Indians end Mustangs’ season
Andrew Baugh
West Allegheny’s Danny Guilfoil (17) is tagged out at third base by Laurel Highlands’ Dom Peroni (14) to end the third inning on a run-producing double-play by the Indians during Tuesday’s WPIAL Class AAA first-round playoff game.
Laurel Highlands pitcher Colin McKee delivers against West Allegheny during Tuesday's WPIAL Class AAA first round playoff game at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park.
Laurel Highlands senior Drew DeBerry (6) is tagged out at second base by West Allegheny junior Tyler Amedure (3) during Tuesday's WPIAL Class AAA first round playoff game at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park. DeBerry was caught stealing.
Laurel Highlands senior Nick Lancaster (22) grounds out during Tuesday's WPIAL Class AAA first round playoff game against West Allegheny at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park.
WASHINGTON — This game wasn’t won or lost in the first inning. It just seems that way.
West Allegheny scored three runs on three hits in the top of the first and held off Laurel Highlands for a 5-3 win in the opening round of the WPIAL Class AAA baseball playoffs Tuesday at W&J’s Ross Memorial Park.
“Exactly what we did not want to do, fall behind,” explained LH coach Scott DeBerry. “But what really hurt us was not getting timely hits in the first inning and throughout the game.”
The Mustangs came right back when Drew DeBerry tripled down the right field line and scored on Ted Sova’s one-out triple to right center. Giuseppe Schiano reached on catcher’s interference and stole second to set the table for LH.
“I thought we were going to tie it, at least, in the first inning,” Scott DeBerry said.
But West Allegheny winning pitcher Colin Claus got back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. Claus finished with nine strikeouts and two walks.
West Allegheny added single runs in the third and fourth innings to hold a 4-1 lead when the top of LH’s order struck again. Drew DeBerry singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Sova’s RBI single to left. After Schiano walked, Sova stole third and scored on an errant throw.
But that was it for LH in this game and this wonderful season. The Mustangs closed the season with a 16-5 record and a Section 2-AAA championship, but this one will sting for a while.
“Unless you win your last game, you’re always going to feel like this,” Scott DeBerry said. “It’s going to be tough to see all of these seniors (10) leave and it’s not just from an athletic standpoint. I’ve known all of them since they were little kids.”
“Both teams had plenty of opportunities,” West Allegheny coach Bryan Cornwell said. “We just managed to come up with more clutch hits than they did.”
The Indians’ eight hits were scattered throughout their lineup, while LH’s seven were fairly bunched at the top. Drew DeBerry and Sova had three hits each, while Dom Peroni cracked a one-out double in the sixth, but was stranded there.
Colin McKee took the loss for LH and was hit around pretty good in the first before a three-error fourth inning cost him another run. He struck out five and walked four.
Scott DeBerry said he didn’t give much serious thought to changing pitchers. “If he had gotten in trouble in the last inning, we may have made a change, but he didn’t,” DeBerry said.
West Allegheny (15-4) comes back here for a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday game against No. 2 seeded Chartiers Valley.
Ironically, the Indians beat the Mustangs at LH’s game, playing aggressive baseball throughout.
“They did,” Scott DeBerry said. “We were prepared for that, but they hit the ball pretty hard, especially in the first inning, and there was nothing we could do about that.”