PIAA Baseball First Round Recaps for Monday, June 4th

By: Bruce Markey
Monday, June 4, 2012 | 9:30 PM

A year ago, two WPIAL teams; Riverside in AA and Serra Catholic in A joined Conestoga and Northern York and PIAA baseball champions. Serra did not qualify for the state postseason this spring, leaving Riverside as the lone D-7 school looking to repeat in the PIAA. That dream for the Panthers remains alive after Round One, Here are recaps from the First Round on Monday, June 4th in the 2012 PIAA Baseball Playoffs.

Thanks to Steve Nagler, Mark Schaas and Hugh Mulvey for their help on these recaps.

PIAA CLASS AAAA First Round:

Altoona Mountain Lions 9 – Seneca Valley Raiders 4
The Raiders became the second WPIAL champion to go down in the first round falling to the District 6 champions at Pullman Park on Monday. Altoona opened the scoring in a big way in the top of the second with a five spot. Seneca Valley starter Zach Detillio walked Ben Wyland and hit Anthony Lombardo, after one out Dylan Oswalt singled to left center to load the bases, Jaret Berardinelli drew a bases loaded walk to make it 1-0, Shea Stayer singled to left to score two and Chistian Helsel doubled down the left field line to bring home two more runs. Head Coach Eric Semega made the move, hooking Detillio and brought on Zach Spangler, who got the final two outs to get out of the inning. Seneca Valley batted around in the bottom of the third. Austin Bream led off with a single, the Raiders played station to station as Spangler and Jason Martin followed with singles. After one out, Connor Coward and Zach Creedon notched consecutive run scoring infield singles to short to make the score 5-2. One batter later Brad Gresock was hit by a pitch to bring home the third run. Helsel got Sam Fragale to strike out to end the inning, the Ole Miss recruit then fanned all three batters in the third inning. Altoona tacked on a run in the top of the fourth, Shea Stayer singled with one out, he moved around to third on Helsel's single, he scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-3. The Mountain Lions got back to back singles in the fifth by Lombardo and Chris Sinisi, Oswalt singled to right, but the throw in forced the runner to hold at third. That became significant as Spangler got Berardinelli to ground into an inning ending 4-6-3 double play.
Fragale got the Seneca Valley faithful excited as he homered just inside the right field foul pole to make it 6-4 in the bottom of the inning. But Helsel was able to get out of the inning to keep the two run lead. Altoona got the run back as Helsel doubled and with two outs, Jake Chesney, who delivered a run scoring pinch hit single in the District 6 title game, came thru again with a single to center to score Helsel, Wyland reached on an error by Creedon at short, Anthony Lombardo blew the game open with a two run double to make it 9-4. The Raiders had something going in the bottom of the sixth as Carson Kessler singled, Creedon followed with a two out single, but Jon Dorogy bounced out to second to end the inning. Helsel got the first two outs of the seventh, Bream singled to keep the Raiders alive but Spangler struck out to end the game.
Helsel is projected as a fourth to sixth round draft pick in the MLB draft. He had originally committed to TCU, but withdrew that commitment when the Horned Frogs joined the Big East Conference. The senior said he has received interest from several teams, including the Pirates. A decision will have to be made between Helsel and his family, depending on the money offered and what round he goes in. Helsel went 3 for 4 with a pair of doubles and two runs driven in, he scattered 10 hits but fanned 10. Lombardo was 2 for 3 with two runs driven in, Sinisi, Oswalt and Stayer each were 2 for 4. The Mountain Lions are now 16-5 and will face Mount Lebanon, who defeated Erie McDowell 7-4 earlier on Monday, on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Seneca Valley elected not to start Matt Smith, who was the winning pitcher in the WPIAL title game. Bream was 3 for 4, Creedon was 2 for 3 for the Raiders, who end the season at 18-5. Detillio took the loss for Seneca Valley.

Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 7 – Erie McDowell Trojans 4
Mount Lebanon took advantage of McDowell’s pitching wildness and miscues in the field to win this Class AAAA game at Slippery Rock. McDowell committed two errors, had six walks and two hit batters. McDowell also had some costly wild pitches. Each team scored a run in the first inning and Mount Lebanon scored once in the top of the third before McDowell took a 3-2 lead in the third. In the Mount Lebanon fifth, an error, a walk and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third before Chris Girvin hit a sacrifice fly (his second RBI of the game). The go-ahead run then scored on a wild pitch. In the Mount Lebanon sixth, Jack Faett singled and Hank Brown was hit by a pitch. Luke Hagy walked to load the bases. One run scored on a wild pitch. Then two runs scored on another wild pitch. Zach Bahm pitched the first 6 2/3 innings for Mount Lebanon and Ian Happ got the final out. McDowell out-hit Mount Lebanon, 9-6. Mount Lebanon will play Altoona in the quarterfinals Thursday.

PIAA CLASS AAA First Round:

Blackhawk Cougars – BYE

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 4 – Warren Dragons 2
Greg Schneider has been gigantic on the mound for Thomas Jefferson this season, but he was big at the plate in this Class AAA game at Slippery Rock. Schneider hit a three-run triple in the third inning that turned out to be the winning hit of the game. In the third, Eric Fairman doubled and Ryan Ruffing reached on an error. Joe McHugh walked to load the bases. Then Schneider hit the first pitch for a triple. In the sixth, Bruno Natter walked, stole second and moved to third on a flyout. He scored on a Warren error on a ground ball. But Warren didn’t go quietly. Joe Shaffer pitched the first five innings for Thomas Jefferson before being relieved by Schneider. In the seventh, Warren got a leadoff triple and a walk. Schneider got a strikeout and flyout before a walk loaded the bases. Thomas Jefferson then booted a groundball, allowing two runs to score. But Schneider got a groundout to end the game.

Belle Vernon Leopards 12 – Punxsutawney Chucks 7 
Belle Vernon banged 16 hits to win this Class AAA game at Berwind Park in St. Marys. Dom Francia pitched the first 4 1/3 innings for Belle Vernon. He had a big day at the plate with three hits, two doubles and two RBIs. Chaz Balsano was 3 for 4 and Colin Berkley 3 for 5 with a double. Belle Vernon scored five runs in the third inning, but Punxsutawney scored three in the bottom of the inning. Belle Vernon scored three in the fourth, only to see Punxsutawney cut the lead to 8-7 in the bottom of the fourth. Belle Vernon scored twice in the fifth and a single run in the sixth.

PIAA CLASS AA First Round:

North Star Cougars 2 – Ellwood City Wolverines 0
In a game dominated by the pitchers, the North Star Cougars were able to find just enough offense to upset the WPIAL Champion Ellwood City Wolverines in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs and advance to the quarterfinals.  Ellwood City’s Christian Kerns and North Star’s Brantley Rice allowed the opposing offenses to nearly nothing all day long and it wasn’t until the 7th inning before North Star was able to break through against Kerns who, during most of the game, was dominant.  Kerns retired the first 16 hitters he faced and fanned seven of the first eight hitters he faced through the first three innings of work and ten Cougars overall.  Kerns’ perfect game was broken up with one out in the 6th inning when Dalton Rice rifled a solid single into centerfield.  The Cougars would threaten but would not score in the 6th, but they did score the game-winning runs in the top of the 7th when Brantley Rice led off with a single.  Rice advanced to 2B when Tony Straisiser, who was attempting to sacrifice, was hit by a pitch.  Clean-up hitter Shane Supanick then laid down a perfect sacrifice which advanced Rice and Straisiser to scoring position.  After Cory Bloom was intentionally walked to load the bases, Derek Mullen lined the first pitch he saw into centerfield for a sacrifice fly which scored Rice with what would be the game-winning run.  The Cougars second run of the inning would score on a bases-loaded infield error.  The Wolverines couldn’t mount any kind of rally in the bottom half of the inning as Rice induced all three hitters to ground out weekly.  Rice was spectacular in shutting out a very strong offensive Ellwood City team which scored 36 runs in the three post-season wins leading to their WPIAL title.  Rice struck out eight Wolverines, only walking one.  With the loss, Ellwood City’s season ends with a stellar record of 21-3 and that WPIAL crown.  North Star (18-4) will now advance to face Saegertown in the quarterfinals of the Class AA PIAA baseball playoffs.

Saegertown Panthers 4 – Shady Side Academy Indians 1
All of the scoring in this Class AA game at Slippery Rock was done in the first inning. Shady Side Academy took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and had three hits of Saegertown starter Ryan Paden.
But Paden allowed Shady Side only one hit over the next four innings and faced the minimum 12 batters. Ben Hartz singled, but was erased on a double play. In the sixth, Shady Side got runners on first and second with no outs, but couldn’t score. Saegertown scored four runs in the bottom of the first. The first run scored on an error. Luke Carter then drove home a run with a single and Kyle Wise followed with a two-run single. Hartz pitched the entire game for Shady Side Academy and allowed eight hits.

Riverside Panthers 6 – Brookville Raiders 3
Rob Hardy was the star as Riverside advanced with the Class AA win at Brockway. Hardy was the winning pitcher, limiting Brookville to two hits. He struck out eight. But Hardy also hit a two-run homer for the Panthers. The game was tied, 2-2, after the first inning, but Riverside took the lead for good with a run in the second. Riverside added another run in the fourth before scoring twice in the fifth. Brookville’s final run came in the fifth. Corey Belonzi and Manthony Meneice both had two hits for Riverside, which finished with nine hits.

South Fayette Lions 5 – Mount Union Trojans 4
A three-run seventh inning gave South Fayette the win in this Class AA game at Peoples Natural Gas Field in Altoona. Most of the scoring took place early in the game. South Fayette scored single runs in the first and second inning and Mount Union scored all of its runs in the bottom of the first. The score stayed at 4-2 until the seventh. Mike Fetchet and Chris Sarnowski both had two RBIs for South Fayette. Zach Walker allowed only five hits and pitched the distance for South Fayette.

PIAA CLASS A First Round:

Neshannock Lancers 2 – Bishop Guilfoyle Marauders 0
The Class A WPIAL Lancers got two runs in the first innings and that was all Alex Strittmatter needed as Neshannock held on for the win over Bishop Guilfoyle in the first round of the PIAA Playoffs at Pullman Park on Monday. With one out Matt Cioffi was hit by a pitch, John Sansone tapped a grounder down the third base line, Matt Stewart charged and threw the ball over the head of first baseman Nick Johnson and down the right field line, allowing courtesy runner Connor Jones to score and Sansone to go all the way to third base. Sansone scored on a wild pitch to give Neshannock the two run lead. Neshannock looked like they would add on in the second after loading the bases with one out, but Jextin Pugh pitched out of the jam and the Lancers left the bases loaded. The Neshannock defense did the job behind Strittmatter, turning double plays to end the third, fourth and fifth innings. Pugh pitched out of jams in the third and fourth innings. The senior allowed just three hits and fanned eight in six innings of work. Neshannock loaded the bases in the sixth, but Cioffi lined out to right to end the threat.
Strittmatter got the first out in the seventh, but Jared Keller reached on an error, but he got Johnson to ground into a force play and Mike Pleva flew out to end the game. The senior pitcher allowed just two hits and fanned seven, he was on base three times. Anthony Van Eman and Ernie Burkes both doubled for the Lancers, now 22-2. Sansone spoke with MSA Sports after the game, the senior shortstop is headed to Florida State, but is likely to be drafted this week, three teams were in attendance for the game, he has received interest from over half of the MLB teams. Neshannock will meet Elk County Catholic, a 6-2 winner over West Middlesex earlier Monday at Slippery Rock University, that game will be Thursday at a site and time to be determined. Bishop Guilfoyle ends the season at 16-7 overall, Pugh, Mike Pleva and T.J. Krol had the three hits for the Marauders.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers 6 – Coudersport Falcons 5
In a PIAA Class A opening round game on Monday, June 4, 2012, at Berwind Park in St. Mary’s, PA, the baseball team from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School progressed further in the playoffs than any other team in school history with a victory over the District 9 Champion, Coudersport, by a final score of 6-5.  Although the start of the late game was delayed two hours by a bench-clearing brawl between Punxsutawney and Belle Vernon and its aftermath during the 4 p.m. game, OLSH and Coudersport showed their grit, playing under the lights in the cold and light rain.  The OLSH Chargers scored in the top of the first inning when Tim Mulvey, the starting pitcher, singled up the middle with two outs.  Courtesy runner Zach Heller then stole second and third (20 stolen bases on the season), setting the stage for Tristan Snyder to earn an RBI with a double.  Coudersport answered in the bottom of the inning, with Caden Whitman scoring on Tim McCuster’s triple.  OLSH scored another run in the second on a single by Santino Platt and triple by Noah Shahen off the right center field wall.  In the third, OLSH standout Preston Falascino hit a double, followed by Tim Mulvey’s walk.  A double play moved Falascino to third, and he scored on Dan Bechek’s single.  In the fourth inning, OLSH scored its final runs of the game on a single by Santino Platt, a walk to Noah Shahen, a 2-RBI single by Senior Brandon Duerr, and a single by Falascino that allowed Duerr to score.  Hard-throwing Preston Falascino replaced starting pitcher Tim Mulvey in the fourth inning.  Coudersport battled back in the bottom of the fourth, when Whitman’s single and walks to McCuster and John Rega led to a single by Garrett Rega, scoring one run.  Falascino struck out the next two batters to end the inning.  In the fifth, Ethan Hite relieved Coudersport starter John Rega and shut down the Chargers for the next three innings.  Preston Falascino matched his performance, shutting down the Falcons in the fifth and sixth.  OLSH entered the bottom of the seventh inning with a 6-4 lead.  Falascino gave up a single to Hite and a double to John Rega, scoring Hite and bringing the score to 6-5.  But Falascino slammed the door with three strikeouts, securing the first ever PIAA playoff win for Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.  OLSH moves on to play Bishop McCort of Johnstown on Thursday, June 7th, at 2 p.m. at Somerset High School in Somerset, PA.

Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers 7 – California Trojans 1
After winning their first 19 games of the season, California (19-2) ended the season on a two-game losing streak. After losing to Neshannock in the WPIAL final, California was defeated by Bishop McCort in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. California managed only five hits in the game and fell behind, 3-0, after three innings. California scored its only run in the fourth, but McCort broke open the game with three runs in the fifth. McCort finished with 10 hits.