WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Recaps

By: Bruce Markey
Wednesday, May 30, 2012 | 7:24 PM

In the midst of all of the WPIAL baseball and softball championship games are five contests on Wednesday with the postseason future of ten district teams up for grabs. Three softball consolation games at California University of Pennsylvania and a pair of baseball consolation games at the Washington & Jefferson Sports Complex were broadcast on The Network with the five winners earning a berth in the PIAA state playoffs that begin next week. Here are the recaps from those games.

Special thanks to Brandon Showers, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps!

WPIAL BASEBALL Class AAA Consolation:

Thomas Jefferson Jaguars 2 – Hopewell Vikings 1
For what can be assumed the first time this season Thomas Jefferson pitcher Greg Schneider had to pitch from behind.  It only took one and one third innings for Hopewell to get to Schneider after first baseman Tim Hughes led off with a double and advanced on a fielder’s choice by Logan Johnston on a ground out to third.  Hughes was taken down on a safety squeeze play from designated hitter Dave Claypool but there was some lightning in the Vikings bats.  Right fielder Shane Martin laced a shot for a two out RBI triple.  Martin was stranded on third on a ground out by Joe Kunzman to the first baseman.  Martin was the last Viking runner to get past second base.  In the last five innings Thomas Jefferson only allowed three more base runners.  The lead was not long lived for Hopewell as in the bottom of the inning Joe Shaffer hit a one out triple and when center fielder Colton Booher popped a fly ball to shallow right field and it allowed Shaffer to tag up from third.  It didn’t take much longer for Thomas Jefferson to add to the lead in the bottom of the third Joe McHugh singled and scored from first on an RBI double by Schneider.  Schneider advanced to third on a throwing error in attempt to take down McHugh at home.  Hopewell starting pitcher Clayton Covalt did as much as he could matching Schneider zero for zero but after three and one third innings he was taken out for Stefan Mrkonja.  Mrkonja came in with a runner on first and one out in the fourth pitched one ball and got an inning ending double play.  Mrkonja’s next pitch was an out as well retiring two batters on two pitchers.  He was able to retire the first four batters faced.  The problem was Hopewell couldn’t muster a runner or run.  Schneider a Pitt commit and possible draft pick pitched the complete game only allowing five runners and six strikeouts.  Thomas Jefferson will go on to play Warren in the state playoffs while Hopewell ends their season at 18-5.  The winner of the Warren/Thomas Jefferson game will go on to play WPIAL champion in the second round.

WPIAL BASEBALL Class A Consolation:

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Chargers 4 – Bentworth Bearcats 2
Preston Falascino tossed five scoreless innings of relief enabling Our Lady of the Sacred Heart to rally past Bentworth, 4-2, in the WPIAL Class A Third-Place Consolation game.  With the win, the Chargers clinch a berth in the PIAA tournament starting Monday.  Justin Wiltrout doubled home two runs in the Bentworth second against starter Tim Mulvey.  Falascino took over in the third, allowing just a two-out single in the fifth and a one-out triple in the sixth.  Meanwhile, the Chargers' offense began to chip away and Mulvey delivered the first run with an rbi single in the fourth.  Brandon Duerr tied the game with a two-out hit in fifth.  Then, after Falascino laid waste to the Bearcats' triple in the top of the sixth, Tristan Snyder got a three-bagger with one down in the bottom of the frame.  An errant throw at the plate allowed Snyder to score.  Santino Platt's sacrifice fly later in the inning closed the scoring.  Falascino did not walk a batter and struck out six getting the win.  Tyler Delval took the loss despite holding OLSH to just six hits and one walk over six innings.  The Chargers have now won seven straight games when facing elimination, needing to win four straight section games and two early rounds of the WPIAL playoffs before losing in the semifinals.  Bentworth's season ends on two straight losses, both of
them at W&J's Ross Memorial Park.

WPIAL SOFTBALL Class AAA Consolation:

Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions 1 – Belle Vernon Leopards 0
Both the Belle Vernon Lady Leopards and the Greensburg-Salem Lady Lions had exceptional years on the softball diamond in 2012 as the champions of Sections 3 and 4 respectively, but both were bounced from the Class AAA Championship tournament in the Semifinal Round, BV by the Montour Spartans, 3-2, in 8 innings, and GS by BV-section foe Elizabeth-Forward 2-1.  This set up the consolation match at Lilley Field on California University of PA, but the stakes were raised as a berth in the PIAA State Playoffs was on the line.  The Lady Lions struck first in the bottom of the 1st frame asClaire Oberdorf walked to lead off, then her sister, Jayne, who struck out the side in the top half of the inning on the mound, laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Claire to 2nd.  After Taylor Mehan struck out, Alyssa Mellinger drove a Haley Bashada pitch in to the gap in left-center for a double that scored Claire for a 1-0 lead.  Little did anyone know it at the time, but Jayne Oberdorf would get that lead to hold up.  Jayne O would face just one above the minimum through the first 4 innings, giving up just one walk during that span.  The Lady Leopards would finally get their first hit in the top of the 5th as Katie Anna doubled to the gap in right-center field.  Anna was lifted for a pinch-runner, Kaitlyn Faiola.  With 2 outs, Samantha Peer singled to center, but Mellinger's throw to the plate caught Faiola in a rundown between 3rd and home, and Mehan's throw to Melissa Wagner would get Faiola to end the inning.  Another mistake on the basepaths would cost BV in the 6th.  Natalie Bashada doubled with one out, and Courtney Seman reached 1st on a wild pitch after a strikeout. Bashada advanced to third on that play, and then Seman stole 2nd uncontested. After a Deanna Hileman strikeout, Haley Bashada was hit a pitch to load the bases, but as Molly Gauden hit a ball to GS shortstop Claire Oberdorf and reached base, Seman was called out as she ran into Oberdorf on runner's interference to end that threat.  BV would threaten one more time in the 7th as Alexis Ellin would lead off with a double, but Jayne Oberdorf would get the last 3 batters to pop up on the infield to shut the door for the 1-0 win.  Jayne O would pitch a complete game shutout by scattering 4 hits and walking just 1 while fanning 11 BV batters.  GS moves on to the PIAA State playoffs along with the two teams in the Class AAA Championship game to be played Thursday at the same venue, Lilley Field, Elizabeth-Forward and Montour.  Greensburg-Salem's season continues as their record stands at 16-3 while Belle Vernon's season comes to an end at 17-7.

WPIAL SOFTBALL Class AA Consolation:

Neshannock Lancers 3 – Riverside Panthers 2
At California University of PA, in WPIAL AA girls Softball consolation action, the Neshannock Lancers defeated the Riverside Panthers 3-2. The Lancers scored first in the bottom of the opening inning and took a 1-0 lead. Rayanna Furst reached first on an error, went to send on a ground out, then came home when her sister Amanda also reached on an error.  Neshannock would take a 2-0 lead in the 4th inning when Amanda Furst led off with a towering home run. Riverside finally got on the board in the top of the 5th. A one out walk to Logan Snyder, an error then a sacrifice fly by Brooke Barker and the lead was cut to 2-1. In the bottom of the 5th the Lancers would go up 3-1 on a single and another Panther error. Riverside cut the lead to one again after Nicole Mansfield doubled then after a ground out, Raven Boots doubled her in and it was 3-2. With the score still 3-2 in the top of the 7th the Panthers Natalie Pritts reached on an error with one out. She moved 2nd on a ground out. Kirsten Wilson the Panthers star pitcher  who was 2-3 with 2 doubles and hit the ball like a rocket three times came up. She hit a ball harder than she hit all day, but right at the shortstop Jamie Graziani who rose up as high as she could jump to make the catch and the game was over. Neshannock improves to 19-1and will start the state playoffs next week on a date and time tone determined. Riverside falls to 15-4 and is eliminated from the State playoffs.  Winning pitcher Amanda Furst went 7 innings giving up 2 runs, 7 hits, 1 walk and struck out 8. Kirsten Wilson took the loss going 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 3 hits, and struck out 12. The Panthers were plagued by errors, as they made 4 miscues, and steamed 8 runners on base.

WPIAL SOFTBALL Class A Consolation:

Sto-Rox Vikings 3 – Vincentian Academy Royals 1
Sto-Rox endured one of the more heartbreaking losses you will ever see in the WPIAL Semifinals. Luckily, for the Vikings, they'll get a shot at redemption. #2 Sto-Rox (20-1) used eight hits and capitalized on four errors to knock off #5 Vincentian (13-10) 3-1 in the WPIAL Class A Consolation game Wednesday at California University of Pennsylvania's Lilley Field. The win for Sto-Rox follows a loss in the Semifinals in which the Vikings were up 5-0 over Carmichaels, only to lose 6-5 in nine innings.  Sto-Rox broke into the score book early, as a Natalya Smarra single and stolen base would be capitalized on by Mary Cersosimo, who doubled her in to make it 1-0 in the 1st. Vincentian would tie it  in the 3rd though, as Serena Morreale would reach on an error and come around to score on a fielders choice by Zania Moore. That would be all though for Vincentian as Vikings' ace Smarra would be tested, but shut the door on the Royals, striking out five in seven innings of work. Sto-Rox would plate the winning run in the 5th, as Aimee Miller would single and then come in to score on a throwing error by Royals' pitcher Bridget Melvin, who struck out six batters in seven innings. With the score at 2-1 and in need of insurance, the Vikings would get it, as Cersosimo would walk and then come in to score on the second error of the inning by Mary Mazur. Sto-Rox, who has won ten WPIAL Championships and a PIAA record 574 games (131 losses), moves into the PIAA playoffs for the first time since 2010, when they lost in the first round to Wilmington. They will meet the Champion of District 9 on Monday, June 4 at a site and time to be determined. Sto-Rox is now 16-0 in their history against Vincentian and finished the season 3-0 against their section foe.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Bentworth, Greensburg Salem, Hopewell, Vincentian Academy