WARREN, Pa. – Harbor Creek senior Aidan Kelly put together a dominant season both at the plate and on the mound, helping lead a talented Huskies’ squad to the PIAA playoffs. Because of those accolades, the stellar 2-way player is the inaugural D9and10Sports.com District 10 Player of the Year.
Kelly, a shortstop when he wasn’t on the mound, hit .448 with nine home runs, eight doubles and 28 RBIs. He also had an OPS of 1.645, with a .593 on-base percentage and a 1.051 slugging percentage. He walked (20) eight more times than he struck out (12). He was equally as dominant on the mound, putting together a 7-1 record with a 1.43 ERA in 44 innings pitched. He allowed 32 hits and 11 walks while striking out a whopping 85 batters.
Joining Kelly as major award winners are Cathedral Prep’s Jacob Engel (Pitcher of the Year), Franklin’s Luke Guth (Rookie of the Year) and Sharpsville’s Brian Smith (Manager of the Year).
Cathedral Prep’s Jacob Engel was named the D9and10Sports.com Pitcher of the Year. Photo courtesy Prep-Villa athletics.
Engel was terrific in helping lead the Ramblers to a D10 Class 4A championship and a berth in the PIAA quarterfinals. An ERA, he didn’t have one, giving up just four unearned runs in 39 ⅓ IP. He allowed just 18 hits and struck out 45, limiting opponents to a .131 batting average. In a 2-0 win over Blackhawk in the first round of the PIAA playoffs, he threw six shutout innings, allowing just three hits and striking out seven.
Guth, meanwhile, got to show his immense talents as a sophomore. The Vanderbilt commit hit .462 with six doubles, two triples and two home runs. He had an OPS of 1.336, a .567 OBP, .769 slugging percentage and 19 RBIs.
Franklin sophomore Luke Guth was named the D9and10Sports.com Rookie of the Year.
Guth was perhaps even more impressive on the mound. He compiled a 6-0 record and a 1.39 ERA in 45 ⅓ innings pitched. He struck out 74 and limited opponents to a .118 average.
Smith guided the Sharpsville Blue Devils to an 18-2 record and a D10 Class 2A championship. Their only two losses of the season came to West Middlesex, 2-0 in their final game of the regular season and 2-0 to Seton LaSalle in the first round of the PIAA playoffs. Those were the only two games this season the Blue Devils didn’t score at least seven runs.
Sharpsville, guided by manager Brian Smith, went 18-2 and captured the District 10 Class 2A title.
In addition to the major award winners, an All-District 10 team was named. The team consists of a catcher, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, infielder, three outfielders, a designated hitter, three utility players and five pitchers.
2021 D9and10Sports.com All-District 10 Baseball Team
C – Jared Leipheimer, Sr., Sharpsville – .530 average, 1.257 OPS, 7 2B, 1 3B, 24 RBIs,
1B – Jack Malec, Cathedral Prep – .426 average, 1.433 OPS, 11 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 28 RBIs
2B – Luca Bertolasio, Soph., Hickory – .387 average, 1.092 OPS, 3 3B, 5 HR, 18 RBIs, 17 SB
SS – Aidan Kelly, Sr., Harbor Creek – .448 average, 1.645 OPS, 8 2B, 9 HR, 28 RBI, 7 SB
INF – Isaac Clayton, Jr., Rocky Grove, .590 average, 1.730 OPS, 5 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBIs, 22 SB
OF – Mason Jones, Sr., Grove City – .481 average, 1.446 OPS, 2 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 32 RBIs, 3 SB
OF – Jackson Hower, Sr., McDowell – .500 average, 1.419 OPS, 7 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBIs, 5 SB
OF – Kaleb Gorichky, Sr., Sharpsville – .490 average, 1.318 OPS, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 22 RBIs, 13 SB
DH – Hayden Zaffino, Sr., Mercyhurst Prep – .446 average, 1.307 OPS, 2 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 31 RBIs, 6 SB
UTL – Johnny Leedham, Soph., Hickory – .517 average, 1.464 OPS, 6 2B, 6 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBIs
UTL – Dan Snyder, Jr., McDowell – .452 average, 1.351 OPS, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 14 RBIs, 5 SB
UTL – Cam Williamson, Jr., Harbor Creek – .400 average, 1.259 OPS, 6 2B, 6 HR, 24 RBIs
P – Jacob Engel, Jr., Cathedral Prep – 7-0, 0.00 ERA, 39 ⅓ IP, 45 Ks, 13 BB, .131 opponent’s average against
P – Luke Guth, Soph, Franklin – 6-0, 1.39 ERA, 45 ⅓ IP, 74 Ks, 20 BB, .118 opponent’s average against
P – Connor Fitzgerald, Sr., Mercyhurst Prep – 11-3, 1.14 ERA, 86 IP, 92 K, 24 BB, .201 opponent’s average against
P – Ben Berdine, Sr., Warren – 6-1, 1.71 ERA, 41 IP, 72 K, 23 BB, .190 opponent’s average against
P – Shane Thompson, Jr., Slippery Rock – 8-1, 1.53 ERA, 59 ⅓ IP, 66 K, 31 BB, .188 opponent’s average against
Player of the Year: Aidan Kelly, Sr., Harbor Creek
Pitcher of the Year: Jacob Engel, Jr., Cathedral Prep
Rookie of the Year: Luke Guth, Soph., Franklin
Manager of the Year: Brian Smith, Sharpsville
