June 4, 2018, PIAA Baseball: Oswayo Valley Moves into Quarterfinals

DUBOIS, Pa. – Oswayo Valley was the lone District 9 baseball team to advance out of the first round of PIAA play Monday.

(Photo of Garren Black of Oswayo Valley. Photo by Paul Burdick. Check out more of Burdick’s work here)

The Green Wave shutout Berlin Brothersvalley, 2-0, to advance to Thursday’s second round, but overall it was a tough day for D9 with some heartbreaking losses for D9 champions.

Here is a look at all the action.

OSWAYO VALLEY 2, BERLIN BROTHERSVALLEY 0

DUBOIS, Pa. – Garren Black tossed a three-hit shutout to lead District 9 runner-up Oswayo Valley to the 2-0 win over Berlin Brothersvalley, the second-place team out of District 5 in the Class 1A first round at Showers Field in DuBois.

Black walked two and a hit a batter while striking out 11. He needed 102 pitches to complete his masterpiece.

The Green Wave struck for solo runs in the first and fourth to back up Black.

In the first, Gage Babcock led off with a single, was bunted to second by Ryan Graves and scored on a two-out double to right by Gavin Babcock.

Then in the fourth, Theo Henry singled with two outs, went to third on a single by Colton Gietler and scored when Gunner Bean reached on an error.

Gavin Babcock was 2-for-3 with the double and the RBI with Black also going 2-for-3.

Nick Gooden was strong on the mound in a losing effort allowing two runs, one earned, on eight hits while striking out five. He didn’t walk a batter. He also had two of his team’s three hits.

Oswayo Valley is now 19-2. The Green Wave will face WPIAL champion Vincentian Academy, a 10-0, five-inning winner of District 9-10 third-place finisher Jamestown, Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC 4, DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC 3

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – A four-run fifth-inning helped WPIAL third-place finisher Greensburg Central Catholic to a 4-3 win over District 9 champion DuBois Central Catholic in the PIAA Class 1A first round at Kuntz Field in Punxsutawney.

The Centurions, who were defeated by Clarion, 1-0, in walk-off fashion in last year’s semifinals, took a 4-1 lead with that four-run fifth and then held off DCC, which scored twice in the bottom of the inning to get within a run.

Paul Rice had a double for GCC while Ethan Bailey was 2-for-3 with a run scored. James Rice drove in a pair of runs.

Justin Miknis was 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI for DCC, while Tyler McIntosh was 2-for-4.

Antonio Cavallo got the win going five innings allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while striking out four. Bruce Leonard picked up the save giving up two hits and a walk in two innings of work.

Thomas Grecco suffered the loss. He allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out seven in 4 ⅔ innings. Miknis pitched 2 ⅓ innings giving up three hits and a walk while striking out one.

The Cardinals had a chance in the seventh to tie the game when McIntosh singled with one out and Miknis followed with a double. But McIntosh was gunned out at third on the play for the second out, and following a walk to Domenic Toretti, Grecco flew out to right to end the game with Miknis at third following a wild pitch. It was the second time in three innings Miknis was stranded at third with two outs, as he was left at third in the fifth when Garret Prosper popped out in the fifth after DCC had gotten within a run.

DCC finishes the season 16-7 while GCC will take on District 6 champion Homer-Center, a 6-2 winner over WPIAL runner-up Union-New Castle, in the quarterfinals Thursday at a site and time to be announced.

CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP 6, JOHNSONBURG 1

SOMERSET, Pa. – Devin Foster helped District 5 champion Conemaugh Township top District 9 champion Johnsonburg, 6-1, in the Class 2A first round at Somerset High School.

Foster was the winning pitcher going 6 ⅓ innings before hitting 100 pitches. He allowed one unearned run on two hits and a walk while striking out 13. Offensively, Foster staked the Indians to an early lead with a home run over the right-center field fence in the first inning.

Ryan Heinlein added a two-run homer for Conemaugh Township in the second, but those two hits accounted for two of the four against Johnsonburg starter Johnny Mitchell, who was hurt by three errors behind him.

Mitchell gave up five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks while striking out four in four innings of work.

Zack Zameroski legged out an infield single in the third to score the Rams’ only run.

Johnsonburg ends the year 14-5. Conemaugh Township will face WPIAL champion Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic in the second round Thursday at a site and time to be determined.

BALD EAGLE AREA 15, MONITEAU 6, 9 INNINGS

DUBOIS, Pa. – Gut wrenching might not begin to describe what happened to Monday Monday.

The District 5-9 champion Warriors took a 6-3 lead into the top of the seventh inning against District 6 runner-up Bald Eagle Area only to watch the Eagles rally to tie the game and then score nine runs in the ninth for a 15-6 win in the Class 3A first round at Showers Field in DuBois.

Even after giving up the lead in the seventh, the Warriors loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the inning but couldn’t score.

Up 6-1 after four innings, Moniteau saw its lead cut to 6-3 when Bald Eagle scored twice in the top of the fifth.

But even then, the Warriors seemed in good shape going to the seventh with the three-run cushion.

Things even looked better after Hunter Fitzingo struck out Jordan Jones to start the inning. But Fitzingo reached 104 pitches on the strikeout and had to come out of the game.

The Warriors turned to Chance Nagy to nail down the save, and Nagy hit Jaden Jones but got Grant King to fly out for the second out.

But the third out was hard to come by.

Trent Donley singled to left by Jaden Jones going to second. Matt Reese followed with a double to left scoring Jones and sending Donley to third. Hunter Brooks then tied the game with a two-run single to center.

Despite giving up the lead, Moniteau looked like it would come away with the victory when Wyatt Geibel started the bottom of the seventh with a triple to right.

Bald Eagle Area then intentionally walked Jared Lominski and Nathan Sosigian to load the bases.

Then Nick Maynard, the second pitcher of the day for BEA, performed a miracle. He struck out Lee DeMatteis and Brice Williams and then got Nagy to ground into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.

After getting out of the top of the eight, Moniteau started off good in the bottom of the inning again when Fitzingo singled leading off. But he was picked off first, and then Jewart singled before Nate Sosigian popped out. Then Jewart was picked off first ending the inning.

Things then went south quickly on Moniteau in the ninth as five errors led to nine unearned Bald Eagle Area runs.

Reese had a monster day at the dish for BEA going 4-for-6 with two doubles, a triple, two runs scored and six RBIs. King was 2-for-6 with three runs scored, Donley was 2-for-6 with two runs scored, Brooks was 2-for-5 with a run scored and two RBIs and Jaden Jones was 1-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Jewart was 3-for-5 with a triple, a run scored and three RBIs for Moniteau with Fitzingo going 2-for-3 with two walks and Geibel 2-for-4 with the triple, a walk and an RBI. DeMatteis scored twice.

Maynard got the win in relief of Noah Williamson throwing 4 ⅔ innings of scoreless relief. He allowed four hits and three walks – two intentional – while striking out three. Williamson pitched 3 ⅓ giving up six runs on four hits and four walks while striking out two. Donley pitched a scoreless ninth allowing a hit.

Jewart took the loss going ⅔ of an inning allowing nine unearned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one.

Fitzingo pitched 6 ⅓ allowing three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out 10. Nagy gave up three runs on four hits and the hit batter while striking out two in 1 ⅔ innings. Lominski got the final out in the ninth.

Moniteau finishes the season 16-6. Bald Eagle Area will face WPIAL Champion Brownsville in the second round Thursday at a time and place to be determined. Brownsville beat District 10 runner-up Mercyhurst Prep, 3-2.

RINGGOLD 4, ST. MARYS 3

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. – WPIAL runner-up Ringgold scored four runs in its final two at-bats and then held off District 9 champion St. Marys in the bottom of the seventh for a 4-3 win in the Class 4A first round at Kuntz Field in Punxsutawney.

The Rams couldn’t touch St. Marys starter Nate Beimel through five innings giving up two hits and three walks while striking 11 before reaching 101 pitches and being forced from the game.

Ringgold then scored twice in the sixth and twice in seventh off Tim Beimel, who allowed five hits while striking out three.

Down 4-1 going to the bottom of the seventh, the Dutch when Hayden Tettis walked leading off the inning, and Brandon Sicheri walked with two outs. Jared Groll then singled home Tettis and Nate Beimel singled home Sicheri with Groll going to third. But Tim Beimel lined out to end the game.

Ryan Varley was 3-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI for Ringgold with Bobby Boyer going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Shane Price was 2-for-3 for St. Marys with Tim Beimel going 2-for-4 with a double and Sicheri 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored.

Varley got the win going six innings allowing a run on seven hits and a walk while striking out nine. Chase Angotti picked up the save giving up two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one in an inning of work.

St. Marys finishes the year 15-7. Ringgold will play WPIAL runner-up Hopewell, a 5-0 winner over District 10 champion Grove City.