May 24, 2006 By Rob Burchianti 4 min read

ROBINSON TWP. – You often hear athletes talk about playoff pressure. If California’s baseball team ever feels it, the Trojans hide it quite well.

Travis VanOlst pitched a two-hitter, smacked a pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly, and scored two runs as California defeated Union, 5-2, in their WPIAL Class A quarterfinal playoff game at Burkett Sports and Recreation Complex on Tuesday afternoon.

The third-seeded Trojans have little time to celebrate, though. They’ll be back in action in the semifinals today – their third game in three days – against second-seeded Bishop Canevin at Washington & Jefferson College at 5 p.m.

This will be California’s third straight trip to the semifinals and fourth in the last six years. The Trojans have reached the postseason in five of the last six seasons, dating back to their WPIAL championship year in 2001. In that span they’ve never gone one-and-out, and have won multiple playoff games four times.

“I’m thrilled with the way my kids are playing right now,” California coach Don Hartman said. “We had sort of an up and down regular season, but the last few games our kids have shown a lot of heart and a lot of desire. I’m very pleased with that.”

Ben Carson also had two doubles for the Trojans (12-3), and J.D. Hawk drove in two runs.

California parlayed two walks, a single by Matt Hartman and VanOlst’s sacrifice fly into a run in the first inning, but VanOlst also walked two in the bottom of the frame and wild pitched the tying run home.

The only other run VanOlst would allow came in the third when Marcus Allen singled with two outs and scored on an outfield error.

VanOlst didn’t allow a hit the rest of the way. He walked five – one intentional – and struck out nine.

“He hadn’t pitched for almost two weeks and we were concerned a little about what his control would be like,” said California assistant coach Shaun Rice, who was the ace of the Trojans’ 2001 pitching staff.

“As the game went on, I started to loosen up and started hitting my spots,” VanOlst said. “My best pitch today was my split-finger. I was throwing it about twice per batter.”

California knotted the score in the top of the fourth. Zach Jeney singled and tried to score on VanOlst’s double, but was thrown out on a perfect relay from center fielder Allen to shortstop Matt Tyson to catcher Charles Hedland. VanOlst took third on the throw home, though, and scored on Hawk’s groundout.

The score remained tied until the top of the sixth when the Trojans scored three times against Tyson, who had relieved start Pat Mann in the fourth.

VanOlst led off with a double before Hawk appeared to strike out swinging. A balk was called on Tyson, however, negating the strikeout and sending VanOlst to third. Hawk, given new life, ripped a single to center to bring in VanOlst with what proved to be the winning run.

After Mike Galis flew out, Ryan Molish sacrificed Hawk to second, where he scored on Brandon Rossi’s single. Rossi stole second and came home on Carson’s double.

California’s defense stifled a potential comeback by the Scotties (11-9) in the bottom of the inning.

After third baseman Hartman made a tough play on Mike Pelto’s grounder for the first out, Kevin McCullough drew a walk and Jordan Rooney followed with a sharp grounder that appeared headed for center field. Trojans shortstop Jason Britton dove to his left, gloved the ball, and flipped it to second baseman Galis, who spun and relayed to first baseman Jeney for a sparkling, inning-ending double play.

“It was hit pretty hard and I knew if it went through that might get them going, so I just dove all out and somehow got it, and Mike did a great job of turning it,” Britton said.

“That had to be a killer for them.”

Union coach Gene DiGennaro agreed.

“That was a huge play,” DiGennaro said. “That’s a very good shortstop who made a major-league play.”

“That really was a momentum killer,” coach Hartman said. “That was a total web gem.”

“I was in awe,” VanOlst said. “That should be on ESPN tonight.”

VanOlst closed out the game with a 1-2-3 seventh, getting Hedland on a called third strike to end it.