Azulay, Parker Lyons, Adam Schurr and Conor Martin help provide consistent run support. His hitting skills, paired with other sluggers like Colin Marinpetro and Anthony Raineri, give the Indians enough fire power to hang around with anyone. We grind out games and the kids are winners., LIBERTY WINS IT 4-2!!Wow. We played tight in those games and that wasnt our team. The better team won today.. The Panthers captured third place in WPIAL Class 2A with a gutsy comeback win over Burgettstown on Tuesday. Their time at the top might not come for another year or so, but don't be shocked if this group turns some heads in 2022. The junior is a perfect 7-0 in his 11 appearances and has a low ERA of 0.91. Contact Noah Hiles atnhiles@gannett.com. Now everybody is seeing our team. Scouting Thomas Jefferson: Just a few weeks ago, many would've been shocked to find out Thomas Jefferson would be anywhere close to reaching the state playoffs. 12 seed in Class 5A but fought their way into the PIAA tournament thanks to a huge upset victory over Greater Latrobe in the opening round, followed by a gritty 1-0 victory over Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals. The Hurricanes got an insurance run on another high bouncer to third by Jacob Rivera which resulted in an infield hit and another run. At the plate, Boehm and junior Mitch Garvin have swung big bats, combining for five home runs. The Tigers are 0-5 all-time in the PIAA postseason but have a team that could perhaps capture that first state playoff victory. And just enough offense. Its two top hitters, Brayden Fox and Aiden Snowberger are freshmen hitting over .400. For the story, go to https://t.co/K4EJXrZwiX. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call). Four teams from the Beaver Valley have advanced, and each is competing in a different classification. Liberty will be making its first appearance in a state final since 2002 when the Hurricanes, coached by Harry Dudeck, lost to Moon, 3-2. RELATED: 'He's a bulldog': Fox closes out WPIAL playoff consolation win for Hopewell. He struck out the final three hitters with the bases loaded in the District 10 title game to preserve the Tigers' 6-4 win over Franklin. Led by seniors Preston King and Aiden Rubilotta, the District 10 champions have a steady lineup loaded with consistent contributors. We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism. However, the club's ace is senior Anthony LaSala, who has gone 5-3 with a 1.26 ERA in a team-leading 10 appearances. He did a really good job.. Anderson, a senior and Youngstown State commit, is 3-2 on the year with a 3.47 ERA. Meanwhile, on the mound, Rochester will have to worry about the terrific tandem of Brandon Anderson and Carter Hickman. ONeill then followed with an infield single to shortstop that turned into much more as Hazleton made two throwing errors that put ONeill on third. Scouting Riverside: Riverside is young but dangerous. That run ended in the quarterfinals with a loss to Blackhawk. West Allegheny gained a huge boost in the WPIAL semifinals when senior and Auburn commit Gavin Miller returned from a wrist injury that kept him out for nearly the entire season. Warwick or Cumberland Valley will be the opponent. From there, Hazleton pitcher Kyle Peters retired 11 in a row until Tommy Mason singled with two out in the fifth. Head coach Adam Fox's team is young but clearly has talent. We each got 100 ground balls on Sunday.. The Liberty High baseball team was able to use the turf field at BASD Stadium over the weekend to practice for Mondays PIAA Class 6A semifinal against Hazleton Area on the turf at Stroudsburg Little Leagues Creekview Park. Liberty plays Hazleton on Monday, June 13, 2022, in the PIAA Class 6A semifinals at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. Even though Scheirer, who had singled to right and stole second, was thrown out on the play Liberty had a two-run lead and momentum. 2022 www.timesonline.com. The Rams have never won a PIAA title in baseball. At that point, the Cougars pulled Peters in favor of Brett Antolick, exchanging one Division 1 recruit for another. 5, with their most recent one coming in 2019. Scouting West Allegheny: It's hard to find a hotter team in the Beaver Valley than the Indians. Scouting DuBois Central Catholic: If there's one thing the Cardinals do best, it's produce at the plate. The Cardinals enter the postseason with their eyes on state title No. Sophomore Bryce Danish is another talented pitcher for the Trojans. They took advantage of it. This was our first time playing on it since the fall and the true hops are good. Liberty plays Hazleton on Monday, June 13, 2022, in the PIAA Class 6A semifinals at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. Liberty's Ayden Zabala heads for home. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call). With only two seniors on the Panthers' roster, the state playoffs will be a new, big stage for most of Oliastro's club. As a young pitcher, he really impressed me today with his poise in a big-game situation. Senior Madden Boehm has also been an arm that Riverside relies on regularly. The District 11 champs (26-2) knocked off a Cougars team that had won 22 straight games after a season-opening loss to North Penn and was averaging 11 runs per game. And honestly, we didnt make all the plays. Gyauch-Quirk walked the first batter he faced in the seventh, but got a double-play grounder and then recorded a strikeout to finish it. Weve come a long way since our losses to Nazareth. Zabala followed with another bouncer to short, but the throw to the plate to try to get ONeill was off target and Liberty had the lead. Now, the focus shifts to keep that positive momentum rolling in the PIAA playoffs. Details: 2 p.m. Monday at Ross Memorial Park (Washington). Hopewell hopes to win state title No. But he regrouped from that frame to toss five scoreless innings, allowing just one hit in the process. Give him credit. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Though disappointed his teams season had ended, Hazleton head coach Russ Canzler had good things to say about Liberty. Liberty's Jacob Scheirer takes a swing during Monday's PIAA Class 6A semifinal game against Hazleton at at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. DuBois Central Catholic boasts a team batting average of .338. We liked playing on the turf, said junior second baseman Tate George, who was in the middle of the double plays and involved in several other key plays. RELATED: Dramatic sixth inning comeback sends Rochester to PIAA Playoffs. Junior Ronnie Harper and freshmen Hunter Garvin and Christian Lucarelli have all appeared in 10 or more games this season. 2, with the first coming in 2001. Details: 6:30 p.m. Monday at Showers Field (DuBois). Senior Sean Houston (3-0, 2.14 ERA) has been clutch in the postseason. Rochester, Riverside and Hopewell will all be the third seed from District 7 in their respective classification while West Allegheny will be the top seed from District 7 in Class 5A after defeating Peters Township in the WPIAL Championship. All rights reserved. The defense deserves so much credit, especially on those double plays. Details: 4:30 p.m. Monday at Mercyhurst University. The senior posted a solid 4-1 record in the regular season. For the story on the game, go to https://t.co/K4EJXrZwiX pic.twitter.com/Xf1LmTU4nk. We were aggressive on the bases and we put the ball in play and forced them to make plays. Its on to Penn State for the 4:30 6A final on Thursday. We knew Brett [Antolick] was going to be the guy coming in and brings the heat and throws hard, but we just had to put the ball in play, ONeill said. He got down 2-0, but he kept coming after our guys and he kept throwing strikes. Liberty catcher Reece DiAmico waits for the ball to tage out Hazleton's Kevin Guzman on Monday at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. Led by manager Timothy Hicks, the Trojans captured a District 6 title in dominant fashion this spring, scoring 10 or more runs in 14 of their 22 games. Their most dangerous presence at the plate is junior catcher Braylan Knable, who is hitting .413 with four home runs and 23 RBIs. Junior Evan Burry and sophomores Bo Fornataro and Darren McDade have also been tough outs. What clutch pitching by Noah Gyauch-Quirk and fantastic defense. But we have one more and District 3 is tough. Rochester hasn't won a game in the state playoffs since 2008. NOAH & HAYDEN These two great @LHSVarBBALL players, Noah Gyauch-Quirk & Hayden ONeill, have been a potent 1-2 punch on the mound for the Hurricanes and now they have punched their tickets for Penn State, pic.twitter.com/62MBLrYl1g, They turned two double plays and made all the plays they were supposed to make, he said. The Trojans enter this year's state playoffs looking for PIAA title No. Its great for the kids, Pitsilos said. While other teams in the recent past have come close, perhaps this group of underdogs can keep the magic going. He finished with 91 pitches and wont be eligible to pitch at Penn State, but he certainly had a big hand in getting the Hurricanes to State College. Liberty got a run in the second when Ayden Zabala walked, Gyauch-Quirk singled and Scheirer moved the runners over with a chopper to short. We had some chances early to go up more than 2-0 and against a tough pitcher like Noah, you want to take advantage of any opportunity you get and we got two that one inning, but we were hoping for more, Canzler said. RELATED: Riverside's composure allows for comeback win in WPIAL consolation game. And that includes facilities. Scouting Fairview: Head coach Joe Spinelli enters Monday's battle hoping his squad can achieve something no team in program history has done. The Rams, Panthers, Vikings and Indians will hope to change that within the next few weeks. They did it with the clutch pitching of Gyauch-Quirk, who had his streak of innings without allowing an earned run end in the second inning when Hazleton scored twice. In section play, the Rams split a two-game series against WPIAL Class 1A champion Union. Sophomores Eddie Dolansky and Aari Fox have been a pair of breakout stars for the Tigers this spring, both hitting over .350. Hickman is a year younger but has numbers that jump off the stat sheet a 9-0 record and 0.73 ERA in 36 innings of work. We had practice at our football stadium and fielded a lot of ground balls and got used to it. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call). Spinosa advanced to third on Reece DAmicos grounder to third. pic.twitter.com/rmLDcSt0GB. JC [Spinosa, the shortstop], [third baseman Jacob] Scheirer, Tate and Hayden [ONeill], the whole infield was great.. Scouting Hopewell: The Vikings have everything a team needs to make a deep run in the PIAA playoffs. Canzler also credited the Liberty defense. Liberty's Ayden Zabala heads for home. The latest sports news locally and nationally, and what's happening in sports this afternoon and tonight. South Side was the last team from the area to play in a PIAA final in 2018, while Riverside was the Beaver Valley's last state champion, winning the Class 2A crown in 2012. This marks Thomas Jefferson's second appearance in the state playoffs in program history, with the first taking place in 2012. In 22 games this year, the District 9 champions have scored five or more runs all but twice. Scouting Rochester: Don't let the Rams' record fool you, Brian Verrico's club has more than enough talent to make a deep run in the PIAA playoffs. If youre not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing. We knew we were going to be facing pretty fast pitching all game so we had to cut our swings down and just put the ball in play as much as possible and run the bases.. Ryan Scott will likely be who Riverside sees on the mound Monday. ANDY PITSILOSThe @LHSVarBBALL coach was all smiles after todays semifinal win over Hazleton but said there is more work to be done. Details: 4 p.m. Monday at Mount Union High School.
Thomas Jefferson relies on big-time offensive production from infielders Angelo Volomino and Alec Warden. RELATED: West Allegheny overcomes adversity throughout season, wins program's fifth WPIAL title. West Allegheny hasn't reached a state final since 1994. Liberty catcher Reece DiAmico waits for the ball to tage out Hazleton's Kevin Guzman on Monday at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. The Cardinals receive power from junior third basemen Kaden Brezenski, who has a team-best three home runs this spring. Most of Hopewell's starting lineup gained valuable experience last year, when they advanced to the state quarterfinals before falling to eventual state champion Tyrone.
Jacob Rivera followed with a grounder to second that scored Zabala. Junior Lucas Arington has been the top star for the Vikings this spring, entering the PIAA tournament with a .455 batting average, three home runs and 32 RBIs all team bests. Mount Union's starting lineup features seven batters hitting .310 or better. Bradey Haberman could get the start on the mound for the Jaguars. He kept the Canes close thanks to a defensive effort that turned two double plays, threw out a runner at the plate, another runner at third and another attempting to steal second. The senior pitching duo of Ethan Blair and Sal Laure gives Rochester a chance against any lineup, while the big bats of J.D. Some of them were high choppers because of the turf. With the first-round for all classifications starting Monday, here's a look at each of the four matchups featuring a team from the area. There were a couple of balls that bounced some funny ways and we threw the ball around a little bit. Morgan Singletary's lineup features six batters hitting over .340. Already a print subscriber? pic.twitter.com/2qiJnk8FPA, They were a great hitting team and they put the ball in play up and down that lineup, Gyauch-Quirk said. I had to throw strikes and got the outs. The PIAA postseason has arrived. Altogether, Mount Union has played in six state finals. Like Scott, Danish has also made 11 appearances, going 6-1 with a 1.30 ERA in 43 innings. 2, with the first coming in 1986. Arington is also no slouch on the mound, boasting a 6-0 record and 2.65 ERA. They also had some tough non-section opponents, like Eden Christian and Mohawk, the runners-up in Class 1A and Class 3A. The victory was made possible thanks to a strong team effort on the mound, something the team has relied on all season. If you havent already, please activate your digital access. The Jaguars entered the WPIAL postseason as the No. Led by legendary head coach Dan Oliastro, who has helped the Panthers capture four PIAA titles in his 52-year career, this year's team enters the postseason with a deep roster in all areas. The defense backed the pitching of Gyauch-Quirk, who allowed no baserunners in just one inning.
TATE GEORGEHe doesnt get to bat but he sure played a big role defensively in todays @LHSVarBBALL win. Braylen Gonzalez lined to deep center to end that inning, but Spinosa began the sixth with a double down the left-field line. He walked three, hit two batters, struck out three and finished with a 4-hitter in his second straight complete-game effort in the PIAA tournament. They'll look to change that come Monday. They work real hard. To make a historic run to the state finals, you need a little bit of everything to help out. As the celebration continued into the parking lot at Creekview Park, Pitsilos warned that more work was to be done. After hundreds of teams throughout the state started the year with hopes to go far, a limited field now remains, all aiming to capture a PIAA title. Despite being an area known for its rich talent on the diamond, it's been a while since a Beaver Valley team took the field in a PIAA Championship. I knew we would have at least one inning where we would threaten and it happened to be the sixth, he said. We actually practiced that a little bit and being ready to go on choppers that took time to field., Liberty's Jacob Scheirer takes a swing during Monday's PIAA Class 6A semifinal game against Hazleton at at East Stroudsburg University's Creekview Park. They will play District 3 champ Warwick, a 9-0 winner over Cumberland Valley in its semifinal, at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Penn States Medlar Field at Lubrano Park for the 6A gold. Follow him on twitter@_NoahHiles. On the mound, Hopewell will likely see Logan Fiolek the senior has a record of 9-1 and a 2.35 ERA. Seniors Anthony Pass and Nate Nolan have been brilliant all year, especially in the postseason. Liberty coach Andy Pitsilos said that as long as his team stayed close, they had a shot. Despite facing multiple waves of adversity, Bryan Cornell's team rallied to capture its fifth WPIAL title in program history on Wednesday. Scouting Mount Union: Not to be confused with the Division III football powerhouse located in Alliance, Ohio, this Mount Union has a notable history of its own, and it's on the baseball field. Led by a group of upperclassmen who've been in the starting lineup for numerous seasons, Rochester has played one of the toughest schedules in Class 1A. However, what makes West Allegheny stand out is its pitching. The practice made for a stellar defensive performance that combined with the poised pitching of sophomore Noah Gyauch-Quirk and an opportunistic three-run sixth inning led to a 4-2 win over the District 2 champion Cougars and puts the Hurricanes one win away from the first state championship in the programs history.