Vincentian Victory Gives Royals First PIAA Baseball Crown

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, June 17, 2016 | 9:22 PM

On May 17th, Vincentian Academy defeated Bentworth after three errors in the seventh inning continued play into the ninth before a bases loaded walk scored the winning run, advancing the Royals to the second round of the WPIAL playoffs. Exactly one month later, that same Vincentian team, that barely survived their first playoff game, are PIAA Class A state baseball champions after a 5-2 victory over District 5’s Meyersdale Red Raiders on Friday at Penn State University’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The Class A championship was moved back 19 hours due to hazardous weather during the scheduled start time. The delay did not affect Christian Fedko and the Royals as Fedko singled, stole second and scored on a wild pitch for his first impressions in the opening frame making the score 1-0.

Meanwhile, the Red Raiders stranded a runner at second each of the first three innings. Two of those times were after leadoff runners aboard.

Vincentian tacked on an insurance run in the fourth inning. Nick Kempa’s leadoff single started the minor rally. The Vincentian pitcher was courtesy ran for by James Lutz, who stole second and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt by Anthony Milicia. With one out and a runner on third, James Sesky grounded a breaking ball to short which led to a play at the plate but the throw was not in time and Vincentian led 2-0.

The bottom half of the fourth featured the Red Raiders best opportunity of the game to that point. A leadoff walk and a single by Max Caton put runners on first and second. They both advanced after Logan Christner grounded into the fielder’s choice. Finally with an 0-2 count, Kirk Eberly grounded out to short which stranded the fourth and fifth baserunners for the Red Raiders, each of them in scoring position.

Vincentian added to their lead in the fifth, Christian Fedko’s lead off bunt-single showed off his great speed as he laid one down the third baseline. Meyersdale pitcher Riley Christner wanted to keep Fedko in check, however a lackadaisical pickoff attempt went awry and hit the thigh of Fedko and bounced into no-mans-land which moved him to second.

Mark Cyterski laid down a sacrifice bunt and advanced Fedko to third, which brought up Kyler Fedko who converted an RBI groundout to second and scored the eventual winning run.

More opportunities went by the wayside for Meyersdale. In the fifth, the Red Raiders stranded two for the second consecutive inning. However they did manage to make things interesting in the bottom of the sixth.

The inning began with back-to-back hit by pitches which put two on and no outs. Kempa managed to retire the next two until Austin Minnick singled and scored Caton to cut the deficit to two. Kempa walked the imposing batter which ended his day after 5 and two-thirds.

Mark Yakim and Christian Fedko both scored in the seventh. Yakim singled, stole second and utilized his heads up baserunning as a throw from short one-hopped passed the glove of the Meyersdale first baseman which scored the Vincentian catcher. Meyersdale had to overcome a 5-1 deficit in the bottom half.

The Red Raiders did manage a run off of Aiden Thomas who went two thirds of an inning, a leadoff single by Bryce Kretchman inspired hope which was enhanced by Trever Gnagey’s one out RBI single. However Cyterski shut the door, striking out the final two and beginning the Royal celebration.

After playing 49 innings in their prior three games, Vincentian Academy baseball brings home the program’s first state title. Nick Kempa received the win, in large credit to five strikeouts and only allowing five hits.

What a difference a month can make.

Tags: Vincentian Academy