Waynesburg falls to Lancers, 5-1
UPPER ST. CLAIR 鈥� Jake Rynd pitched six strong innings and Neshannock scored the go-ahead run on a suicide squeeze bunt as the 11th-seeded Lancers defeated Waynesburg Central, 5-1, in a WPIAL Class AAA first-round baseball playoff game at Boyce Mayview Park on May 14.
The sixth-seeded Raiders (13-4) scored the game鈥檚 first run in the opening inning when Trenton Zupper walked and Derek Turcheck鈥檚 deep fly ball landed just inside the left-field line for an RBI double.
Neshannock (12-9) tied the score in the fourth, then grabbed the lead in the fifth. A leadoff walk, line-drive single and two stolen bases put runners on second and third against Waynesburg starter Tyler Groves. Cole Hutchinson then dropped down a suicide squeeze bunt and another run scored on a groundout, giving Neshannock a 3-1 lead.
The Lancers made a key defensive play in the outfield to thwart a Waynesburg threat in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Grant Pack walked, Austin Surber鈥檚 sacrifice bunt resulted in an error and Alex VanSickle reached on a bunt single to load the bases with one out. Turcheck flew out to center fielder Dominic Cubellis who threw out Pack trying to score from third on the play for an inning-ending double play with catcher Luca Mezzanotte applying the tag.
Waynesburg outhit Neshannock 9-4 but left 10 runners on base. Turcheck, Nicholas Willard and Alex VanSickle each had two hits for the Raiders.
Neshannock advances to Monday鈥檚 quarterfinals against No. 14 Burrell.