Bethel Park, Peters Township advance in WPIAL baseball playoffs
Colin Stofik (5) holds up the ball that Jason Tygard (3) fielded to get the final out in a key inning of Peters Township’s 5-4 win over Baldwin in the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs.
David Oberschelp (15) and James Tygard (3) celebrate after Peters Township edged Baldwin, 5-4, to advance to the quarterfinals in the WPIAL Class 5A baseball tournament.
Despite a one-day delay, Bethel Park and Peters Township earned first-round victories in the WPIAL Class 5A baseball tournament.
After their games at Boyce-Mayview Park on May 14 were postponed because of inclement weather, the Black Hawks and Indians traveled South on Route 19 and scored wins against Franklin Regional, 11-1, and Baldwin, 5-4, respectively on May 15 at McDowell Field in Canonsburg.
The Indians trailed the Highlanders, 1-0, when their game was suspended in the bottom of the second inning. They rallied for the win, thanks in part to the play of James Tygard.
Defensively, Tygard made a diving safe on a ball hit to second base. He then flipped the ball to shortstop Colin Stofik to end a Highlander scoring threat in the fourth. After a brief celebration, Tygard then came to the plate and led off PT’s half of the inning with what turned out to be the game-winning hit, a home run.
With the win, the Indians improved to 14-7 overall and advanced to the quarterfinals. They were scheduled to face Mars, an upset winner over No. 2 Plum, on May 19 at a site and time to be determined.
In the second half of the doubleheader, the Black Hawks exploded for seven runs in a decisive fifth inning. They tacked on two more runs in the sixth to invoke the 10-run rule.
Though the Panthers took the lead first with a run in the top of the fourth, Bethel Park went ahead for good with a pair of tallies in its half of the frame.
Joey Levis carried the big stick for the Black Hawks. The No. 9 batter clubbed three hits, including a double, in four plate appearances. He drove in five runs, including two in the fifth and two to end the game.
Noah LeJeune smacked two singles and drove in a run while Eric Miehl had a base hit and three RBI.
Nick Rillo doubled and scored three runs. He was hit by pitches twice and also had a sacrifice.
Michael Bruckner had quality at bats as well. He had a singled and walked three additional times. He scored twice.
Dylan Schumacher recorded the win on the mound. In a five-inning stint, he scattered five hits, struck out eight, walked none and allowed one earned run. He struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced.
Rillo relieved and had a hand in all three outs in the sixth. He combined on a double play after giving up a lead-off single to NJ Ramchandran and caught a pop-up for the final out.
The win was Bethel Park’s ninth in a row. The Black Hawks improved to 17-4 overall and advanced to face No. 5 Thomas Jefferson in the quarterfinals set for May 19 at a site and time to be determined.
With the loss, its sixth in a row, Franklin Regional finished the season at 10-9 overall.