May 25 Playoff scores and recaps.
Baseball Recaps
Elk County Catholic 6, Clarion 1
The Crusaders used key hits and a solid all-around game to top Clarion, 6-1. After Clarion scored one in the first to open the scoring, ECC took the lead with a two-run second inning. Isaac Dellaquila and Joey Geci each dropped in bloop hits to start the inning, and Tommy Slay smacked a single to score the first run of the frame. David Anderson drove in the second run of the inning on a fielder’s choice.
The Crusaders struck again in the third, with a Joe Tettis RBI double and Geci 2-RBI single opening up the Crusaders’ lead to 5-1. Four runs were plenty of run support for ECC, as Slay threw six strong innings, allowing only three hits and four walks, striking out nine. Tettis threw a scoreless seventh for ECC.
Geci led his squad from the bottom of the order, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Slay and Tettis also had two hits apiece for the Crusaders. Cole Slaugenhoup drove in Clarion’s lone run, going 1-for-1 with a double, a walk, and a sacrifice fly. He also took the loss on the mound, allowing seven hits and five runs (three earned) in five innings of work.
ECC will advance to face #2 seed Otto-Eldred in the Class A semifinals on Thursday.
DuBois Central Catholic 10, Smethport 6
A five-run sixth inning proved to be decisive in DCC’s 10-6 win over Smethport. After Smethport scored a run in the second, the Cardinals opened their account with a two-run third, using an error and a bases-loaded walk worked by Ben Gritzer to take a 2-1 lead. The Hubbers replied with three in the bottom of the inning, scoring three runs on a sacrifice fly, the third of which came via an error.
DCC scored two in the second to tie the game at four before coming up big in the sixth. Four straight hits to begin the inning scored the first three runs of the frame, with Carter Hickman driving in a pair with a triple, and Damon Foster smacking an RBI single. Two more RBI singles dealt more damage, with Dante Armanini and Kaden Brezenski coming up with the clutch RBI for the Cardinals. Smethport attempted a late comeback, but could only score a pair of runs, falling 10-6.
Hickman and Armanini led DCC with three hits apiece, driving in three combined runs. Gritzer, Brandin Anderson, and Foster also had two RBI days for the Cardinals. Anderson received the win for DCC, pitching five innings of three-hit, four-run ball, striking out seven but walking four. Cartar Kosko pitched the final innings, allowing five hits but only two runs. Travis Cooney had a game to remember in the loss, going 4-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Cooney had half of Smethport’s eight hits.
DCC advances to play #1 seed C-L on Thursday in the semifinal round.
Johnsonburg 8, Port Allegany 0
Collin Porter threw a no-hitter as Johnsonburg topped Port Allegany 8-0. Porter was dazzling on the mound, striking out eight batters and allowing only one runner to reach base, conceding a third-inning walk. Porter faced a minimum 21 batters, as he forced a double play to cut down the lone baserunner of the evening.
Johnsonburg struggled at the dish early but came through with two in the fourth and fifth and four in the sixth to take the win. The Rams totaled 12 hits on the evening, with Camron Marchinak, Ethan Wells, Porter, and Dalton Stahli each collecting a pair of singles. Johnsonburg had no extra-base hits in the game but used their singles to get the job done.
Johnsonburg will advance to face #4 seed Moniteau in the semifinal round on Thursday.
Moniteau 13, Coudersport 3 (5 Innings)
Moniteau’s strong offense propelled the Warriors to a 13-3 mercy-rule win over Coudersport. The Warriors trailed 3-2 after the top of the third inning, but bossed the rest of the game, scoring three in the third, one in the fourth, two in the fifth, and sealed the deal with five in the sixth.
Tanner Williams and Dawson Wallace had big games for Moniteau, each going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Wallace scored four runs as well for Moniteau. Branson Carson had a pair of hits for Moniteau while also tossing three perfect innings on the mound, striking out seven. Brady Thompson threw the first three innings, allowing three runs on seven hits. Glover and Huck had two hits apiece for Coudersport in the loss.
Moniteau will advance to face #1 seed Johnsonburg in the semifinal round on Thursday.
Kane 7, Redbank Valley 0
Every team knows entering the playoffs that they’ll most likely see their opponent’s best pitcher. Kane’s star man Carson Whiteman put together a performance to remember as he threw a complete-game 18 strikeout shutout, powering Kane past the third-seeded Bulldogs 7-0 on Tuesday afternoon at Alcoa Park in Hawthorn.
Whiteman went the distance, allowing no runs on five hits. He didn’t walk a batter while striking out 18. Bryson Bain took the loss allowing four runs, one earned in 2 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three. Hudson Martz pitched the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits. He walked five and struck out seven.
Read the full recap by Steve Smail here.
Curwensville 4, Brookville 2
Curwensville came from behind to win as Jake Mullins threw an 82-pitch complete game in Curwensville’s 4-2 upset win over Brookville. The Golden Tide trailed 2-1 after four innings but rallied for two in the fifth and one in the seventh to take the victory.
Mullins created his own run support in the fifth, singling home a pair of runs to capitalize on a bases-loaded, two-out situation. Brookville made a late charge in the seventh, but Brookville stranded the tying run on first as Owen Caylor lined out to end the game.
Mullins led Curwensville at the dish, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Mullins also received the win in his complete-game effort, allowing only three hits and striking out eight. Jace Miner took the loss for Brookville, allowing two hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings, striking out 10 but walking five.
