Baseball
Scholastic Notebook – 06/05/2015
June 5, 2015
Four WPIAL baseball teams have made it to the PIAA semifinals. The main ingredient to their postseason success is simple. Pitching. Of course, pitching always is key in baseball, but you might be scratching your head to come up with a group of WPIAL teams that made it this far and that have such a strong common thread of stellar pitching between them. The four are Shaler (Class AAAA), Knoch (AAA), Neshannock (AA) and Quaker Valley (AA). Of the four, only Neshannock has really made a huge impact offensively, scoring 45 runs in six postseason games. But the pitching of all four teams has been impeccable.This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 01/02/2015
June 2, 2015
As we swing into June, the diamond action turns from the district postseason to the state playoffs this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have PIAA Baseball and Softball First Round and Quarterfinals action as the 2015 spring scholastic sports season winds down. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro fast pitch softball with the Pennsylvania Rebellion, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.net Monday, June 1st: TALK SHOW - Rappin' on Racin' at 6:00pm on MSAsports.net PIAA High School Baseball Playoffs: Class AAAA First Round - Shaler vs Pittsburgh Central Catholic at 4:00pm on MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/29/2015
May 29, 2015
Spring is the time for things to bloom, right? This spring has been a time for a group of young WPIAL athletes to sprout. One of the storylines for spring sports in the WPIAL has been the young blood that has flowed through the league and made an impact. In case you didn’t notice, it has been a spring where an unusually a number of sophomores or freshmen did some terrific things in a few different sports. Let’s examine:2015 WPIAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS – Results
May 28, 2015
2015 turned out to be the year of the First Time champions as three of the four district winners had never won a baseball crown before. Pittbsurgh Central Catholic in AAAA. Knoch in AAA and Greensburg Central Catholic in A all made school history by winning inaugural WPIAL baseball gold. The lone exception was powerhouse Neshannock, who became only the third school to win six WPIAL baseball championships by claiming AA gold. Here are ALL the results from the 2015 WPIAL Baseball Playoffs. All results marked with (MSA) after the score can be heard archived at any time at MSAsports.net 2015 WPIAL CLASS AAAA BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Central Catholic Shuts Out Norwin for First WPIAL Baseball Crown
May 27, 2015
For the first time in school history, Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings has won a WPIAL baseball championship. The Vikings defeated the Norwin Knights, 2-0, on Wednesday night at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, PA. The Vikings (12-7) had not been to the championship game since 1979. It took 36 years and great pitching, timely hitting and solid defense to add a baseball trophy to the storied sports program at Central Catholic. Jack Tumulty went the distance on the mound for the Vikings, allowing no runs on six hits, while striking out six batters and walking only one.WPIAL Baseball Consolation Wednesday Recaps 2015
Four Class AAAA and Class AAA baseball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Those four returned back to the diamond Wednesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Greg Kuntz and Scott Majesky for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:
Greensburg CC Dethrones California To Win First WPIAL Baseball Crown
May 26, 2015
Greensburg Central Catholic scored three times in the fifth inning to break open a tie game en route to a 6-4 victory against California, capturing the Class A Championship at Consol Energy Park. Tommy Pellis and Collin Liberatore led the way for the Centurions, who captured their first baseball title in school history. Pellis went 3-4 at the plate and scored three times, and also added a pair of sparking defensive plays at shortstop. Liberatore notched the victory for No. 2 GCC, as he threw a complete game, yielding four runs while striking out 12. Liberatore’s final strikeout came against California cleanup hitter Aaron Previsky with the tying run in scoring position.
Neshannock Shuts Out Quaker Valley for 6th WPIAL Baseball Title
The cruel and quick ending to their championship dreams in 2014 was a driving force during the entire 2015 campaign for Neshannock. A year ago, the Lancers won their section, finished 18-1 in the regular season and were a clear cut top-seed in the Class AA playoff brackets. But Neshannock was stunned by Seton-LaSalle in their first postseason game and while bitter at first, the seeds for success this spring were planted. In fact, it turned into a golden crop for Mike Kirkwood and the Lancers this year after they blanked Quaker Valley Tuesday 4-0 at CONSOL Energy Field in Washington.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Consolation Tuesday Recaps
Eight baseball teams and eight softball teams from the WPIAL have had the entire holiday weekend to wash away the disappointment of of shattered dreams and a loss in the district Semifinals. Now 12 of those 16 teams are in action Tuesday playing for third place in the district but more importantly, a berth in the 2015 PIAA Playoffs. A special thanks to Sean Meyers, Mike Azadian, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz and Lou Rood for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL:This Week on the MSA Sports Network – 05/25/2015
May 25, 2015
After broadcasting the WPIAL Boys Volleyball and Boys & Girls Lacrosse championships last week, we'll have end to end coverage of the battles for WPIAL diamond gold in both baseball and softball making this another memorable week this week here on the MSA Sports Network. We have WPIAL Baseball and Softball Championship action from CONSOL Energy Field and California University of Pennsylvania, along with all eight consolation games from both sports and District 9 baseball and softball postseason play. We also have pro baseball with the Washington Wild Things and pro softball with the 2015 start of the Pennsylvania Rebellion season, plus The WPIAL Baseball Show on a special night of Thursday evening and the weekly edition of Rappin' on Racin' ALL here at MSAsports.netScholastic Notebook – 05/22/2015
May 22, 2015
Neshannock High School’s baseball team has made it to the WPIAL Class AA championship game. It’s another chapter in one of the most successful coaching stories in the WPIAL. You might not think of Mike Kirkwood as one of the elite coaches in the WPIAL. Maybe because Neshannock is on the edge of the WPIAL and doesn’t get a ton of publicity in the Pittsburgh area, the heart of the WPIAL. But consider this: Kirkwood has won four WPIAL championships. No other active coach has four WPIAL titles. And next Tuesday, Kirkwood will go after one for the thumb when Neshannock plays Quaker Valley for the WPIAL Class AA championship. Making it to the title game this year is impressive for Kirkwood. The Lancers had competed in Class A, but moved up to Class AA in 2013.WPIAL Baseball and Softball Playoff Recaps for Wednesday 5/20
May 21, 2015
The Final Four. The winners reach a major goal and earn a spot in a WPIAL championship game. The losers have to deal with a dream dashed and yet still prepare for a consolation game and a berth in the upcoming state playoffs. Here are summaries from all eight baseball and the one softball Semifinals contest played on Wednesday. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Jason Tennant, Sean Meyers, Steve Nagler, Lee Mohn, Lou Rood, Scott Majesky, Mike Azadian and Josh Rowntree for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL: WPIAL CLASS AAAA Semifinals:WPIAL Baseball/Softball/Lacrosse Playoff Recaps for Tuesday 5/19
May 20, 2015
What a difference 24 hours makes. Late Monday, severe storms swept through Western Pennsylvania, postponing several baseball, softball and lacrosse postseason contests. But under sunny skies, it was time for teams to shine en route to the Final Four on the diamond and the title matches in lacrosse. Here are recaps from those games heard Tuesday here on the MSA Sports Network. A special thanks to Don Rebel, Steve Nagler, Greg Kuntz, Sean Meyers, Bob Gregg, Scott Majesky, Jason Tennant, Rick Smith, Bob Orkwis, Jess Levo and Lee Mohn for their help on these recaps. BASEBALL: WPIAL CLASS AAAA Quarterfinals:
