WPIAL Baseball Playoff Recaps for Monday, May 21st (& Tuesday, May 22nd)

By: Bruce Markey
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 | 12:52 AM

Here are the updated recaps from all EIGHT Semifinals contests all heard only here on the MSA Sports Network.

A special thanks to Randy Gore, Ken Laird, Mike Azadian, Sam Hall, Lee Mohn, Hugh Mulvey and Bob Gregg for their help on these recaps.

WPIAL BASEBALL CLASS AAAA SEMIFINALS:

Mount Lebanon Blue Devils 3 – North Allegheny Tigers 2
Mt. Lebanon held off North Allegheny on Monday night by a 3-2 final to advance to the WPIAL Class AAAA Finals next week at CONSOL Energy Park.  Brad Bekampis gave the Blue Devils and early 2-0 lead with a two-out, two-run single in the first inning.  Pat Goff’s RBI double in the third inning scored Ian Happ and increased the Blue Devils advantage to 3-0.  North Allegheny’s Max Lewandowski and Justin Brahim scored on a Mt. Lebanon throwing error in the fifth inning to pull within 3-2, but the Tigers could come no closer over the final two frames. Starting pitcher Mike Duffy earned the victory for the Blue Devils and Ian Happ picked up the save by retiring the final four batters of the game.  NA’s Chris Helkowski was the hard luck loser, allowing three runs (two earned) on just six hits in seven innings.   Mt. Lebanon improves to 14-8 on the year and moves on to the WPIAL championship next week.  The Tigers’ season ends with a mark of 13-10.

Seneca Valley Raiders 9 – Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings 5
The Seneca Valley Raiders will defend their WPIAL Quad A baseball title.  Seneca emerged victorious over the Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings by a score of 9-5 in a game played over two days due to inclement weather at Boyce Mayview Complex.  Raiders’ starter Matt Smith picked up his second win of the 2012 playoffs, allowing just 5 hits over 6 innings of work while striking out 7 and surrendering just 2 runs (1 earned).  The SV bats racked up 14 hits in the game, 12 of them singles, and exploded for 6-runs in the 5th inning to expand on a 2-1 lead.  In that decisive frame, the Raiders got RBI hits from Zach Creedon, Brad Gresock, Sam Fragale, and Jason Martin, as well as an extra run on a misplayed ball in left field.  Fragale’s was a 2-RBI double that finally chased Central starter Dan Smith, who finished with 4 2/3 innings and was charged with 8 runs, 6 of them earned, while allowing 10 hits and walking 3.  Seneca Valley improved to 17-4 on the season and advances to play Mt. Lebanon in the WPIAL Championship at Consol Energy Field in Washington, PA.

WPIAL BASEBALL CLASS AAA SEMIFINALS:

Blackhawk Cougars 1 – Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 0 in 9 Innings
At North Allegheny High school in WPIAL Boys AAA playoff action the Blackhawk Cougars win a game for the ages going 9 innings to beat the Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 1-0. This game was highly anticipated as Pitt Recruit and TJ ace Greg Schneider was on the mound. He faced Blackhawk ace Sophomore Brendan McKay. The game turned in to a pitchers duel that both communities will be talking  about for years. The Jaguars had a single in the 2nd inning with two out and left the runner stranded as McKay got out number 3 with a strikeout. In the 3rd Colton Booher led off with a double for TJ, and was sacrificed to 3rd. With one out, the top of the order up and the infield in, McKay promptly struck out the next two batters. That started a streak of 15 in a row he would retire into the 8th inning. Schneider was even better. He hit a batter in the first with 2 out,  then struck out the next batter to end the inning. In the 4th the lead off batter reached after the 3rd strike passed ball, but was thrown out trying to steal 2nd. Schneider struck the next two batters out. In the 4th a runner reached base on an error with two outs but was erased at 2b on a fielders choice. The Cougars did not have a runner past first base until the 9th. They only hit 1 ball out of the infield thru 8 innings and that was a fly ball out to CF. It all came down to the 9th inning. The Cougars led off the 9th with a chopper up the middle by Brandon Mansel for a base hit, breaking up the no hitter.  Brendan Kearny then bunted, on a play the catcher should have taken, Schneider came rushing in from the mound to field it, as he did he slipped and fell, as he did he  fired to  First base. The ball soared over the first basemen's head down the right field line scoring Mansel from 1st base. Schneider struck out 2 of the next 3 to get out of the inning. In the bottom of the 9th McKay struck out the side.  McKay faced only 29 batters in 9 innings. An error in the 8th was followed up by a pick off, he retired the last 20 batters including the pick off. He struck out 15 and walked none, giving up 2 hits to get the win. " I knew how good the other pitcher was, I tried to match what he did every inning to keep my team in the game" said McKay.  "Ive never seen a game where each pitcher kept matching the other like this" said Cougar manager Bob Amalia. Schneider  the tough luck loser of the game faced 31 batters, 4 over the limit, giving up 1 run, 2 hits, no walks, hitting one batter and striking out 15.  The Jaguars fall to 15-5 and will play Hopewell in a consolation game next week for the right to play in the PIAA playoffs. Blackhawk improves to 19-2 and will face the Belle Vernon Leopards in the AAA championship either Tuesday May 29th or Wednesday May 30th at Consol Energy Field in Washington Pa.

Belle Vernon Leopards 9 – Hopewell Vikings 8
The Belle Vernon Leopards will play for the WPIAL baseball championship for the first time in school history thanks to a thrilling 9-8 over the Hopewell Vikings in a AAA semi final match at Ross Memorial Park Monday night. Adam Ferita drew a two-out, bases loaded walk off of Hopewell Pitcher Tim Hughes in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Leopards the win. The game started with Belle Vernon drawing three straight walks off of Hughes, who was Hopewell's starting pitcher, and the game ended with Hughes issuing three straight walks after re-entering to pitch in the bottom of the seventh. It was a game with a lot of back and forth and up and down a thrill ride from beginning to end. Belle Vernon got on the board in the bottom of the first after getting three straight walks from Hughes to load the bases. Joe Rubino brought in Stefan Mrkonja in relief of Hughes and Mrkonja got designated hitter Dom Francia to hit into a run scoring double play that plated Parker Lynn to give the Leps a 1-0 at the end of one. With that 1-0 score and two outs in the top of the second the rains came in Washington and the clubs waited out a one hour twenty minute rain delay before getting back to action. Hopewell took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third as Arion Sepp scored Shane Martin from third with a sacrifice fly and Ryan Cox singled home Joe Kunzmann. The Vikes would push the lead to 3-1 when Logan Johnston busted a bomb over the left field fence in the top of the fourth. Belle Vernon though answered in the home half of the fourth when Dean Manown came through with a huge two-out, two-strike, two-rbi, two-bagger down the right field line to tie the game at three. Hopewell came right back with a three spot in the top of the fifth that chased Leps starter Dylan Pietrantoni including a two-run double off the bat of Hughes to take a 6-3 lead. Belle Vernon got a run back in the bottom of the fifth when Adam Ferita lead off with a triple then scored on Dom Francia's sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-4. Hopewell made it 7-4 with a single run in the sixth scored from third base on a wild pick off attempt from Francia allowed Kunzmann to trot home and the Leps went to bat in the 6th trailing 7-4. Belle Vernon got three straight hits to start the inning singles by Dylan Shupe and Tyler Frankel were followed by Manown's second double of the night to cut the lead to 7-5. Then with runners at second and third Parker Lynn's fly ball to left was misplayed into a two run scoring error that tied the game at seven. Chaz Balsano moved Parker to third with a single and Adam Ferita's sacrifice fly gave Belle Vernon an 8-7 lead, heading to the seventh inning. The Vikes weren't done though, Mrkonja started the seventh with a single, and two outs later stole second base. Then junior Dave Claypole drilled a run scoring single to tie the game at eight all, setting the stage for the walk-off walk issued to Ferita in the bottom of the seventh and sending the Leps to the championship game against the Blackhawk Cougars.

WPIAL BASEBALL CLASS AA SEMIFINALS:

Ellwood City Wolverines 14 – South Fayette Lions 11
At North Allegheny high school in WPIAL boys AA semi final baseball action the Ellwood City Wolverines outlast the South Fayette Lions by a score of 14-11. Ellwood scored 5 runs on only 1 hit, 2 errors and 4 walks as they batted around in the first inning to knock Lion starter Zach Walker out after only 2/3 of an inning. They tacked on a single run in the second on 2 hits, then 3 more in the 3rd as they batted around again, getting 3 hits and 2 walks. Leading 9-0 it seemed they were 6 outs away from a possible 10 run rule. The Lions were mentally out of it as by the 4th inning they had gone thru 2 pitchers, and seemed to have no answer for Wolverine starter Christian Kerns who had walked 2 and struck out 4 into the 4th. Kerns couldn't make it out if the 3rd as he gave up 3 hits, hit 2 batters, walked 2 and gave up 6 runs as the Lions got back in the game. The Lions used 1 hit, 2 walks and an error to score 2 more in the 5th to cut the lead to 9-8.  Both teams scored single runs in the 6th and it was Ellwood City 10-9 into the 7th. The Wolverines tacked on 4 runs on 3 hits, 3 walks, and a hit batter to go up 14-9. The Lions mounted yet one more come back in the 7th, scoring two runs on one hit and had the winning  run at the plate before the Wolverines put the game away. Combined both teams walked  21 batters, hit 4 batters, made 6 errors, and used 6 pitchers. Anthony Carusone came on in relief for Ellwood and went 3 2/3 to get the win. Greg Lynn went 3-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Matt Germanowski had two hits, three RBI and 3 runs to pace the Wolverines. They improve to 20-2 and will face section rival Riverside next Tuesday May 29th, or Wednesday May 30th at Consol Energy field in Washington in the AA championship game. South Fayette was led by Michael Fetchet who was 4-4 with 2 triples, 2 singles a walk, 3 runs scored and 2RBI. They fall to 15-7 and awaits a PIAA state playoff game.

Riverside Panthers 2- Shady Side Academy Indians 1
It was a pitcher's duel between Riverside's Rob Hardy and Shady Side's Ben Hartz.  Both pitchers did not allow an earned run. and Riverside squeaked out a 2-1 victory to move on to the WPIAL AA finals next week.  Riverside scored their first unearned run in the second after Rob Hardy reached on an error then  Corey Belonzi would single with 2 outs. Shady Side scored their unearned run in the 4th after a one out walk to Hartz and Andrew Geisler reached on an error.  Jake Klendl would single to score Hartz but Geisler was thrown out at home.  Riverside would score their second run after a one out single by Tyler Whitlatch courtesy runner Ben Patterson would score with 2 outs on an error by shortstop Paul McCullough. His throw pulled the first baseman off the bag and then his throw home was too late to get Patterson.  Shady Side will now move on to the PIAA playoffs which begin June 4th while Riverside will join them after they play for the WPIAL championship.  There opponent will be arch rival Ellwood City.

WPIAL BASEBALL CLASS A SEMIFINALS:

Neshannock Lancers 6- Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers 1
Neshannock moved on to the WPIAL Class A finals with a 6-1 win over Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School on Monday, May 21, 2012, at Chippewa Park.  John Sansone’s first inning triple, scoring Matt Cioffi, set the tone for the game.  Sansone then scored on a sacrifice fly, for a 2-0 lead.  OLSH responded in the second with a lead-off hit by Tim Mulvey, who later scored on a single by DH Kyle Seamon, to cut the lead to 2-1.  Preston Falascino, OLSH’s starting pitcher, settled down, scattering 3 hits and 4 walks to hold Neshannock scoreless.  Lefty Tim Mulvey came on to pitch in the sixth inning.  John Sansone, with Bernie Burke and Matt Cioffi on base at first and third, parked a pitch over the left center field fence, breaking the open the score to 5-1.  Neshannock tacked on an extra run, closing the score at 6-1.  The Lancers move on to play the California Trojans in a rematch of last years title game.  OLSH will be playing the Bentworh Bearcats in the Consolation Game next week, to earn the right to move on to the PIAA playoffs.  The winning pitcher for Neshannock was Alex Welker, who gave up 1 run on 3 hits, with 1 walk and 6 strikeouts.  Losing pitcher was Preston Falascino gave up 2 runs on 5 hits, with 5 walks and 4 strikeouts.  Tim Mulvey pitched 2 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits, with 1 walk.

California Trojans 2 – Bentworth Bearcats 1 in 9 Innings
Patrick Tunney led off the ninth inning with a double and scored on a wild pitch two outs later as California topped Bentworth, 2-1.  TD Conway pitched all nine innings to get the win.  The righthander scattered six hits adn one walk while striking out 14 batters.  California (19-0) had just one baserunner through regulation, a fifth inning single by Sean Cotton.  The Trojans' first baseman walked to open the eighth and gave way to pinchrunner Aaron Previsky, who promptly stole second.  After a fielder's choice and a strike out, Gavin Anderson put down a bunt single, but Previsky made too big a turn at third.  Bentworth pitcher Tyler Delval threw the ball away, allowing the game's first run to score.  In the bottom of the inning, a Delval single with two outs plated Nick Smydo to tie the game, setting the stage for the game-winner in the ninth.  Bentworth (17-2) had chances to win it in regulation, stranding runners in every inning but the second. Smydo and Tyler Kurutz had two hits apiece.  Delval struck out 13 and walked just one in taking the loss.  #2 California meets #1 Neshannock for the WPIAL championship while #3 Bentworth faces #4 OLSH for third place and a berth in the PIAA tournament.  The Bearcats beat Sacred Heart twice during the Section 2-A season, 9-3  & 14-4.