WPIAL baseball semifinal playoff results from Tuesday, May 23rd 2023:
Bethel Park 8 Penn-Trafford 5 (5A)
Dylan Grabowski’s two-run homer gave the Warriors a lead into the fifth inning, but No. 3 Penn-Trafford couldn’t make it stand, as Bethel Park rallied for an 8-5 victory in the WPIAL Class 5A semifinals at Washington & Jefferson College. Grabowski’s blast broke a 3-3 tie in the fourth frame, but the second-seeded Black Hawks scored five runs in the fifth inning. Lucas Lybarger and Ryan Petras contributed triples in the decisive inning for Bethel Park. While the Warriors dropped to 14-6-1, they will face Plum in a consolation game for a spot in the state playoffs. Bethel Park, conversely, moved to 17-4 and will play top-seeded Shaler Area next week in the WPIAL Championship at Wild Things Park.
Greater Latrobe 10 Montour 7 (4A)
Propelled by their offensive firepower early in the contest, the Wildcats fended off a late rally to upset top-seeded Montour 10-7 in the WPIAL Class 4A semifinals at Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. Fifth-seeded Greater Latrobe, which collected 11 hits, held an 8-2 lead after four innings. Eli Boring was the offensive catalyst, as he went 3-for-5 with three hits and a run scored, while Louie Amatucci and Jacob Cramer each had a pair of hits and Logan Bradish scored three runs. Riley Smith earned the win, working into the sixth inning, while he also went 2-for-3 with a pair of runs batted in. Luke Nipar earned the save, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings of relief. Montour, which scored five unanswered runs between the fifth and sixth innings, was paced by Nicholas Walker, who was 2-for-4 with five RBIs, including a three-run triple to pull his team within a run in the sixth. The Wildcats scored twice in the top of the seventh to seal the outcome, however. Greater Latrobe improved to 17-6 and will face No. 14 Hopewell in the WPIAL Championship next Tuesday or Wednesday at Wild Things Park in Washington. The Spartans, meanwhile, dropped to 19-4 and will play Indiana Area in a consolation game.
WPIAL baseball quarterfinal playoff results from Monday, May 22nd 2023:
Pine-Richland 14 Hempfield Area 12 (6A)
Despite an offensive outburst and incredible efforts from Connor Burkey and Dylan Firmstone, Hempfield Area was edged by Pine-Richland 14-12 in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals at Plum High School. Burkey went 4-for-4, drove in three runs and scored another, while Firmstone also collected four hits and scored four times for the No. 8 seed Spartans. The top-seeded Rams scored the first nine runs of the game, and were paced by Jacob McGuire, who had four RBIs, and Joey Perry, who compiled a 3-for-3 effort with three runs batted in. Gage Wheaton and Anthony Terzolino also added two RBIs apiece. Hempfield Area concluded its campaign with a mark of 11-10, while the Rams moved to 15-6 and will battle fifth-seeded Mount Lebanon in the semifinals on Tuesday at North Allegheny High School.
North Allegheny 3 Norwin 0 (6A)
The Knights were silenced offensively, as they lost to second-seeded North Allegheny 3-0 in the WPIAL Class 6A quarterfinals at Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. JD Costanzo earned the win for the Tigers, as he worked into the sixth inning, allowing just one hit while striking out nine. The No. 7 Knights threatened in the seventh inning, courtesy of hits by Ryan Mesko and Keegan Carr, but were unable to score. Jacob Auld also doubled for Norwin, while Ethan Culbertson threw a complete game, allowing eight hits. Andrew Dougherty and Spencer Barnett collected RBIs for NA. While Norwin finished the ledger at 8-12, North Allegheny improved to 15-6 and will meet Butler Area at the same field on Tuesday in the semifinals.
Penn-Trafford 4 Peters Township 2 (5A)
Nolan Marasti threw six strong innings on the hill to guide the Warriors to a 4-2 triumph against Peters Township in the WPIAL Class 5A quarterfinals at West Mifflin Area High School. Marasti, who earned the victory, gave up two runs, one earned, allowing seven hits and one walk while striking out seven. The third seed Warriors scored single runs in the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings. Brady Hoffman produced a two-hit effort, picking up an RBI, while Dylan Grabowski, Carmen Metcalfe, and Peyton Bigler also added runs batted in. Evan Del Signore collected the save for Penn-Trafford, working a scoreless seventh. Jack Natili went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the No. 6 Indians. The Warriors, who moved to 14-5-1, continue to the semifinals on Tuesday to face No. 2 Bethel Park at Washington & Jefferson College. Peters, meanwhile, wrapped up the season at 14-7.
Greater Latrobe 4 Chartiers Valley 2 (4A)
The Wildcats scored a pair of runs in the sixth inning, backing a strong outing on the hill from Logan Bradish, as they ousted Chartiers Valley 4-2 in the WPIAL Class 4A quarterfinals at Gateway High School. Bradish threw a complete game, giving up five hits and issuing one walk, while striking out four. Dante Basciano delivered the go-ahead RBI single in the decisive sixth frame for the No. 5 Wildcats, while Eli Boring went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, Riley Smith went 2-for-3 with an RBI, and Erick Batista provided two RBIs. Tyler Zallenick paced the fourth seed Colts, as he went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and pitched 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while Justin Ferrari homered. While Greater Latrobe improved to 16-6 and advances to play top-seeded Montour in the semifinals at Boyce-Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair on Tuesday, Chartiers Valley ended the season with a record of 14-7.
Neshannock 2 Yough 1 (3A)
A squeeze bunt produced the winning run in the sixth inning, as the Cougars fell 2-1 against Neshannock in the WPIAL Class 3A quarterfinals at Highlands High School. Andrew Moses scored the deciding run on the play for the No. 6 Lancers, while Grant Melder and Andrew Frye each doubled in the victory. Third-seeded Yough was paced by Jack Sampson, who went 2-for-2, while Bobby Etze accounted for the lone RBI. The Cougars concluded their season with a record of 16-6, while the Lancers elevated their mark to 17-4 and will square off against Avonworth in the semifinals on Tuesday.
New Brighton 5 Ligonier Valley 2 (2A)
A three-run deficit after the first inning proved too much to overcome for the Rams, as they fell 5-2 to New Brighton in the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals at Fox Chapel Area High School. Jake McKee earned the win for the No. 3 Lions, as he went the distance, allowing eight hits and issuing two walks while striking out nine, and he also added two RBIs at the plate. The Rams scored both of their runs in the fifth inning, as Noah Lawson and Duncan Foust reached on consecutive singles, and Broderick Schreyer provided an RBI single. Foust, Schreyer, and Haden Sierocky each had two-hit efforts for the No. 11 Rams. Tyler Smith took the loss on the hill, as he surrendered five runs over four innings, walking three while also racking up three strikeouts. LV concluded the season at 12-8-1, while New Brighton moved to 15-4 and advanced to face Seton-LaSalle in the semis on Tuesday.
WPIAL baseball first round playoff results from Thursday, May 18th 2023:
Yough 12 Keystone Oaks 2 (3A)
Gavin Roebuck drove in four runs to help lift No. 3 Yough to a 12-2 triumph over No. 14 Keystone Oaks in a WPIAL 3A first round match up at Norwin. The Cougars led by a slim 3-2 margin until putting the game away with four runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to enact the mercy rule. Robuck cracked a two-run homer in the third inning and James Shoman had three hits and scored four runs for Yough (16-5). Carson Pasinski was the winning pitcher allowing two runs, one earned, over five-plus innings. Yough will play No. 6 Neshannock in the quarterfinals on an unknown date. The Lancers edged Shady Side Academy 6-5 in the first round.
Mohawk 9 Greensburg Salem 3 (3A)
No. 12 Mohawk used a six-run inning in the fourth to roll past No. 5 Greensburg Salem 9-3 in WPIAL 3A first round action at Shaler. The Warriors held a commanding 8-0 advantage until the Golden Lions trimmed it to 8-3 with three runs scoring in the fifth. They would get no closer. Grant Smith and Tyler Martin each doubled and scored a run for the Golden Lions (13-6). Jacob Werner went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and two runs scored for Mohawk (13-7).
Avonworth 9 Derry Area 0 (3A)
Colin Crawford allowed just two hits and no runs over six innings of work as No. 2 Avonworth shut out No. 18 Derry Area 9-0 in a WPIAL 3A first round game at Plum. The Antelopes scored runs in every inning but the sixth, including three runs in the fifth frame. Ben Barnes and Cooper Scharding each brought in a pair of runs for the Antelopes (16-5). Derek Brooks went 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Cason Long and Antonio Hauser collected the hits for the Trojans (8-11).
Ligonier Valley 9 Chartiers-Houston 8 (2A)
Logan Johnston's RBI single in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in Ligonier Valley's 9-8 upset over No. 6 Chartiers-Houston in a WPIAL 2A first round match up at Gateway. In addition to Johnston, Adam Moreland doubled and plated three runs in the contest for the 11th seeded Rams (12-7). Ligonier Valley will play No. 3 New Brighton in the quarterfinals.
OLSH 1 Greensburg Central Catholic 0 (2A)
Quinn Santelli threw a four-hit complete game shutout leading No. 9 OLSH to a 1-0 victory over No. 8 Greensburg Central Catholic in a WPIAL 2A first round contest at Boyce Mayview Park. The lone run of the game came in the first inning on Austin Hansen's fielder's choice. Ian Shipley doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but was stranded for the Centurions (9-6).
WPIAL baseball first round playoff results from Wednesday, May 17th 2023:
Greater Latrobe 7 Kiski Area 6 (4A)
Dante Basciano's groundout in the seventh inning lifted No. 5 Greater Latrobe to a 7-6 victory over No. 12 Kiski Area in a WPIAL 4A first round match up at Norwin. The Wildcats had held a 5-3 lead through six innings but the Cavaliers tallied three runs in the top of the seventh, including the go-ahead RBI single from Jacob Smith, to jump in front 6-5. In the bottom of the seventh, Eli Boring came through with a run-scoring single to tie the game and set the stage for Basciano. With the bases loaded and one out, he hit a ground ball to second baseman Dom DiNinno who fielded the ball and threw it to the plate but Boring beat the throw to score the winning run. Boring finished 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs for the Wildcats (15-6). Louie Amatucci added two hits. Smith finished with a pair of hits and two RBIs for Kiski Area (9-10). Logan Bradish worked five innings to pick up the win. He allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits while striking out seven. Greater Latrobe will square off with Chartiers Valley on Monday in the quarterfinals at Gateway at 4 p.m.
WPIAL baseball preliminary round results from Tuesday, May 16th 2023:
Derry Area 16 Mount Pleasant 5 (3A)
Derry Area scored 11 runs over the final two innings to pull away from Mount Pleasant and earn a 16-5 win over the Vikings in a WPIAL 3A preliminary round game at Greater Latrobe. With the score tied at 5-5, the Trojans exploded for four runs in the sixth inning and tallied seven in the seventh. Cason Long paced Derry Area with four hits, including two doubles, three RBIs and three runs scored. Antonio Hauser collected two hits and five RBIs while Brady Angus drove in three and scored three times. Luke Nicotera recorded three hits and knocked in a pair of runs for the Vikings (9-10). Nate Papuga pitched five innings to earn the victory. The Trojans (8-10) will face No. 2 seed Avonworth on Thursday in the first round.
Valley 6 Burrell 5 (3A)
Valley used a big third inning and held off a late charge in a 6-5 victory over Burrell in a WPIAL 3A preliminary round contest at Highlands. The game was tied at 2-2 before the Vikings plated four runs in the third inning to go in front 6-2. The Bucs would chip away, scoring a single run in the fourth and two more in the sixth but couldn't tie the game. Valley (11-10) will play top-seed Riverside on Thursday while Burrell finishes with a record of 7-10.
