Sopata delivers at plate, on mound for Baldwin baseball

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, May 7, 2018 | 5:33 PM

There is an exclusive club within the Baldwin baseball program.

The Highlanders have been led this year by a trio of .400 hitters in Andy Sopata, Nick Dolan and Kory Tierney.

As the team headed down the home stretch of its Class 6A season, Sopata, a junior center fielder, led the squad offensively with a .484 batting average. He finished hitting close to .400 last season.

“Andy has emerged as arguably one of the best players in our section,” coach Rocky Plassio said. “He has made big plays in center field, and has had multiple timely hits in key situations. He also delivered a stellar and gutsy performance going the distance in a win over Mt Lebo. I look forward to what the future holds for him beyond Baldwin High School.”

Dolan, a sophomore middle infielder, was next in line with a .419 average. He led the Highlanders in extra base hits and RBIs.

“Nick has had a very strong season as a first-year varsity player,” Plassio said. “It's a lot to ask of a sophomore to step into the roles that we have asked him to fill for us this year. Those key roles have included being one of our top two guys on the mound, playing middle infield, and also hitting in the middle of the order.

“Nick has certainly met or exceeded our expectations to this point, and we look forward to his continued development.”

Tierney, a senior first baseman, rounded out the team's select group with an even .400 average.

“Kory has really developed over the course of the last two seasons,” Plassio said. “He has taken huge strides to become a consistently good hitter at the high school level while continuing to provide outstanding defense at first base. We will certainly miss his toughness and intensity next season.”

Sopata, Dolan and Tierney hit first, third and fourth in the Highlanders' batting order, and all three have on-base percentages of .500 or better. All three also rank in the top three on the team in innings pitched.

One of this year's highlights for Sopata was a 3-for-3 performance at the plate in a 6-5 section loss to Upper St. Clair.

“Even though we ended up on the wrong side (of the score), I was seeing the ball great,” Sopata said. “I feel like I'm starting to catch on to something and setting my mind to continue hitting the ball at an elite level.

“I strongly believe I can be providing more help on both the offensive and defensive side on the field. Looking back at our season, we have not performed as well as we wanted to; we are still going to work hard in practice and build our skills.”

Sopata owns a 3.4 GPA, and is a two-sport athlete; he's also played basketball at Baldwin for three years. And he is an active member of a local Boy Scout organization.

“I am working on achieving Eagle Scout,” Sopata said. “I love working with the younger kids in the troop and being a positive role model.

“And I love playing basketball because it keeps me in shape over the winter and keeps me in a working mentality.”

There are 11 seniors on the Baldwin squad this season, along with three juniors and four sophomores. With one league game remaining, the Highlanders were 4-7 in section play and 4-9 overall.

Moving forward, Sopata and Dolan are expected to be two of the leading impact players for the Highlanders in 2019.

“Nicky Dolan and I are looking forward to leading the team next season, and teaching the new kids coming up what Baldwin baseball is becoming,” Sopata said. “We will continue to grow as an organization.”

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Baldwin