St. Joseph tops Monessen for 1st playoff win in 18 seasons

By: Jeremy Sellew
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | 6:22 PM

1163004_web1_gtr-MonSJbase02-051619 — Jenn Codeluppi | Mon Valley Independent

Monessen’s Vin Rhome tries to beat a throw from St. Joseph’s Joe Godinez to Hayden Mallin at Seton Hill.

1163004_web1_gtr-MonSJbase03-051619 — Jenn Codeluppi | Mon Valley Independent

Monessen’s Nate Lynch pitches against St. Joseph during their WPIAL playoff game May 15, 2019, at Seton Hill.

1163004_web1_gtr-MonSJbase01-051619 — Jenn Codeluppi | Mon Valley Independent

Monessen’s Cam Frolo pitches against St. Joseph during their WPIAL playoff game May 15, 2019, at Seton Hill.

1163004_web1_gtr-MonSJbase04-051619 — Jenn Codeluppi | Mon Valley Independent

Monessen’s Jack Sacco looks to turn a double play in front of St. Joseph’s Joe Godinez during their WPIAL playoff game May 15, 2019, at Seton Hill.

For the first time in 18 seasons, St. Joseph has advanced in the WPIAL baseball playoffs.

The 11th-seeded Spartans scored three runs in each of the first two innings en route to a 10-1 win over No. 6 Monessen on Wednesday at Seton Hill.

Dominic Fellowes led the way for the Spartans with a three-hit day, and Chris Singleton and Eli Swierczewski knocked in a pair of runs each for the Spartans (8-7).

“(Fellowes) is our spark plug up at the top of the order,” Spartans coach Kurt Krebs said. “We toyed with him out of the leadoff spot throughout the season, but he makes so much great contact. He’s really our catalyst all year.”

For Monessen coach Billy Matush, the writing was on the wall a little earlier Wednesday morning.

“When I got to the stadium for batting practice and no one was there yet … I mean, we just weren’t ready to play all day,” Matush said.

The Spartans pounded out 12 hits, and that was plenty for starter Tyler Wood.

Wood threw 5²⁄₃ innings, striking out 10. He scattered three hits and allowed a lone run.

“He’s our guy, our best pitcher. He’s faced the best teams all season long,” Krebs said. “I knew he’d come out here and battle. There’s been no days off for him really all season.”

Krebs did his research and knew the Greyhounds (12-6) were a good-hitting team, coming into the game on a seven-game winning streak and winning nine of their last 10 games. Monessen had outscored its last seven opponents 65-16.

None of that mattered to the Spartans or Wood.

“He’s probably the best pitcher we’ve seen all season long,” Matush said. “He had really good velocity and really mixed things up well.”

St. Joseph wasted no time getting to Monessen starter Cam Frolo.

Fellowes led off the game with a single and stole second. He moved to third on a Wood flyout before scoring on Hayden Mallin’s RBI single. Swierczewski hammered a triple to deep left-center to make it 2-0. Frolo uncorked a wild pitch to allow him to score the final run of the inning and give the Spartans a 3-0 lead.

“Scoring those early runs was huge for us,” Krebs said. “I always say the team that hits the best and throws the most strikes usually wins the game.”

Check out an archived broadcast of this game on the TribLive High School Sports Network.