Pitching, defense help Riverview play June baseball

By: Michael Love
Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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The Riverview baseball team’s pitching and defense surrendered just six runs over four games in the WPIAL Class 2A baseball tournament.

That is a surefire recipe for postseason success.

While the Raiders didn’t reach their goal of playing for a WPIAL championship, they were able to parlay three victories in those four games to a third-place finish in Class 2A and clinch their first trip to the PIAA state tournament since 2021.

Riverview, which tallied 11 runs in its four WPIAL games — a 6-2 win over California, a 2-1 triumph over No. 3 Burgettstown, a 3-1 setback to No. 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and a 2-0 win over Laurel on May 28 in the third-place game — was scheduled to kick off state playoff action June 2 against District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep.

Coach Bill Gras said he was pleased to see how his team responded in practice from its semifinal setback to section rival OLSH and handle the pressure of a win-or-go-home game against Laurel where only the winning team advanced to states.

“I am so happy to see how the guys were able to bounce back from the OLSH loss and play a great baseball game (against Laurel),” Gras said.

“That just shows their maturity.”

Gras also noted that there is something special in knowing Riverview is one of a select number of teams from the WPIAL playing meaningful baseball in June.

Riverview and OLSH entered the PIAA tournament positioned at the bottom of the Class 2A bracket. Wins by both teams in the first round would set up a fourth season meeting in the quarterfinals June 5.

Riverview’s last trip to the state tournament in 2021 ended in the opening round as it fell to District 10 champion Kennedy Catholic, 6-1, at Slippery Rock University.

The run to states and play in the tournament itself is the closing act to strong varsity careers for seniors Tyler Aftanas, Carter Loughren, Eli DeVita, Rece Stempfer and Johnny Bertucci.

With its season on the line, the Raiders stood tall against Laurel at Washington & Jefferson College’s Ross Memorial Park.

Rain was in the forecast, but the teams were able to play as the wet weather stayed away.

Raiders’ sophomore pitcher Lukas Duncan again was effective in a complete-game effort, and Riverview got just enough offense against the Spartans.

“Lukas always pitches pretty well, so we felt confident with him throwing today,” said Bertucci, who collected two of Riverview’s seven hits in the May 28 victory.

“We definitely could’ve done more at the plate. There were several innings where we could’ve put up more numbers, but the two runs got the job done.”

Riverview improved to 15-7 with the win and looked forward to getting back to practice to prepare for Mercyhurst Prep.

“We seem to be in a lot of really good, close baseball games,” Gras said in the moments after the win over Laurel. “Both pitchers had great stuff, and we’re grateful to come out on the winning side.”

Duncan pitched his second four-hitter in as many opportunities. He struck out nine in the win over Burgettstown and fanned eight Laurel batters while walking just two.

“I am just glad we have him for two more years,” Gras said. “Give credit to their pitcher (junior Luca Santini) too. He did a really nice job. He kept us off balance. We could only score one run at a time. We couldn’t string much together. It was nice to be up two runs early, but we led OLSH 3-0 in the first inning (in the regular season) and lost, 4-3. It doesn’t feel good until the seventh inning is over.”

The Raiders’ defense turned double plays in the first and fifth innings.

The No. 12 Spartans, who concluded their season at 10-12, left runners in scoring position in the fourth and sixth.

Santini, who started and went the distance for Laurel, gave his team life in the sixth as he laid down a two-out bunt and ended up at third on a throwing error.

But Duncan struck out RJ Kissick to end that threat.

Riverview got all the runs it needed with a tally in both the first and second innings.

Bertucci led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored on a single from Duncan.

Bertucci then was clutch in the bottom of the second with a two-out single to score sophomore Rex Roberts, who had reached on a single with one out.

Riverview left runners stranded in scoring position in the first, fourth and seventh innings. Santini struck out seven and walked one.

Roberts joined Bertucci in the two-hit club for Riverview against Laurel.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

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