Yohman lifts LH past Chartiers Valley
CALIFORNIA – Coach Tom Landman had the best description for this game: “Outstanding.” Outstanding pitching by Brad Yohman and outstanding work by the defense were the prime ingredients as Laurel Highlands stopped Chartiers Valley, 6-1, in their WPIAL-AAA baseball playoff opener Monday at California High School.
The win moves the Mustangs (15-5) into the quarterfinals against Upper St. Clair, to be played at 3:30 p.m. today at Peterswood Park.
Chartiers Valley finishes at 9-6.
“Brad has been outstanding all season and he was more outstanding today in pitching a big playoff win for us,” Landman said.
“We also got outstanding play by our defense to back up Brad’s effort. He was in control all the way, and especially so in the late innings.”
Yohman walked only one batter, Jerry Harness with two down in the first, and fanned four, while allowing four singles. The Colts ruined Yohman’s shutout bid with a run in the fourth, when losing pitcher Matt Tokarczyk was aboard on a force play, stole second and scored on Dan Sloan’s two-out single.
Then starting with the last out of the inning, Yohman retired the last 10 batters in a row to wrap up the win. One of those 10 was a top defensive effort by left fielder Dan Fuller, who went back to the fence, reached over, and gloved Tokarczyk’s drive in the sixth, taking away a homer.
Only two batters reached second against Yohman: Tokarczyk who scored, and Justin Sutton, who was hit by a pitch in the same inning and moved ahead on Sloan’s single.
Landman added, “Pitching coach Ron Popovich called a good game for Yohman, and hitting coach John Warrick had our batters ready today. They came up with some key hits.”
Chartiers Valley coach Frank Brown said, “One run just doesn’t get it done. This wasn’t one of our better games, while they played a real good game. Their pitcher threw strikes and kept us off balance, and he was backed by some good defensive play, what you need to win.”
Laurel Highlands had eight hits, three by Dave Landman. Santino Sloboda’s triple in the first was the only extra-base hit of the game.
The Mustangs led 3-0 in the first on Landman’s leadoff single, a walk to Paul Briczinski, Sloboda’s triple and Kevin Martin’s groundout.
Three in the fifth iced the game for LH. With one down, Martin singled, Aaron Lowden walked and Ryan Gondek singled for one. Dan Fuller’s bouncer was thrown wide at first, allowing Lowden to score, but when Gondek tried to score he was thrown out at home. Fuller went to second on the play and scored on Eric Darr’s single.