Falcons鈥� season ends in WPIAL quarterfinals
PITTSBURGH 鈥� Connellsville鈥檚 Mason Miller had a quality outing in Monday鈥檚 game against Shaler in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs at Plum High School.
Unfortunately for Miller and the Falcons, his mound opponent was the Titans鈥� Colby Weber, who has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the WPIAL this season.
The East Carolina commit struck out 14 and didn鈥檛 walk a batter in Shaler鈥檚 6-1 victory to advance to Tuesday鈥檚 semifinals against Peters Township (15-7).
Connellsville finishes its season at 14-6, but the Falcons reached the quarterfinals of the district playoffs for the first time in 19 years.
鈥淚t is a record-setting team,鈥� Connellsville coach Rob Onrdorff said. 鈥淭his team has done something that no one else has done in 19 years, so this team showed its character and work ethic. Work ethic is huge, and that goes back to the winter time.
鈥淭he majority of these kids have been with us through the weight room and the early January times when the snow is falling, and working through all that stuff.
鈥淕rayden Gillott is one of the hardest working kids that I鈥檝e coached, and one of the greatest leaders I鈥檝e had since I鈥檝e coached. It was my pleasure to be able to coach a kid like that, and he鈥檚 not the only one. 鈥淗e is the one I talked to right after the game. We had nine seniors who were all great kids to work with. You couldn鈥檛 get better kids with the way they work, and the effort they give, and it made the season and coaching fun.鈥�
Weber, a 6-6 right-hander who throws in the low 90s, allowed one earned run on three hits over seven innings. He threw 102 pitches (78 strikes).
Miller yielded six runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings. He struck out and walked two in throwing 100 pitches (61 strikes).
鈥淗e (Miller) did extremely well,鈥� Orndorff said. 鈥淲e eliminate that error, and they have the one hit and no runs in the first inning. We add to his pitch count, and it makes it tougher for him as well, and he gets tired toward the end, so those things add up.鈥�
Connellsville had runners on first and second with nobody out in the top of the first inning when Jonathan Kelly and Gillott reached base after they were hit-by-pitch.
Weber recorded a strikeout, flyout to center field and another strikeout to get out of the jam.
鈥淲e started the game with guys at first and second with their help,鈥� Orndorff said. 鈥淲e weren鈥檛 able to execute to get any runs home, but I tip my hat to their pitcher. He has been good all year, and is a very effective, strong pitcher, but I think our kids had a good approach, and I think our kids battled through it, especially the top half of our order.鈥�
Shaler (15-6) scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the first for a 3-0 lead.
Kaleb Jockel singled and advanced to second on a groundout before Ben Yeckel Jr. reached second on an error. Jockel took third on the play, and after a strikeout, Jockel and Yeckel scored on Landon Schiffhauer鈥檚 base hit to center field.
Weber鈥檚 double to right field drove in Schiffhauer for a three-run advantage.
鈥淭hey were able to do some damage with two outs,鈥� Orndorff said. 鈥淲e gave them a few things defensively. Our catcher had two nice throws, and we weren鈥檛 able to execute the catch and the tag, which changes a few things.鈥�
The Falcons had a runner on third base in the second and third innings, as Keegan Lott reached second base on an error and advanced to third on a wild pitch in the second, and Gillott tripled to left field in the third, but Weber was able to get out of both jams with three strikeouts and a groundout to shortstop.
Connellsville cut the deficit to 3-1 in the fourth when Noah Zawislan tripled to left field and scored on Jayden Mickens鈥� single to left.
鈥淛ayden鈥檚 other two at-bats were difficult, but he came through with a big hit with two strikes,鈥� Orndorff said. 鈥淚 thought Noah and Grayden had two solid hits that went for triples.鈥�
The Titans got the run back in the bottom of the frame on a fielder鈥檚 choice and Weber had an RBI single in the fifth for a 5-1 advantage. Shaler scored its final run in the sixth to extend its lead to five.
Jockel and Schiffhauer had two hits apiece.