Trib HSSN Baseball Player of the Week: Week ending June 5, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, June 5, 2022 | 9:14 PM

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Last spring, South Park knocked on the WPIAL Class 3A title door and settled for silver.

This season, the Eagles returned to Wild Things Park and kicked down the door.

A year after losing a heartbreaker to Hopewell, South Park beat Mohawk, 11-1, to capture the program’s second district baseball title and first in nine years.

“Absolutely, after falling short last year and getting back there again this year, it was a huge accomplishment,” South Park coach Brad Shamitko said. “For our team to show up the way they did and beat a very good Mohawk team made it even more special and showed their true commitment to achieving that goal.”

The circle of life was on display for Eagles starting pitcher Drew Lafferty. As a freshman in 2019, he was the winning pitcher in leading Seton LaSalle to a win over Serra Catholic, 11-2, in the 2A finals.

Lafferty returned to his home district of South Park before his junior season.

“I have never seen Drew nervous,” Shamitko said. “He is one of the most confident kids I have ever coached and for good reason. The work he puts in and the experience he has through high school and his travel teams gives him that confidence.”

The Kentucky recruit pitched a six-inning complete game, allowing five hits with eight strikeouts against a Warriors team that had scored 28 runs in three district playoff games.

“Every time he is on the mound, no matter the opponent, we have the opportunity to win,” Shamitko said. “The team feeds off his energy when he’s on the mound and want to do everything they can to support him.”

Lafferty has no problem helping his own cause at the plate.

He was part of a 12-hit attack with a home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth after Mohawk had cut the lead to 5-1.

“The inning before, the bat was taken out of his hands as a wild pitch took a perfect bounce, and the runner was caught trying to come home,” Shamitko said. “Honestly, I thought he was going to open it up even more there with either a home run or some other type of missile. So when he got to lead off the next inning against the new pitcher, I still had a good feeling.”

For the season, Lafferty is batting .486 with five home runs, 21 RBIs and 25 runs scored.

Shamitko knows he has a special player who is a big contributor to the program’s success on and off the field.

“On the mound, he just gives the team an overall confidence with his play. If we get in a jam, the team has all trust in him to help get us out of it. At the plate, you feel at any given moment he can put one out or at least get on base.

“On the field, the body of work is there for everyone to see. It’s what he does off the field that makes him so special and a true leader. He is always willing to help a teammate, especially the younger ones. During the offseason, he attended every workout we had from October through February, which was usually after he already did some type of a workout or training session for the day.”

Before Kentucky calls, Lafferty and the Eagles are preparing for a run at more gold in the PIAA playoffs. The WPIAL champs open the state tournament Monday against District 10 runner-up Franklin at Seneca Valley High School.

“Franklin is going to be as good as we have seen all year,” Shamitko said. “As a team, they run the bases, hit the ball well and got some power guys like seniors Carson Wible and Kyle Alexander. Also, Luke Guth (Vanderbilt) is as good as they get. His fastball sits around 90-92, has a nice changeup and a pretty nasty slider.”

2022 Trib HSSN Baseball Players of the Week

Week 8: Mason Sike, Montour

Week 7: J.C. Voss, Mohawk

Week 6: Angelo DeLeonardis, Knoch

Week 5: Dylan Grabowski, Penn-Trafford

Week 4: Cam Marshalwitz, Hampton

Week 3: Wes Parker, Peters Township

Week 2: Gavin Homer, Indiana

Week 1: Jake Kendro, Norwin

Tags: South Park