Cougars Win Catfight, Beat Leopards in WPIAL AAA Baseball Thriller

By: Bruce Markey
Thursday, May 31, 2012 | 9:59 PM

Coach Bob Amalia's nerves have got to be frazzled as the Blackhawk Cougars won their first WPIAL baseball championship since 2004 with a 1-0 victory over the Belle Vernon Leopards at Consol Energy Field on Thursday night. The Cougars have won three straight 1-0 games on their run to the title, defeating Char Valley in the quarterfinals and Thomas Jefferson in nine innings in the semis.

The Cougars have now won eight straight games, five of which by shutout. Blackhawk has not allowed a run in 37 consecutive innings. Amalia said he has never been a part of three straight 1-0 wins, thru his coaching career at Blackhawk and in American Legion play. He added that this team went to the national Legion tournament last year and that helped this team deal with high pressure situations. It hasn't helped Amalia, he said he is a nervous wreck during games.

The Cougars got the only run in the fourth inning, Tyler Craig led off with a double to left center field, after Steve O'Hara moved him to third, Joe Lopez singled to center to plate Craig. The Cougars had only six hits and left nine runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings.

Sophomore Brendan McKay was again superb, he has not allowed a run in 30 innings. McKay was perfect thru 5.2 innings before Dean Manown singled with two outs in the sixth. McKay fanned eleven on the night but had to pitch out of a jam with the game on the line.

The young pitcher started to tire after one out in the bottom of the seventh. Adam Ferita, who had struck out twice on six pitches, reached on a walk, Dom Francia followed with a single and went to second as Blackhawk threw to the wrong base, trying to get Ferita at third. Amalia went to the mound, and talked to McKay, he said his coaches talked about walking the next hitter Joe Simsic to load the bases. The game could have been tied with Simsic at the plate, McKay uncorked a wild pitch that rebounded directly from the backstop to Emge, forcing Ferita to remain at third.

That decision became a moot point as Simsic drew a walk to load the bases. Amalia decided to stick with McKay, the coach said he wasn't coming out. That confidence was rewarded as McKay induced Matt Calaway to hit a one hopper back to the mound, McKay made what he called a solid throw home to force Ferita, then Ohio State recruit Matt Emge fired a strike down the line to retire Calaway and end the game.

McKay credited the seniors on the infield for calming him down, discussing all of the possible situations that could have happened. He was able to spot the fastball for first pitch strikes and mix the curveball in, keeping Belle Vernon off balance thru the first six innings.

McKay also provided most of the Cougars offense, he was 2 for 3 at the plate, Lopez was also 2 for 3 and had the only rbi. Blackhawk is now 21-2 overall, due to the Pittsburgh City League not sending a representative to the PIAA tournament, they will receive a bye in the first round. The Cougars will meet the Warren-Thomas Jefferson winner in the state quarterfinals on Thursday. Amalia said they have scouted both teams and will be ready, with the bye, McKay is scheduled to be the starting pitcher.

Lost in McKay's performance was the outing of another sophomore pitcher, Dylan Pietrantoni, for the Leopards. He went 6 plus innings, allowing just six hits and two walks, while fanning three and getting ten ground ball outs. Dom Francia came on with nobody out in the seventh and walked two, but got Emge to ground into a force out at the plate to end the inning.

Belle Vernon sees a six game winning streak come to an end, the Leopards are now 18-5 and will face District 9 champion Punxsutawney in opening round state play on Monday.

Blackhawk Cougars : 0 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 0 – 0 = 1-6-0
Belle Vernon Leopards : 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0 = 0-2-0

Tags: Belle Vernon, Blackhawk