May 13, 2015 3 min read

WEXFORD – In any playoff situation, there are only a limited amount of chances to win the game.

Canon-McMillan High School’s baseball team had its share, one in each of the first four innings of Wednesday’s first-round game against Shaler in the WPIAL Class AAAA playoffs at North Allegheny.

The reason why the Titans were celebrating at the end of this game and the Big Macs were trading tearful hugs was that Shaler erupted for three runs in the top of the seventh inning that produced a 4-1 victory on a cold, breezy night.

The loss ended the season for the seventh-seeded Big Macs at 13-7. Shaler (16-4) advances to Monday’s quarterfinals against Plum, a 3-2 winner over Butler, at a site and time to be determined.

Canon-McMillan was not intimidated by Shaler starting pitcher Jake Potock, a 6-5, 230-pound hard-throwing right-hander who is head to West Virginia University next fall.

“We had some opportunities to put the pressure on and weren’t able to do it early in the game,” said Big Macs head coach Frank Zebrasky. “Just like (Shaler) wasn’t able to put the pressure on us.”

The game evolved into near-misses as Potock and C-M’s Austin Berger wiggled out of jams in each of the first four innings. The game was tied 1-1 at that point but it could have easily been 6-6. Canon-McMillan and Shaler each left four runners on during that time.

“Austin pitched a wonderful game for us,” said Zebrasky. “It just goes to show you that you don’t have to be that overpowering. You just have to have command of your pitches. It was a good battle between two quality pitchers.”

Shaler finally got to Berger in the top of the seventh inning. Anthony Venizia singled to right to open the inning and was sacrificed to second base. Venizia moved to third on an error and scored when Noah Hernandez put down a perfect squeeze bunt.

Nick Fugh then made it 3-1 with a single to right field, ending Berger’s night. Luke Blanock relieved and allowed an RBI-single to David Pietropola before retiring the side.

“To their credit, they got a couple hits and executed a squeeze bunt, and there might have been a chance to make a play at the plate if we field it properly,” Zebrasky said.

“It stinks. It hurts. Our kids fought and battled.”

Canon-McMillan had runners in scoring position in two of the first four innings and pushed a run across in the bottom of the fourth without the benefit of a hit.

Tanner Piechnick reached base via an error, stole second and moved to third on a balk. He came home on a wild pitch.

Shaler scored in the top of the inning when Pietropolo walked, stole second base and was sacrificed to third. He scored on a single by Venizia.

Potock seemed to find his rhythm after the fourth inning, retiring the last 10 batters and finishing with six strikeouts.

“Jake was outstanding,” said Shaler head coach Kevin Junker.

“He threw strikes. They weren’t chasing his pitches in the dirt. And (Berger) did a nice job for them. We just wore them down.”