Mikes, Pioneers advances to quarterfinals
McMURRAY — It took a while for Carmichaels High School’s baseball team to settle in after a protracted layoff. But once the rust was knocked off, the runs began to come.
Carmichaels scored four runs each in the fourth and fifth innings and breezed to a 9-1 victory over Carlyton in the first round of the WPIAL Class A playoffs Tuesday at Peterswood Park. The win moves the No. 8-seeded Mikes against top-seeded Union on Monday at a time and place to be determined.
Carmichaels, which advanced out of the first round of the WPIAL playoffs for the seventh consecutive season, won championships in 2003, 2005 and 2008.
“We were so rusty,” said Carmichaels head coach Dickie Krause, “We were supposed to play Burgettstown Thursday but it got rained out. We had a scrimmage with Chartiers-Houston Tuesday and didn’t play it. So we hadn’t seen live pitching since last Monday.”
Through three innings, Carlynton starting pitcher Eric Firle was throwing a no-hitter but Carmichaels was leading 1-0.
Carlynton tied the game 1-1 on an error by catcher Grayson Harvey.
Whatever chance Carlynton (12-10) had of winning the game dissipated in the fourth and fifth innings. Carmichaels scored eight runs on just six hits and three Carlynton errors.
In the fourth, Robbie Wilson-Jones drove in two runs with a single to center field. Dom Colarusso drove in one with a sacrifice fly and Dayton Reynolds came in on a double from Mikes starter Liam Lohr.
“Once we had that big inning, I was much more comfortable out there.,” said Lohr. “They had the bases loaded (in the third inning) and that was the turning point for me.”
In the fifth inning, Colarusso drove in two runs with a smash to right field. Ambrose Anderson scored on an error and Nathaniel Beringo came home after getting hit with the bases loaded.
West Greene 6, Leechburg 2
To get past West Greene, an opponent must first get past pitcher Darren Knight. That proved to be too much of a task for Leechburg Tuesday at Peterswood Park.
Knight was impossible to touch over the final four innings as the Pioneers defeated Leechburg 6-2 in the first round of the WPIAL Class A tournament.
The win sends the seventh-seeded Pioneers (12-5) against No. 2 seed Eden Christian Academy on Monday at a site and time to be determined. Leechburg finished the season with an 8-8 record.
“First of all, he’s only a sophomore,” said West Greene head coach Lenny Lohr. “He had a good day. He had a little bit of nerves early. We have been off for a week but anytime you come into the playoffs, there are always nerves.”
Knight had eight strikeouts and two walks. The game was tied 2-2 until West Greene came up with four runs in the fifth inning.
Knight started the rally with a one-out walk and moved to second on an infield hit by Colton Thomas. Kameron Tedrow got on thanks to an error on the Leechburg third baseman that allowed Knight to score.
Johnny Lampe was hit by a pitch. Thomas scored on a fielder’s choice and Hayden Hamilton had a two-run single to center field.
“I was just trying to throw strikes and make them put the bat on the ball,” Knight said. “I was really nervous those first couple innings. The coaches picked me up and my catcher came out to calm me down.”