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

By: Don Rebel
Sunday, June 5, 2022 | 7:23 PM

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Enough was enough.

Following a breakout 2021 season in which the West Mifflin baseball team won 12 games and a section crown, nobody seemed to remember the Titans coming into the 2022 campaign.

“No one in the media gave us a chance,” West Mifflin coach Jeff Kuzma said. “We were not on anyone’s preseason rankings even after bringing back eight returning starters. That made no sense to our team. We read all the articles and watched interviews that told us our section was weak and that not many champions come out of Section 3-4A, so a piece of this championship is for Section 3.

“We had a few people in our own community not believing in these young men and our coaching staff. But, we persevered through it all, allowed it to fuel our fire and we now have gold medals around our neck.”

Kuzma and his West Mifflin coaches used that chunk of motivation to go along with some creative decisions, a pinch of good luck and a lot of hard-nosed, talented players willing to do whatever it takes to get it done.

All were on display in the WPIAL Class 4A baseball championship game as West Mifflin knocked off top-seeded Montour, 5-4, in 12 innings.

“This team has had multiple players step up throughout the season,” Kuzma said. “This is what makes me most proud: Our team does not rely on one player. I will say this: What this team has had to battle through for the last two years both on the field and off has made us who we are today. And today we are WPIAL champions.”

After grabbing an early 1-0 lead, West Mifflin fell behind when Montour scored three runs in the fourth inning.

Fate smiled on the Titans in the sixth inning though as they were able to plate two runs without a hit thanks to three hit batters and two walks.

“This game can humble you in a second,” Kuzma said. “There isn’t a champion in any team sport that does what we did without a few breaks going their way.”

Then this title game became a true battle of attrition as the heat and turf took their toll on both teams.

“The players on both sides battled for 12 innings in excruciating heat,” Kuzma said. “This game, both physically and mentally, brought players to their knees. We don’t have a lot of depth on this 2022 team, but what we do have is a lot of great athletes that can play multiple positions, and because of that, we were able to plug and play some of these players in multiple positions.”

That player versatility has allowed the Titans to do some unique things on defense with shifts and fourth outfielders here and there.

“Our philosophy is different from most,” Kuzma said. “We will take chances that a lot of other teams will not. When you practice and prepare the way that we do and you get the players to buy into the system, it shows that execution as a team sometimes trumps individual talent.

“I will never take all of the credit for this. My coaching staff is a big part of game planning, and they put this team in a good position to win every game. So you can call it what you wish. Plan, prepare and execute is our philosophy.”

That philosophy has become the new golden rule at West Mifflin.

The Titans now prepare for another treasure run as they host Somerset in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Monday.

“Somerset is in the state playoffs, so they are one of the best teams left in the state,” Kuzma said. “We respect that. We will plan, prepare and be ready to execute. No matter how the game ends, I’m extremely proud of these players and coaching staff.”

2022 Trib HSSN Baseball Teams of the Week:

Week 8: Upper St. Clair

Week 7: Thomas Jefferson

Week 6: West Allegheny

Week 5: Mt. Lebanon

Week 4: Shenango

Week 3: Hopewell

Week 2: Chartiers Valley

Week 1: Beaver

Tags: West Mifflin