May 22, 2023 3 min read

McMURRAY – It was such a good victory that even Mick The Stick was smiling.

Well, he, or she, would have been had it had lips, teeth and cheeks.

You see, Mick The Stick is the good luck charm of California High School’s baseball team. He’s made out of a 10-foot piece of wood with a baseball cap no one wanted, three baseball gloves, which is silly, considering he has only two arm branches where his hands should be, a California baseball shirt and a pair of glasses.

Since California adopted Mick The Stick, the team has won nine games. The latest came Monday afternoon, when California defeated Carmichaels for the third time this season, this time 3-0 in the WPIAL Class A quarterfinals at Peterswood Park.

The win sends the Trojans to the semifinals today at 4:30 p.m. against top-seeded Union at W&J.

“Mick The Stick clicked,” said California pitcher Addison Pantepinto. “We believe in Mick The Stick.”

Fourth-seded California (13-7) now has three consecutive wins over fifth-seeded Carmichaels (15-4), two by a 5-4 score.

Pantepinto pitched a complete game, striking out four and walking one. He was helped by some great defensive plays, two that turned into double plays and three outstanding catches by centerfielder Caden Powell.

“I tried to strike everybody out,” said Pantepinto, who throws fastball, curve and change. “I know you’re not supposed to do that. But even when they get guys on the bases, it doesn’t phase us. I want them to make the plays. I back them up and they back me up.”

California jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Powell led off with an infield single and was erased on a fielder’s choice by Ricky Lawson. Aidan Lowden and Chase Chicchito each walked to load the bases. Kris Weston knocked in one run with and infield single and Brody Todd sent Lowden home when he got hit by a pitch.

The Trojans made it 3-0 in the third when Weston doubled to right, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dom Martini.

“Aw man, I don’t want to play Carmichaels every day,” said Trojans head coach Taylor Andrisko. “They are an excellent baseball team. To get them three times, that’s a gutsy effort by our team. I’ve said all year long that Addison Pantepinto is a bulldog.”

Carmichaels head coach Richard Krause wanted to start Patrick Holaren but he was suspended by the WPIAL for the playoffs for transferring in from Jeffersron-Morgan after his junior season.

“We don’t have our kid who was 6-0 and an ERA under 1.00,” said Krause. “He was declared a transfer by the WPIAL. Here’s what I want you to know. His mother went to Carmichaels, his grandfather went to Carmichaels and his greatgrandfather was a principal at Carmichaels.

“And the WPIAL in its infinite wisdom declares him a transfer because he was at Jefferson for nine months. So we come into a tournament without our leadoff batter, who hit .390. The ruling is ridiculous. We’re frustrated we didn’t have the kid because he was a big part of our team.”