Strong pitching, clutch hits keep season alive for Riverview with 3rd-place win over Laurel

By: Michael Love
Wednesday, May 28, 2025 | 5:41 PM

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WASHINGTON — With its season on the line, the Riverview baseball team stood tall against Laurel in a WPIAL Class 2A third-place game Wednesday afternoon at Washington & Jefferson’s Ross Memorial Park.

Raiders sophomore pitcher Lukas Duncan again was effective in a complete-game effort, and Riverview got just enough offense to earn a 2-0 win over the Spartans to clinch a trip to the PIAA tournament for the first time since 2021.

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

“We’ve got to get our bats going more, but we’re glad to still be playing.”

Riverview improved to 15-7 overall and will open the state tournament Monday against District 10 champion Mercyhurst Prep at a site and time to be determined.

“We seem to be in a lot of really good, close baseball games,” Raiders coach Bill Gras said, referring specifically to a trio of games against rival Our Lady of the Sacred Heart and a 2-1 WPIAL quarterfinal triumph over No. 3 Burgettstown last week.

Riverview bounced back from last Friday’s 3-1 semifinal loss to No. 2 OLSH.

“This was such a good ballgame,” Gras said. “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 Wednesday 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, reached on a throwing error and advanced to third on that same error.

But Duncan struck out RJ Kissick to end that threat.

Riverview scored its runs in 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.

“We had some chances offensively and had some tough luck,” Laurel coach Jason Burkes said. “Riverview had some timely hitting the first two innings, and we did not. That has kind of been our kryptonite all year. But luckily enough, we’re a pretty young team, and it is something we can fix.”

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

“Every time Luca steps on the mound, I feel we’re going to win,” Burkes said. “At the end of the day, we have to use our bats behind him, but he’s always going to give you a chance. He’s going to be our No. 1 next year and go on to do some great things.”

Laurel upset No. 5 Fort Cherry and No. 4 Shenango to get to the semifinals before falling by one run to No. 8 Freedom.

“I knew we had it in us to give ourselves a chance,” Burkes said. “We were battle-tested in our section with the likes of Neshannock and Shenango. We had second life, and the guys ran with it. It’s unfortunate it ended here, but they did a fantastic job.”

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

“I am so happy to see how the guys were able to bounce back from the OLSH loss and play a great baseball game,” Gras said. “That just shows their maturity. We’ll be back on the field (Thursday afternoon) at 3 ready to prepare for Monday.

“We’re gonna have our hands full against Mercyhurst Prep up in Erie somewhere, but we’re still playing, and we’re going to be playing in June. We’re excited for 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.

Tags: Laurel, Riverview