Jun 5, 2023 2 min read

DUBOIS – Andrew Bredl threw a complete game with 11 strikeouts, Maddox Gratchen drove in two runs and Burgettstown defeated Redbank Valley 6-1 in the opening round of the PIAA Class 2A baseball playoffs Monday at Showers Field in DuBois.

Burgettstown (16-4) advances to the state quarterfinals for the second year in a row. The Blue Devils will play Thursday against District 10 champion Sharpsville (15-7), which slipped past Serra Catholic, 7-4.

Bredel, who won two games in the WPIAL playoffs, tossed a seven-hitter, allowing only a single run in the third inning. He retired the final 10 Redbank Valley batters.

Burgettstown took advantage of six errors by Redbank Valley, which had won its first District 9 championship in 13 years. The Bulldogs committe dtwo eeeors in the top of the second inning, when Burgettstown scored the games’ first three runs. Gratchen capped the inning with a two-run single.

Redbank Valley pulled to within 3-1 in the third, but Burgettstown had a strong finish, scoring one run in the sixth and two in the seventh.

In the sixth, Gratchen drew a leadoff walk, Eric Kovach reached on an error and Riley Kennedy lofted a sacrifice fly that made it 4-1.

In the seventh, Gratchen led off with a walk, Kovach reached on an error and Bredel laced an RBI double. An error allowed the final Burgettstown run to score.

Burgettstown’s Tristan Roach went 3-for-4 and scored two runs.