Pitching rules in WBCA All-Star games
The saying goes that good pitching will always beat good hitting, and that was proven true during the first game of the WPIAL Baseball Coaches Association All-Star Doubleheader held at Ross Memorial Park in Washington on Saturday. The Class AA All-Stars defeated the Class A All-Stars 2-0 in a game that had a combined seven hits with six of those by the Class AA team.
“We use wooden bats so the pitchers definitely have the advantage,” said Brownsville coach Skooter Roebuck, who was on the winning squad’s coaching staff.
“As long at the pitchers throw strikes, they have the advantage and that’s what our pitchers did.”
The two runs were both unearned off California’s Zack Jeney. A single and a hit batsman put two runners on while Jeney was on the mound. The runners advanced to second and third and both scored on a passed ball, the second when the catcher’s throw to Jeney covering home went astray.
“There were no RBIs in the game. The pitching definitely ruled,” Roebuck said.
Falcons catcher Justin Gibson was a member of the winning team, as was Waynesburg Central’s Mitch Monas and Kenny Blackwell.
The Class A roster included Jeney and Mike Galis of California, Tim Voithofer and Aaron Thompson of Carmichaels, Ashley Menear of Mapletown and Ryan White of Jefferson-Morgan.
The game followed the Underclassmen Showcase, which featured tryouts for 2008 high school graduates in front of many college and professional scouts.
“I think that’s a nice thing for these kids, and a lot of the scouts stay to watch the games afterwards,” Roebuck said.
In the second game, the Class AAA All-Stars defeated the Class AAAA All-Stars, 5-1.
Laurel Highlands’ Mike Pegg was runner-up in MVP voting for the Class AAA team after going 1-for-1 with a walk. Pegg’s hit was a single to center field.
Both teams collected five hits.
Laurel Highlands coach Tom Landman and assistant coach Ron Popovich were on the Class AAA staff.
Connellsville’s Joe Leonard and Albert Gallatin’s Gene Franks played for the Class AAAA squad.