Westmoreland baseball preview capsules: Games of Wednesday, May 22, 2019

By: Bill Hartlep
Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | 9:56 PM

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Wednesday’s games

Baseball

Class 6A

1-Penn-Trafford (17-3) vs. 4-North Allegheny (16-5)

3:30 p.m. at Fox Chapel

Winner plays: Winner of No. 2 Pine-Richland (16-4) and No. 3 Bethel Park (15-3) in the championship May 29 at Wild Things Park

Coaches: Dan Miller, Penn-Trafford; Andrew Heck, North Allegheny

Players to watch: Bobby Lane, Jr. OF, Penn-Trafford; Anthony Hattrup, Sr., P/INF, North Allegheny

Extra bases: After a 12-day layoff, the Section 2 champion Warriors got back in action Tuesday and defeated Upper St. Clair, 7-3. Lane, a Cincinnati recruit, had two hits and two RBIs. Ace MacLean Maund earned the win. The Warriors, who started the season 9-0, are chasing their first WPIAL title. They defeated North Allegheny, 6-5, in a nonsection game March 27 at Seton Hill. … The Section 1 runner-up Tigers are riding a nine-game winning streak. Hattrup tossed a four-hitter with seven strikeouts as NA defeated Butler, 4-2, on Tuesday. Ryan Daugherty knocked in two runs. The Tigers have won seven WPIAL titles, the most recent in 2013. They lost to Canon-McMillan, 2-1, in the finals last season and to Pine-Richland, 3-2, in 2017.

Class 5A

2-Franklin Regional (17-1) vs. 6-Laurel Highlands (13-6)

4 p.m. at West Mifflin

Winner plays: Winner of No. 1 West Allegheny (18-2)/No. 8 Mars (11-8) and No. 5 Shaler (13-7) in the championship May 29 at Wild Things Park

Coaches: Bobby Saddler, Franklin Regional; Scott DeBerry, Laurel Highlands

Players to watch: Andrew Muraco, So., P/OF, Franklin Regional; Nate Zimcosky, Jr., INF, Laurel Highlands

Extra bases: Section 2 champion Franklin Regional is riding a 14-game winning streak. The Panthers are in the semifinals for the first time since 2001, when they went on to win the WPIAL title. They also won the title in 1997. Louie Kegerreis, Tom Kegerreis and Muraco each had two RBIs in Tuesday’s 6-5 win over South Fayette in the quarterfinals. Muraco and senior Palmer Jackson have led a rotation that allowed 2.6 runs per game this season. … Laurel Highlands tied for second in Section 3 with Montour at 7-5. Zimcosky knocked in four runs in Tuesday’s 8-5 win over No. 3 Hampton. Junior catcher Caleb Scott was 3 for 3, and senior third baseman Greg Hensh added two hits and two RBIs. The Mustangs reached the quarterfinals last season and in 2016. They are seeking their first WPIAL title and last reached the semifinals in 1983.

Class 4A

2-Yough (15-7) vs. 6-Beaver (12-7)

2 p.m. at Washington & Jefferson

Winner plays: Winner of No. 9 New Castle (10-9) and No. 4 Blackhawk (15-4) in the championship May 28 at Wild Things Park

Coaches: Craig Spisak, Yough; Noah Medich, Beaver

Players to watch: Jarett Bach, Sr., P, Yough; Mike Champ, Sr., OF/P, Beaver

Extra bases: Bach, a Pitt recruit, tossed a five-hitter with 10 strikeouts to lift the Cougars past No. 7 South Park in Monday’s quarterfinals. Mike Bell will likely start on the hill for Yough in the semifinals. Ray Halahurich was the big bat in the opening round, going 2 for 3 with three RBIs in a 4-3 win over Central Valley. The Cougars are chasing their first WPIAL title. … Beaver is coming off a 10-0 win over No. 14 Highlands in the quarterfinals. The Bobcats beat No. 11 Belle Vernon, 5-0, in the first round. The Section 2 runners-up have won seven of their last eight games. Champ is batting .385, senior Jack Yanssens has a .381 average, and senior Vinny Mastrangelo is hitting .379 with a team-high 19 RBIs.

— Bill Hartlep

Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.

Tags: Beaver, Franklin Regional, Laurel Highlands, North Allegheny, Penn-Trafford, Yough