dugout and see such promise because we still have a lot of talent. We still have that work ethic, and we’re gonna be back and just as good.”
Tags: Greensburg C.C.
More Baseball
• Valley baseball coach Jim Basilone steps down, ending successful 8-year run• Fall ball program the latest signpost in Penn Hills baseball’s rebuilding efforts
• Gateway baseball players benefit from fall workouts
• Westmoreland County high school notebook: Mt. Pleasant’s Shipley, Hempfield’s Kovalcik commit to Mercyhurst
• Norwin’s Matt O’Neil commits to Mercyhurst
