Trib HSSN Baseball Team of the Week: May 29, 2022

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, May 29, 2022 | 7:09 PM

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There were some highs and some lows for the Upper St. Clair baseball team in the first year with Jeff Donati as head coach.

The Panthers finished 5-5 and tied for third place in Section 1-6A and enjoyed a five-game winning streak in April before losing six of their final nine games.

However, it was at the start of the skid, ironically, that things started to fall into place in Donati’s eyes.

“I think it was the first Norwin game after completely sweeping Baldwin. We didn’t have our top two pitchers available, and Joe (Altvater) stepped up and held Norwin to one run. Granted we lost after he came out, but it proved to the team and the league we had more than two arms.”

Those arms have come alive in the postseason, and are one of the big reasons the No. 7-seeded Panthers remain in the hunt for district gold.

On Monday, Upper St. Clair and North Allegheny battled to a 1-1 tie through seven innings.

With the cat fight in extra innings, Ty Lagoni delivered a two-run single to spark a four-run outburst in the eighth inning as the Panthers pulled away from the Tigers.

“The kids had a great week of preparation; it was helpful we played them 10 days earlier,” Donati said. “We really came alive in the eighth inning.”

Joe Altvater was efficient, pitching all eight innings and picking up the win for USC, allowing six hits and six strikeouts.

“Joe pitched phenomenal,” Donati said. “We really needed him to eat all those innings with Eddie (Albert) out at the time, and we did not have to use Leo (Brandon Liokareas) and could save him for Butler.”

On Tuesday in the semifinals, Liokareas did his part by pitching into the seventh inning with eight strikeouts to pick up the win thanks to timely hitting and some help from Butler in an 8-2 victory.

Christian Wieczenski was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Lagoni doubled and drove home two as the Panthers’ offense took advantage of 11 walks and four hit batters by Golden Tornado pitchers.

“We pitched and played really good defense against Butler,” Donati said. “We were aided by walks and hit-batters. They were a very good team, and we were very fortunate.”

Anytime Upper St. Clair squares off with Mt. Lebanon in anything, it’s a big event between these two South Hills neighbors.

Add the fact there is a WPIAL championship at stake and Donati is now leading the red and black attack after years of bleeding blue and gold as a longtime assistant under Patt McCloskey at Mt. Lebanon, and Tuesday night will be very emotional at Wild Things Park.

“Have a ton of respect for what Patt does,” Donati said. “He is, by far, the hardest working coach in the WPIAL. I’m really excited to play against those kids. I’ve known them their whole life.”

This is the third meeting of the year between the Panthers and Blue Devils, and the next run USC scores will be their first. Mt. Lebanon blanked Upper St. Clair, 7-0, and 2-0, on consecutive days May 2-3.

“I’m so excited to play the kids I have known for years and seeing my nephew Tanner across the dugout again,” Donati said. “Watching my players compete after getting whipped by them twice. Really excited to compete against Patt, he is the best in the business.”

2022 Trib HSSN Baseball Teams of the Week

Week 7 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars

Week 6 – West Allegheny Indians

Week 5 – Mt. Lebanon Blue Devils

Week 4 – Shenango Wildcats

Week 3 – Hopewell Vikings

Week 2 – Chartiers Valley Colts

Week 1 – Beaver Bobcats

Tags: Upper St. Clair