Lapkowicz to miss title game
Carmichaels left-hander Joby Lapkowicz delivers a pitch during the team’s WPIAL championship game win over Homer Center. Lapkowicz will not play in Friday’s PIAA Class A championship game after undergoing surgery on his injured ankle Tuesday. Monday’s win over Serra Catholic thrust Carmichaels into its first PIAA title game, and Mikes coach Dave Bates couldn’t have been more emotional.
Bates watched his club defeat Serra Catholic for the second time during the postseason, but he also saw junior Joby Lapkowicz go down with an injury that will keep the star left-hander out of Friday’s Class A title game against Camp Hill at Altoona’s Blair County Park.
“This is the biggest heartbreak you can suffer,” Bates said. “I can’t even come up with the right words to describe it. Joby is so much a part of this team, and I can imagine how bad he feels.”
Lapkowicz was injured during the bottom of the second inning when he tried to follow teammate Chuck Gasti and score from second base on a passed ball.
Gasti scored on the play to give Carmichaels a 5-1 lead, but Lapkowicz was thrown out at the plate and was injured when he appeared to slide late and his right spike caught on the ground.
After being helped off the field, Lapkowicz was taken to a MedExpress urgent care unit in Washington, where an initial x-ray revealed a chipped bone in his right ankle.
Lapkowicz was then taken to Allegheny General Hospital, where he had surgery Tuesday.
“He’s doing really well,” said his father, Joe Lapkowicz. “And the doctors said his outlook is a 100 percent recovery. The doctors initially talked about removing the bone chip, but then they decided to just re-attach it to the bone and let it heal.”
Lapkowicz started Monday’s game and was looking to run his pitching record to 11-0. He likely would have started Friday’s game as well, but instead, Gasti will get the nod.
Also a junior, Gasti was remarkable in relief of Lapkowicz Monday, allowing just one run over the final five innings and striking out 11 in the Mikes’ 6-2 victory.
Lapkowicz is considered Carmichaels’ No. 1 pitcher, but Gasti, who is 9-0, isn’t far behind.
In fact, if Lapkowicz is 1-A, Gasti may very well be 1-B.
“Every time Joby has gone out and had a good outing, Chuck comes back with a good outing of his own,” Bates said.
Joe Lapkowicz said his son would attend the game Friday, rooting on his teammates.
“He can’t wait for the game,” Joe Lapkowicz said. “He’s in really good spirits right now and he’s not in any pain. They decided to keep him in the hospital overnight Tuesday for observation.
“These things happen, it was just an inopportune time. When you play three sports and go 100 percent all the time, you’re going to get hurt. This is the worst he’s ever been hurt. He’s only had a twisted ankle before this.”