Penn-Trafford uses familiar formula to defeat Latrobe in baseball home opener

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Monday, March 24, 2025 | 8:41 PM

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With its new WPIAL championship banner hanging on the fence near the visitors’ dugout, Penn-Trafford used some of the fundamentals that helped it win a title last season to earn victory in its home opener.

The interplay of pitching and defense — and just enough offense — allowed the Warriors to hold back Latrobe for a 5-3 win in the teams’ first Section 1-5A baseball game of the season Monday in windy Harrison City.

The second game of the home-and-home series is set for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Latrobe’s Graham-Sobota Field.

The opener saw the Warriors (3-1), who won two games over teams from Colordao at the Jackie Robinson Training Center in Vero Beach, Fla., jump out to a 5-0 lead and turn three double plays to back the pitching of junior Dom Delio (2-0), who worked 5 1/3 innings, and senior closer and Pitt-Johnstown commit Hunter Brown, who recorded his second save of the spring.

“I was impressed with our pitching,” Warriors coach Lou Cortazzo said. “We had a couple bobbles in the field, and we needed to hit the ball better. We have a young team after losing 14 seniors and seven position players.

“Latrobe kept battling. They play seven innings and keep coming at you.”

Junior center fielder Logan Matrisch, who hit two home runs against Norwin in the season opener, went 2 for 3 with a double and three RBI for Penn-Trafford, which scored three of its runs on Latrobe (2-2) errors.

The Wildcats, who are dealing with injuries that could affect their pitching rotation, outhit the Warriors, 7-4, and left only three on base. But their threats were fleeting.

“There were some uncharacteristic things on our part,” Latrobe coach Matt Basciano said. “If you take away the first two innings, it’s a completely different ball game.”

Penn-Trafford led 2-0 after one inning. Matrisch’s sinking line drive to center with the bases loaded knocked in two runs, and a throwing error led to another.

Three runs crossed in the second inning. After senior Brayden Stone walked to load the bases, Matrisch ripped a two-run double. A misplayed ball in center let the fifth run score, and the Warriors were in control with a 5-0 lead.

“Logan is really seeing the ball well,” Cortazzo said. “Like I tell our guys, if you hit, you play.”

Latrobe scored its first run in the third on a 4-6-3 double play when senior Andrew Hantz grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Penn-Trafford smoothly went 5-4-3 for an inning-ending double play in the fourth inning.

The Wildcats cut it to 5-3 in the fifth, thanks to a throwing error and an RBI single by senior Brody Rumon.

Junior Luke Bulebosh had a two-out double in the inning. He scored twice in the loss.

Latrobe turned its own double play in the fifth: 1-6-3.

Soon after senior Eli Boring singled past a diving Matrisch, Cortazzo pulled Delio after 76 pitches in the top of the sixth. Delio scattered six hits, struck out five and did not issue a walk.

Brown allowed one hit but induced four flyouts and eventually struck out Rumon to end it.

Cortazzo also praised junior catcher Colton Tyburski for a sound performance. Tyburski had big shoes to fill in replacing TribLive Westmoreland Player of the Year Ian Temple behind the plate.

“Dom didn’t want to come out, but I thought he was tired,” Cortazzo said. “We’re deep with our pitching and have some good arms.”

Latrobe put its leadoff hitter on base in three innings but failed to score each time.

“Credit their pitching,” Basciano said. “They hit their spots. They’re a good team. They won the WPIAL for a reason.”

Senior Jack Stynchula took the loss for Latrobe, going six innings and giving up four hits, two earned runs and walking four.

Cortazzo said he will throw senior Jonny Lovre on Tuesday in the series finale. Lovre played third base in the first game.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Latrobe, Penn-Trafford