Decade’s best WPIAL finals: Baseball No. 3

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, June 7, 2020 | 10:14 PM

2711112_web1_PTR-WpialAAA05-052913 — Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review

South Park’s Randy Dobnak (00) is mobbed by teammates after getting the final out during the ninth inning of the WPIAL Class AAA championship game against Hopewell Tuesday May 28, 2013 at Consol Energy Field.

While it almost became a theme to repeat in WPIAL softball this past decade, it was nearly an impossible dream for district baseball teams.

Wild Things Park in Washington continued to be the home for the WPIAL baseball championships, but only twice in 42 title games was a school successful in repeating as champions. Seneca Valley in Class AAAA and Neshannock in Class A pulled it off the same two years in the spring of 2011 and 2012.

Speaking of Seneca Valley, the 2014 team gave hope for every team that qualifies for the district playoffs as that Raiders team captured WPIAL gold as the No. 16 seed.

So, while the third decade of the 21st century got off to a slow start with the 2020 season wiped away, here is a look back at the last 10 years with a countdown of the Top 10 WPIAL baseball championship games.

No. 3 — Walking to perfection

There were plenty of scares, but in the end, South Park celebrated gold and perfection.

There were plenty of ups and downs in the 2013 WPIAL Class AAA baseball championship game between South Park and Hopewell in 2013, appropriately enough at Wild Things Park.

The Vikings enjoyed a 3-0 early lead before a three-run fourth inning by the Eagles tied the game.

Both teams had chances late and into extra innings, including what looked like a game ending error by South Park. However, umpires ruled the catcher’s throw to first base following a bunt hit the batter because he was inside the baseline and was called out for interference. The classic continued.

South Park won the game in the ninth inning on a bases loaded walk that improved the Eagles’ record to 24-0. They became the third Class AAA team and the fifth WPIAL team overall to win district baseball gold with a perfect mark.

Click the final score below for Chris Harlan’s recap of the Eagles’ thriller over the Vikings.

South Park 4, Hopewell 3 in 9 innings

Decade’s best WPIAL baseball finals:

No. 4, 2016 Class AA: Riverside 1, Neshannock 0

No. 5, 2017 Class 2A: Jeannette 7, Greensburg Central Catholic 3 in 12 innings

No. 6, 2019 Class 3A: Steel Valley 5, Hopewell 4 in 8 innings

No. 7, 2012 Class AAA: Blackhawk 1, Belle Vernon 0

No. 8, 2010 Class AAA: Hopewell 2, Moon 1

No. 9, 2018 Class 6A: Canon-McMillan 2, North Allegheny 1

No. 10, 2017 Class 2A: California 3, Freedom 1 in 10 innings