Penn-Trafford baseball preps for playoffs with sweep of 1st-place Latrobe

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, May 8, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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When the Penn-Trafford baseball team lost 10-2 in a nonsection game to Plum on April 29, Warriors coach Dan Miller told Mustangs coach Carl Vollmer that he was sorry that his team didn’t put forth their best effort.

Miller vowed that if they met again, the effort would be different.

The effort was a lot better three days later when the Warriors, behind clutch hitting and a strong pitching performance from Dylan Grabowski, handed first-place and Section 1-5A champion Latrobe (10-6, 8-2) two losses to secure second place.

The Warriors were 11-4 overall and 7-3 in the section and had a week of nonsection games on the schedule before the WPIAL pairings are released May 13.

The Warriors used a five-run first inning and built a big lead before securing a 10-6 win May 2.

Brady Lane had three hits and three RBIs to lead the 13-hit attack. Grabowski had three hits and an RBI.

Jacob Otto had two hits including a double. Chuck Fontana III had two hits including a double and two RBIs, while Matt Lichota had two hits.

In the Warriors’ 4-3 win the next day, Grabowski allowed five hits and struck out 10.

Tyler Freas had three hits including a double and two RBIs. Otto had a hit and an RBI.

Grabowski said before the teams played that he was confident the Warriors could defeat Latrobe.

“They were going to see our best pitchers,” Grabowski said after being named Tribune-Review Athlete of the Week. “Our goal is to finish high in the section and make a run at the WPIAL title and make the PIAA tournament. I feel we’re capable of going far in the playoffs.”

Miller was disappointed with the effort against Plum. The Warriors had been in a hitting funk, but he was pleased how they responded against Latrobe.

“We didn’t pitch our better pitchers against Plum,” Miller said. “Give them credit. They hit the ball hard that one inning. We may meet them in the playoffs, so I didn’t want to show them much. If we meet them, it will be a much better game.”

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford