Westmoreland high school baseball playoff preview capsule: GCC, Serra Catholic meet in Class A semis

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 5:26 PM

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WPIAL baseball playoffs

Class A

Semifinals

5-Greensburg Central Catholic (17-2) vs. 1-Serra Catholic (18-3)

4 p.m. Friday at Gateway

Winner plays: Winner of 6-Carmichaels (15-4)/2-Eden Christian (14-4) in championship May 27 or 28 at EQT Park, Washington

Players to watch: Jackson McMullen, GCC; Owen Dumbroski, Serra Catholic

Extra bases: The game was postponed twice via rainout on Wednesday and Thursday. Greensburg Central Catholic is in the semifinals for the first time since 2018. It is the first semifinal trip for coach John Boyle, who was hired in 2022. The Centurions have been a force in these playoffs, winning both games by the 10-run mercy rule. They have 11 straight wins. They blanked No. 12 Sewickley Academy, 14-0, as Anthony Grippo hit a grand slam and drove in six runs and Tyler Samide pitched the first of two playoff no-hitters, striking out nine and going 3 for 4 at the plate. GCC clubbed No. 4 Bishop Canevin, 16-1, in four innings in the quarterfinals as Grippo went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs and McMullen doubled and drove in three. Samide struck out six. GCC last made the finals in 2017. GCC and Serra Catholic are former section opponents. They were both in 2A last season. … Serra Catholic is trying to become a WPIAL finalist for the fourth straight season. It was runner-up the last two years after winning a WPIAL title in 2022. The Eagles average 10.6 runs, and GCC scores 10.2 per game. They have won 13 of their last 14 games. In an 11-1 win over Jefferson-Morgan in the quarterfinals, Dumbroski had two hits and pitched four scoreless innings, Matt McNeal went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and Chris Johnson had three hits and three runs for the Eagles. Dumbroski, the school’s all-time basketball scoring leader, is batting .533 with 32 hits, 10 doubles, 36 runs and 22 RBIs. Tyler Skaggs also has 10 doubles, 30 runs and 33 RBIs. Serra Catholic has four WPIAL titles. Coach Brian Dzurenda has more than 400 career wins.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg C.C., Serra Catholic