California takes swing at 6th WPIAL title

California’s baseball team has had its fair share of trips to Wild Things Park in late May, while Laurel Highlands will be playing for the WPIAL championship for the first time in school history when both take the field this afternoon in the Class A and 5A baseball finals.
Laurel Highlands will meet Shaler at 2:30 p.m. in the first game of a tripleheader in Washington.
The Mustangs (14-6) will send their ace, Andino Vecchiolla, to the mound. The junior lefty is 7-1 this season. He won against Kiski and Hampton in the playoffs. The Titans (14-7) opened the playoffs with a 3-2 win over Trinity before edging Gateway, 2-1, and dominating Mars, 8-2.
California (17-1) is seeking its sixth WPIAL title. Coach Lou Pasquale’s team meets Union (15-3) at 5 p.m. for the Class A title. California won district gold in 1983, 2001, ’06, ’14 and ’17.
“There is always expectations,” Pasquale said. “When I got the job, I said, ‘The is no pressure on me or anything,’ (Former coach) Donnie (Hartman) laid the ground work and Nick (Damico) kept it going. They each have two WPIAL titles.”
The Trojans came into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, but Pasquale wasn’t sure what was going to happen after California was 9-8 last season and lost in the first round of the Class AA playoffs.
“I could give a cliched answer and say that I didn’t read what was said about us before the season, but I did read it and I saw we were ranked No. 3 or 4,” Pasquale said. “Apparently, the experts knew what they were talking about. We haven’t played a perfect game yet, but I hope we have that on Tuesday,”
Pasquale is still learning about Union, but the Scotties have a solid left-handed pitcher in sophomore Jake Vitale, who has thrown a no-hitter this year, and are good-hitting team.
“They have a lefty that’s 5-1,” Pasquale said. “If he is like the guy we played in the semis, then we will have our work cut out for us. … They have a team batting average of .375.”
The third game in the tripleheader matches Steel Valley (12-8) and Hopewell (15-5) in the Class 3A final at 7:30 p.m. The other three titles game will be played Wednesday.
Jefferson-Morgan (11-7) plays Leechburg (16-2) for third place in the Class A softball at 4 p.m. at Pleasant Valley Elementary School in McMurray. The winner will play the District 9 champion in the first round of the PIAA playoffs Monday.