Riverview off to strong start in quest to advance in WPIAL baseball playoffs

By: Michael Love
Thursday, March 27, 2025 | 1:25 PM

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The Riverview baseball team made the WPIAL Class A championship game in 2021.

The Raiders, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, ran into a hot pitcher that day at Wild Things Park and fell 3-0.

It has been the team’s mission since then to return to the title contest, but Riverview has been ousted in the quarterfinals each of the past three seasons, including last year when it fell to No. 2 OLSH.

But this spring, Raiders coach Bill Gras sees the makings of a team that can make a run in the WPIAL playoffs and again challenge for gold.

“They saw what we did last year, and we only lost one player,” Gras said of his Raiders lineup, which returns eight starters after finishing 13-7 overall and 8-4 in Section 3-2A. “They are confident they can get further than the second round. The guys, especially the seniors, are tired of losing at that point of the playoffs.”

Added senior shortstop and co-captain Eli DeVita: “We have set pretty big goals for this season, and that helps us want to refine some things and want to work that much harder. We know we can get back to that spot (quarterfinals) and then take those next steps.”

Riverview improved to 4-0 overall with a sweep of Carlynton on Monday and Tuesday to open Section 2-3A play.

The Raiders were solid in all three phases — hitting, pitching and defense — in outscoring their opponents 49-0 through four games.

Contributions to the four wins came from throughout the lineup, including the returning starters: DeVita and senior co-captain Johnny Bertucci (pitcher); seniors Tyler Aftanas (third base), Rece Stempfer (outfield) and Carter Loughran (first base); and sophomores Rex Roberts (outfield), Miles Duncan (catcher) and Lukas Duncan (outfield).

“We’ve been playing well, but the guys have made sure they don’t get overconfident,” Gras said. “It was a good start, but there is a lot of baseball left to be played. We used those first couple of games to get our timing down, work in a number of situations and get into a groove in all phases. We’ve also handled everything well defensively.

“In the past, we have been successful early, and then I wondered, ‘did we peak early?’ The goal is to be still rolling when May comes. We have to keep this going. We started really well (in section) with Carlynton, but we have more work to do.”

Riverview played Class 4A Highlands on Thursday in nonsection play before a section series Monday and Tuesday against Brentwood.

The Spartans split their section-opening series with Springdale.

“Everyone is pumped with how we started,” said Bertucci, who surrendered just one hit while striking out eight and walking one over five innings in Riverview’s 10-0, series-opening win over Carlynton.

“A lot of guys are stepping up, especially our sophomores and the younger guys. I am pleased with our pitching staff. Lukas pitched a great game against Carlynton. We’re all starting to click there.”

Lukas Duncan followed Bertucci’s one-hitter with one of his own in the rematch. He went the distance and struck out 11 while walking none.

“We have seven pitchers, and six pitched over the first four games,” Gras said. “Everyone has done an outstanding job for us. It has allowed the offense to be comfortable.”

Riverview collected eight hits in each of the two games against Carlynton.

Miles Duncan, DeVita and Stempfer each recorded two hits for Riverview in Game 1. Miles Duncan and Stempfer drove in two runs apiece. The Raiders stole six bases in the game.

The bottom of the lineup helped Riverview in the series rematch. Miles Duncan, Roberts and sophomore Owen Metz combined for four of the team’s eight hits in the victory. They scored two runs and drove in four.

Gras said sophomore Ashton Saunders has shined so far at the top of the lineup.

“Ashton worked with us in the fall, and we saw great improvement,” Gras said. “I told him that second base was his to lose. And he hasn’t lost it yet. He’s leading off for us and doing a really nice job.”

Riverview visits Shady Side Academy next week before a section series April 7-8 against Apollo-Ridge.

The Raiders have additional section series against South Side, Springdale and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.

“We know Brentwood and Apollo-Ridge,” Gras said. “Everyone else is new. South Side was Class A, but they moved up. OLSH is OLSH. They are going to be tough. Apollo-Ridge, I think, is going to be a team that can contend for the playoffs. I don’t know much about Springdale, but they always have talented players. We’ll find out more about each team when we get there.

“One of the things I have been drilling into their heads is that I don’t care who we play. We’re not playing them. Baseball is a game where you have to pitch, you have to catch, you have to hit, run and throw. It’s not like football where the opposing team might play multiple defenses in a game or basketball where they start out in man defense and switch to zone before switching back.

“Baseball is baseball. You play the game. Whoever catches, pitches and hits better that day is who is going to win. It could be a team that is 0-8 versus a team that is 8-0. It doesn’t matter. That is what I preach to them to keep them level, and they have responded to that.”

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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