Greensburg Salem baseball hopes to build on strong finish to 2018

By: Paul Schofield
Monday, March 11, 2019 | 9:57 PM

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A seven-game winning streak, which included a win over No. 1 Blackhawk in the WPIAL Class 4A playoffs, toward the end of last season gives Greensburg Salem baseball coach Bill Wisniewski a reason to be optimistic about the 2019 season.

Wisniewski believes his team can challenge Knoch for the top spot in Section 1-4A.

“This is a good section,” Wisniewski said. “Well balanced. Anyone can beat anyone on a given day. It’s all about the matchups, but Knoch is probably the team to beat.”

Greensburg Salem (13-7, 10-4) finished in third place behind Knoch and Freeport in the section. It ended the regular season by winning five games and then proceeded to knock off South Park, 6-2, and Blackhawk, 1-0, in the playoffs.

The Golden Lions then dropped a 7-4 decision to eventual PIAA champion Ringgold in the semifinals and lost 4-1 to Hopewell in the third-place game, just missing the state tournament.

“We return six starters,” Wisniewski said. “We need other players to pull their weight, and we must develop role players.”

Senior shortstop Jack Oberdorf, a four-year starter, and pitcher/third baseman Matt Wicker are coming off solid seasons.

Oberdorf hit .364 with 24 hits, 18 RBIs and 10 doubles. Wicker batted a team-high .483 with 29 hits, 19 RBIs, five doubles and three home runs. Wicker was 3-1 with an earned run average of 2.18.

One area Wicker must improve is his walks. He had 35 in 41²⁄₃ innings.

“We have to get Matt to throw fewer pitches so he can last longer in the game with the pitch count,” Wisniewski said. “He also must find a pitcher to replace Andrew Rosenberg.”

Rosenberg was the Golden Lions leadoff hitter, and when he wasn’t on the mound, he was patrolling center field. He was 4-3 and batted .367.

Wisniewski hopes senior Dajauhn Hertzog, who batted .269, will take over the leadoff spot.

Batting behind Oberdorf and Wicker is senior Reid Admundson.

“I feel we need to have that same chemistry we developed at the end of last year to roll over this year,” Wicker said. “At the end of the year, everyone got together and everyone knew what they had to do. If we carry that over, we’ll be in really good shape.”

Overdorf said the goals are a lot higher.

“Last year was a great year,” Oberdorf said. “Coach said we can’t dwell on it. We have to keep moving and get better every day. I think the experience and success in the playoffs will help us a lot.”

Wisniewski, who’s been coaching at Greensburg Salem since 2005, the last six as head coach, said getting success in the playoffs will help.

“Teams that have success in the playoffs know what to expect because they’ve been there,” Wisniewski said. “That’s what I hope we’re building. We have to build on our success.”

Wisniewski said the pitching staff should be a strength of the team. He expects junior Aaren Putt to be the No. 2 starter and also will use Hertzog, Oberdorf and Noah Sweeney. He said Hertzog showed in American Legion playoffs he’s not afraid to take the ball.

The section added Mt. Pleasant, which moved up from Class 3A, but lost Freeport and Deer Lakes, both whom dropped to Class 3A.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Greensburg Salem