May 21, 2021 4 min read

WEST MIFFLIN – There are not many baseball teams with 10-10 records still participating in the WPIAL playoffs, which has left Peters Township head coach Rocky Plassio and shortstop Jack Kail to explain the Indians’ presence in next week’s Class 5A semifinals.

Peters Township scored in all but one inning Friday and defeated Latrobe 9-5 in the quarterfinals at West Mifflin High School.

It advances the Indians, the No. 13 seed, to Monday’s semifinals and clinches a spot in the state tournament.

“This is a lot of fun,” Plassio admitted. “I told the team we want to stay together as long as we can. This guarantees that we’ll play at least two more games. That’s exciting.”

That’s a much different feeling than the regular season, when PT slogged along to a 5-5 finish in Section 4 and fell victim to a lack of timely hitting, something the Indians have had plenty of in the postseason.

“All year,” Plassio said, “we knew it was there. There were times when we looked really good against good teams but didn’t win because we couldn’t get a clutch hit. We couldn’t get over the hump. Now, we’re getting timely hitting.”

There were plenty of guys providing big hits against Latrobe (12-9). Kail went 2-for-5 with a double, triple and an RBI. Sam Miller and Tucker Ferris each homered and Joey Bedillion, the No. 9 hitter in the Indians’ lineup, drove in two runs and doubled. Three of PT’s run scored with two outs.

“All year, we didn’t get hits with two outs,” Kail said. “Now, we’re playing the way we thought we should have during the regular season.”

If you believe in omens, Kail’s first at-bat hinted that this might be the Indians’ day and that it would be a painful one for Latrobe. Kail, the first batter of the game, laced a pitch from Wildcats starter Rayce King into the gap in right centerfield. The ball rolled all the way to the fence. Latrobe center fielder Drew Clair rolled his right ankle while chasing the baseball, allowing Kail to advance all the way to third base.

Kail scored two batters later when Mac Ciocco singled, the first of his two hits.

“That was a great way to start,” Plassio said.

The Indians made it 3-0 in the second when Ferris doubled inside the bag at third base and scored when Jake DiLucia’s bunt was thrown away for a three-base error. Bedillion’s groundout scored the second run of the inning.

But just when you thought PT was in firm control, Latrobe would score to pull within striking distance. That was a trend that continued until the seventh inning.

Latrobe scored a run in the second but PT made it 4-1 in the third when Ferris hit a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left field. The Wildcats answered with two runs in the third to close to within 4-3.

Ciocco led off the fifth by drawing a walk and, for a change, Miller was not given a bunt sign. He swung away and hit a 3-2 pitch for a long home run to left field that gave the Indians a 6-3 advantage.

“I had Sam, our No. 4 hitter, bunt twice against South Fayette,” Plassio pointed out. “I let him swing away this time, although it went against everything I believe in for that situation. But Sam believed in me the last game, so I said I believe in you this time. You’re going to get a hit.”

Latrobe knocked Miller out of the game in the fifth, scoring one more time. Miller, who began the year as the Indians’ closer, gave up five hits over 4 2/3 innings and struck out five.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth, which ended with PT ahead 7-5.

“Latrobe is extremely scrappy,” Plassio said. “Every time we got a lead, they would answer. Their No. 4 hitter (Tucker Knupp) is unbelievable.”

Knupp went 3-for-4 with two doubles.

The Indians closed out the win by scoring twice in the top of the seventh. One run scored when pinch-hitter Wes Parker, who had not batted in three weeks because of an injury, hit a slower grounder that was thrown away for an error by the second baseman, and Bedillion capped the frame with an RBI double.

Logan Pfeuffer pitched the final 2 1/3 innings for Peters Township, striking out four.

“We started out slowly this season,” Miller said. “We couldn’t figure out ways to win. But going into the South Fayette game (Wednesday), we’ve had a different feeling. We believe we’ll find a way to win. We’re playing out best baseball at the right time.”