Mt. Lebanon mining for baseball gold
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Tanner Donati was one of the top hitters as a junior in the WPIAL last season. A senior right fielder at Mt. Lebanon, he is a Delaware recruit.
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
David Shields is one of the experienced arms returning to the Mt. Lebanon pitching staff this season. He will be a two-way player this spring, moving from first to center field when he is not on the mound for the Blue Devils.
Mt. Lebanon head coach Patt McCloskey has been managing baseball long enough to value every victory.
“It’s high school, not professional baseball,” said McCloskey, who has been a coach at his alma mater for 24 seasons, 19 as head coach. “Each win is gold.
“You try to stack up as many wins as possible so that you can get into the playoffs. It’s single elimination. I wish they’d change that but the WPIAL won’t. So you grind out wins. You find a way to win and stay healthy and hope you are playing well once the playoffs start.”
Last spring, the Blue Devils did exactly that. After a 1-4 start, Lebo bounced back and won the Section 2 title with a 9-1 record. The Blue Devils then went on to win the WPIAL Class 6A championship, their first banner since 2006.
Before opening section play April 3 against Canon-McMillan at Wild Things Park, the site of the WPIAL finals, Lebo again was off to a slow start. The Blue Devils were 0-4 in exhibition games against Upper St. Clair, 4-3 and 5-2, Shaler, 5-1, and Seneca Valley, 5-3.
In Section 2, there are six teams including the Big Macs, Central Catholic, Norwin, Hempfield, Baldwin and Mt. Lebanon. Teams play a three-game series with games Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
“That’s real baseball,” McCloskey said. “I love the section.
“There are six good teams and anyone can beat anyone. We could finish first, we could finish last. We will really have to play well against each of our five opponents in our five series to make the playoffs. Our goal is to try to win each series. That would guarantee a spot in the playoffs.”
The Blue Devils will achieve their objectives with remnants of last year’s championship club, but there is no pressure to repeat as WPIAL winners because, McCloskey says, the expectations are the same every season.
“Grind it out and find a way into the playoffs. Then play at your best during a single-elimination tournament,” he said.
The Blue Devils lost some big pieces from last year’s championship club, including Jack Smith, who is pitching at Harvard, and Derrick Shields, who is playing at IUP. Smith posted a 5-1 record with two saves, 71 strikeouts and a 1.15. ERA. He scattered scattering two hits while fanning 14 of the 21 batters he faced in the WPIAL final.
“Jack and Derrick were two of the best two-way players we have ever had in our program and now they are gone,” McCloskey said.
The Blue Devils also graduated Paul Connolly, whom McCloskey deemed as the “best defensive catcher” ever in the program, as well as AJ Settler, Joey Daniels and Eli Heindenreich, who were all “top tier” defensive players.
Nevertheless Lebo does return several experienced players especially on the mound, including seniors Matthew Delvaux, Tyler Smith, Owen Mitchell as well as David Shields, who is also transitioning back from first base to center field.
Delvaux is also Lebo’s returning starting shortstop and Smith, who is an Auburn recruit, will anchor the infield at first base.
“Tyler is fully healthy. He and David have looked very good so far as has Matthew,” McCloskey said.
Another bonus for the Blue Devils is Tanner Donati. A veteran right fielder, the senior southpaw ranked among the top batters in the WPIAL. Last season, the Delaware commit batted .441 and drove in more than 20 runs.
“Tanner had a tremendous year for us in 2022. He was absolutely instrumental both offensively and defensively in our success. He’s a really complete player,” McCloskey said. “We look for him to build upon his successful junior year and become an even better player this spring,” McCloskey said.
The Blue Devils will also rely upon Evan Loehr, Frank Taucher, Caleb Weidman, Danny Clevenger, Peyton Rounsfull, Toby Kennedy, Quinn Van Deusen, Nate Girod, Jake and Will Tinnemyer, Weston Airey, Nolan and Chase Smith, Brock Stacy, Danny Flynn and Maddox Yost this season.
“We have some good players who had an opportunity to earn a starting spot this year and I have really enjoyed working with them for the last nine months,” McCloskey said. “I’m confident that everyone on the team has the same goal in mind. To compete for a spot in the playoffs over the course of a long 15-game section season,” he added.