Waynesburg storms back, clinches playoff spot
Baseball roundup
The Section 4-3A baseball standings were as tight as could be heading into Monday’s action with five teams battling for position and playoff berths below first-place Seton LaSalle.
Waynesburg Central’s main goal was straightforward: beat second-place Charleroi and sew up a spot in the postseason.
The Raiders did just that, storming back from a 5-2 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth to earn an 8-5 victory over the visiting Cougars.
Jeffrey Blair was 2 for 4 with five RBIs, including a clutch, tiebreaking, two-out, two-run single in the sixth-inning rally, as Waynesburg improved to 6-5 in the section and 7-11 overall.
Jarett Tretinik, who was 3 for 5 with two RBIs, followed Blair’s key hit with a run-scoring single to set the final score then the second baseman started a double play in the seventh that foiled any hopes Charleroi (6-5, 9-8) had of a comeback.
Winning pitcher CJ Corwin came within one out of going the distance. He allowed one earned run on three hits with four walks and two strikeouts. Austin Surber came on in relief to get a game-ending strikeout to earn the save.
“Our guys displayed the resiliency that we’ve honestly shown all year,” Waynesburg coach Perry Cunningham said. “I think the game was a snapshot of our season, give up a run or two early, have some miscues on defense, where it would be easy to fold. But our guys on the mound compete and don’t flinch and battle to allow us to stay in the game. Then it seems someone different comes up with a big at bat.”
The Cougars held leads of 3-0 and 5-2.
Waynesburg loaded the bases with one out in the fifth when Lucas Slifko was hit by a pitch and RJ Whyel and Brayden Badila followed with singles. Blair brought in one run with a grounder and a second run scored on the play when the ball was misplayed for an error. Tretinik then tied it with an RBI single.
The Raiders loaded the bases again with one out in the sixth thanks to two errors and a hit batter.
After a fly out, Blair sent a single to right field to bring in two runs and make it 7-5. Tretinik’s single to left made it 8-5.
Now that a postseason berth is sewed up, the Raiders focus shifted on their spot in the standings. Waynesburg entered Tuesday having a chance to clinch at least a share of second place with a win at Charleroi.
The Cougars, Keystone Oaks and Waynesburg were all tied for second place after Monday’s games. The Raiders have split all five of their section series so far and handed the frontrunning Rebels their only section loss of the season.
“Our section is well balanced and has been competitive this year,” Cunningham said. “I believe that all of our opponents understood that any of us could have qualified this year, and there was a different element than what we saw last year.
“It’s been a fun year competing against fairly evenly matched teams and all of our games came down to who pitched a little better or limited their mistakes in the field and on the bases and who got some offense out of the bottom of their lineup.”
Luke Henderson had two hits for Charleroi.
Washington and McGuffey both suffered losses on Monday to fall out of the playoff race.
CARMICHAELS 9, WEST GREENE 8 – The Mikes rallied from a 3-1 deficit with eight runs in the top of the seventh inning, then held on for a playoff-clinching victory over the host Pioneers.
Connor Lapana had a double, single and three RBIs, all in the seventh inning, for Carmichaels (6-5, 7-9). Chase Ankrom had two hits and Jordan Davis added a single and an RBI for the Mikes.
Carmichaels parlayed four errors, three walks, a hit batter and two hits into eight runs in its big top of the seventh.
Lapana led off the inning with a single and scored, then smacked a three-run double to cap the rally.
West Greene (2-9, 2-15) fought back in the bottom of the inning with five runs, which included a three-run homer by Jackson Grimes, but Brayden Andrews threw out a Pioneer runner trying to steal second for the second out. Levi Yeater then hit a double for West Greene but Ryder Krieg got a game-ending strikeout to end it.
CONNELLSVILLE 18, GREENSBURG SALEM 8 – Xander Newmeyer was 2 for 2 with three RBIs and two runs as the Falcons came back from an early 5-0 deficit to defeat the visiting Lions (2-13) in a non-section game.
Keegan Lott had a double and two RBIs and Geno Farrell also had a hit and two RBIs for Connellsville (9-10), which also got two hits apiece from Linkon Keller and Jackson Lee.
FRAZIER 7, BETH-CENTER 1 – Nick Porter came within one out of a complete game and knocked in three runs and Brant Alekson was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBIs as the Commodores beat the Bulldogs in a Section 1-2A game.
Porter gave up one run on four hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings before reaching the 100-pitch limit to earn the win. Noah Bachinski, who had a double, single and an RBI, came on in relief to got the final out.
Chase Fulmer doubled twice and Porter also doubled for Frazier (4-7, 8-9).
Gavin Cherup had two hits and knocked in the only run for Beth-Center (1-10, 1-15).
RINGGOLD 2, LAUREL HIGHLANDS 0 – Anthony Koziel threw a one-hit shutout as the Rams (6-5, 9-9) topped the Mustangs (2-9, 4-12) in a Section 2-4A game.
Noah Lion had the lone hit for Laurel Highlands.
Hard-lucking losing pitcher Nick Crouch surrendered just one earned run on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts in also going the distance.
ELIZABETH FORWARD 11, UNIONTOWN 1 – Elim Martin drove in the only run for the Red Raiders (4-7, 9-9) in a Section 2-4A loss to the Warriors (10-1, 12-6).
BELLE VERNON 3, WEST MIFFLIN 2 – The Leopards scored three runs in the first inning and hung on from there for a Section 2-4A victory over the host Titans (8-3, 12-6).
Winning pitcher Ian Porter went the distance, allowing one earned run on five hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
Nate Kostelnik had two RBIs for Belle Vernon (9-2, 13-3).
BENTWORTH 8, ALBERT GALLATIN 4 – Kaiden Brady-Bosley had two RBIs for the Colonials (1-17) in a non-section loss to the Bearcats (6-10).
CALIFORNIA 5, CHARTIERS-HOUSTON 0 – Weston Monticelli
tossed a five-hitter and Kaden Weston had two hits and an RBI as the second-place Trojans (9-2, 12-6) triumphed over the third-place Bucs (5-6, 9-8) in a Section 1-2A game.
Logan Hartley doubled and Parker Gillen singled twice for California.
FREEPORT 12, SOUTHMORELAND 2 – Peyton Bann had a double and an RBI but the Scotties (0-11, 1-17) lost to unbeaten Freeport (11-0, 16-0) in a Section 3-3A game.
GREENSBURG CENTRAL CATHOLIC 16, MAPLETOWN 0 – Carson Vanata had the lone hit for the Maples (0-11, 3-16) in a Section 1-A loss to the first-place Centurions (11-0, 13-0).
MOUNT PLEASANT 5, LIGONIER VALLEY 1 – Jordan Grieff had two hits and was the winning pitcher in the Vikings’ Section 3-3A victory over the Rams (5-6, 9-9).