SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Four District 9/10 baseball teams and one District 10 softball team have their sights set on PIAA championship games in semifinal contests scheduled (weather permitting) for Monday, June 12.
Postseason Coverage on the YDL Sports Network is brought you by
In baseball, District 9 champion Clarion and District 9 runner-up DuBois Central Catholic are looking at a possible D9 Class 1A title-game rematch if both can get through semifinal contests Monday, while District 10 champion Sharpsville (Class 2A) and District 9 champion Punxsutawney (Class 3A) are also looking for spots in State College later in the week.
District 10 Class 3A champion, Jamestown, is the lone D9/10 softball team with state-title hopes still alive in softball.
Here is a closer look at each game
CLASS 1A BASEBALL
(9-2) DuBois Central Catholic (19-5) vs. (1-1) Dock Mennonite (21-3), 4 p.m. at Central Columbia High School
How to follow: The Hound, 97.5 FM will be doing an audio broadcast which can also be found online at houndcountry.com
How they got here: DCC beat District 6 champion Bishop Guilfoyle, 8-5, in eight innings and District 3 champion Greenwood, 9-7. Dock Mennonite beat District 11 champion Marian Catholic 11-7 and District 4 champion Northern Bedford 11-2.
Who the winner gets: Winner of (9-1) Clarion vs, (5-1) Southern Fulton game at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 15, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park at Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
DCC offensive leaders: Carter Hickman (.449, 2 HR, 5 2B, 1 3B, 22 RBIs), Brayden Fox (.448, 1 HR, 8 2B, 28 RBIs, 25 R, 11 SB), Aiden Snowberger (.440, 12 2B, 2 3B, 23 RBIs, 26 R), Blake Pisarcik (.368, 2 HR, 7 2B)
DCC pitching leaders: Aiden Snowberger (7-2, 2.48 ERA, 42 ⅓ IP, 53 K, 5 BB), Carter Himes (3-0, 2.73 ERA, 33 ⅓ IP, 24 K, 15 BB), Brayden Fox (5-2, 1.22 ERA, 23 IP, 26 K, 13 BB)
Dock Mennonite offensive leaders: (Stats don’t include the quarterfinal game) Sam Laux (.623, 4 HR, 8 2B, 4 3B, 33 RBIs, 36 R), Nathan Lapp (.526, 4 HR, 7 2B, 3 3B, 29 RBIs, 40 R), Zack Frederick (.479, 1 HR, 8 2B, 2 3B, 31 RBIs), Brayden Kratz (.448, 1 HR, 4 2B, 3 3B, 19 RBIs, 37 R), Deven Ross (.442, 1 HR, 8 2B, 1 3B, 29 RBIs, 30 R), Zach Neff (.406, 29 RBIs), Matt Miles (.404)
Dock Mennonite pitching leaders: (Stat don’t include the quarterfinal game) Nathan Lapp (2.83, 54 ⅓ IP, 85 K, 9 BB), Cooper Brannon (0.34 ERA, 20 ⅓ IP, 16 K, 19 BB), Zack Frederick (9.78 ERA, 19 ⅓ IP, 26 K, 21 BB), Brayden Kratz (3.43 ERA, 16 ⅓ IP, 11 K, 10 BB)
The Cardinals are the defending PIAA 1A champions having beaten then-defending champion Halifax, 12-2, in the title game a year ago after topping Southern Fulton, 12-2, in six innings in the semifinals.DCC is in the semifinals for the fourth time in school history having won the PIAA title in 2001 when it beat M.t Union, 2-1, in the semifinals and Camp Hill, 8-7, in the title game. The Cardinals lost in the 2000 1A semifinals to Sharpsville, 13-1 … This has been a trying year for DCC. The Cards lost their first three games before winning 17 of 18 then blowing a 3-1 seventh-inning lead to Clarion in the D9 title game … The PIAA playoffs have been a roller-coaster of emotions as DCC trailed Bishop Guilfoyle 3-2 going to the sixth before scoring three in the top of the sixth to take a 5-3 lead only to watch BG tie the game with two in the bottom of the seventh before DCCscorted three in the top of the eighth to get the win … Then, in the quarter, DCC trailed 5-0 before ever coming to bat against Greenwood and was still down 7-3 going to the sixth before scoring six runs in the sixth to win 9-7 … The Cardinals have also overcome more than their fair share of injuries losing starting catcher Ben Gritzer to a thumb injury in late April (Gritzer did pinch run in the quarterfinal game) and then losing starting pitcher Carter Hickman to an arm issue in the D9 title game (Hickman is still batting for DCC) … Manager Adam Fox reached the Class AAA with both the Rangers and National organization, and his son, Brayden, just a sophomore, is one of DCC’s top players. Brayden’s step-father is Texas Ranger first base coach Corey Ragsdale.
Dock Mennonite Notes: The Pioneers are on a seven-game winning streak since a 13-6 loss to Souderton May 8. Other losses were to Holy Ghost Prep and Lower Moreland – the Lower Moreland loss was in the season opener March 17 … Dock Mennonite is coached by former major league catcher Erik Kratz, who played for nine teams over an 11-year career that started with the Pirates in 2010 and ended with the Yankees during the Covid-season of 2020. Kratz also played briefly with the Pirates in 2016. His son, Brayden, is one of the top players for the Pioneers … Back when the school was known as Christopher Dock, it made four appearances in the PIAA semifinals and won three PIAA Class 1A titles (2010, 2006, and 2005). In 2010, It beat Pius X, 4-2, in the semifinals and Serra Catholic, 4-3, in the title game. In 2006, it beat Mt. Calvary, 5-3, in the semifinals, and D10’s Villa Maria (when Villa was still co-ed), 9-0, in the title game, and in 2005, it beat Reading Central Catholic, 4-0, in the semifinals, and Homer-Center, 6-1, in the title game. Christopher Dock lost o Muncy, 13-3, in five innings in the 2004 semifinals.
(9-1) Clarion (19-4) vs. (5-1) Southern Fulton (24-1), 2 p.m. at Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, Pa.
How to follow: The YDL Sports Network will be doing a video broadcast of this game
How they got here: Clarion beat District 6 runner-up Harmony, 15-0, 3 innings, in the opening round and District 10 runner-up, Saegertown, 10-0, 5 innings … Southern Fulton beat WPIAL runner-up, California, 8-3, and District 10 champion, West Middlesex, 6-1.
Who the winner gets: Winner of the (1-1) Dock Mennonite vs. (9-2) DuBois Central Catholic game at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 15, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park at Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
Clarion offensive leaders: Dawson Smail (.533, 4 HR, 15 2B, 1 3B, 26 RBIs, 46 R), Noah Harrison (.478, 30 RBIs), Bryce Brinkley (.415 (19 R, 17 2B), Derek Smail (.400, 4 HR, 4 2B, 23 RBIs)
Clarion pitching leaders: Devon Lauer (7-1, 0.58 ERA, 48 IP, 45 K, 14 BB, has needed 110 pitches to get through two PIAA playoffs games including 66 Thursday)
Tanner Miller (5-0, 1.40 ERA, 35 IP, 30 K, 15 BB), Derek Smail (2-1, 3.65 ERA, 23 IP, 32 K, 19 BB), and Matt Alston (4-0, 0.76 ERA, 18 ⅓ IP, 16 K, 3 BB).
Southern Fulton offensive leaders: Dane Harvey (.644, 11 HRs, 7 2B, 3 3B, 47 RBIs, 40 R; 21 career home runs), Mark Fritz (.438, 7 2B, 27 RBIs, 18 R, 12 SB), Jett Burger (.427, 1 HR, 10 2B, 31 RBIs, 33 R), Kasey Fitz (.403, 36 R, 33 SB), Ethan Powell (.391, 26 RBIs, 29 R, 14 SB)
Southern Fulton pitching leaders: Freshman Paul Hendershot (9-0, 0.70 ERA, 50 IP, 46 K, 13 BB, .197 OBA; threw 96 pitches in the win over West Middlesex Thursday), Ethan Mellott (5-0, 3.46 ERA, 30 ⅓ IP, 33 K, 23 BB), Owen Oakman (Another freshman, 3-0, 0.31 ERA, 22 ⅓ IP, 26 K, 1 BB).
Clarion Notes: Of the Bobcats four losses, two have come against teams that are playing in the PIAA semifinals – DuBois Central Catholic in Class 1A and Punxsutawney in Class 3A – with a third coming against District 9 Class 2A champion Redbank Valley … Clarion has won seven in a row since blowing a 2-1 seventh-inning lead in a 5-2 loss to DCC May 11 … The Bobcats are in the PIAA semifinals for the second time in school history. Clarion beat Greensburg Central Catholic, 1-0, in 2017 on its way to a second-place PIAA Class 1A finish … Clarion has just one senior, Gary Matus, on the team … Dawson Smail is a junior who has already committed to play at Big East champion Xavier. His younger brother, Derek, is also a D1 recruit.
Southern Fulton Notes: The Indians lone loss was a 5-2 setback to McConnelsburg May 3. They have won 11 in a row since that defeat … Southern Fulton is in the PIAA 1A semifinals for the third straight season and for the fourth time in the past five seasons. The Indians lost o DCCm 12-2, in six innings last year after falling 8-3 to Eden Christian in 2021. In 2018, coming out of the “Eastern” half of the bracket, Southern Fulton beat Satre, 11-0, in five innings before losing to Vincentian Academy, 5-3, in the PIAA title game. Southern Fulton also made the semifinals in 2015 falling to Lancaster County Christian, 5-2, and it also lost in the 1981 semifinals to Wilmington, who was in the WPIAL at the time.
CLASS 2A BASEBALL
(10-1) Sharpsville (17-7) vs. (6-1) Bald Eagle Area (20-4), 4:30 p.m. at Showers Field in DuBois, Pa.
How to follow: Sports Radio 96.7 FM in Hermitage will have an audio broadcast which can also be heard online at sportsradio967fm.com
How they got here: Sharpsville beat WPIAL runner-up Serra Catholic, 7-4, and WPIAL third-place finisher Burgettstown, 10-3. Bald Eagle Area beat District 5 champion McConnelsburg, 10-4, and District 9 runner-up Karns City, 6-0.
Who the winner gets: Winner of the (6-2) Mt. Union vs. (3-1) Kutztown game at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 16, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park at Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
Sharpsville offensive leaders: Stephen Tarnoci (.455, 2 HR, 11 2B, 1 3B, 34 RBIs), Luke Distler (.405, 6 2B, 3 3B, 19 RBIs), Jack Leipheimer (.371), Braden Scarvel (.307, 1 HR, 2 2B, 2 3B, 20 RBIs)
Sharpsville pitching leaders: Jack Leipheimer (4-3, 2.67 ERA, 42 IP, 46 K, 9 BB), Stephen Tarnoci (3-1, 4.36 ERA, 25 ⅔ IP, 35 K, 27 BB), Kaden Wygant (4-0, 3.44 ERA, 36 ⅔ IP, 37 K, 14 BB), Braden Scarvel (4-2, 3.36 ERA, 33 ⅓ IP, 36 K, 28 BB)
Bald Eagle Area offensive leaders: Tayten Yoder (.333, 4 HR, 4 2B, 24 RBIs), Kahale Burns (.329, 1 HR, 4 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBIs, 30 R, 18 SB), Parker Quick (.315), Justin Bisel (.312, 2 HR, 1 2B, 14 RBIs), Carson Nagle (.301, 5 HRs, 5 2B, 21 RBIs)
Bald Eagle Area pitching leaders: Tyler Serb (8-3, 1.75 ERA, 72 IP, 68 K, 24 BB0, Wyatt Coakley (5-0, 2.15 ERA, 42 ⅓ IP, 30 K, 16 BB), Westin McClain (4-0, 1.71 ERA, 28 ⅔ IP, 30 L, 7 BB)
Sharpsville Notes: A four-game losing streak near the start of the season left the Blue Devils reeling at 1-4. But they rebounded to win 8-0 before losing three straight to sit at 9-7 on May 13. But starting with an 11-0 win over Jamestown May 15, Sharpsville has won eight in a row … The Blue Devils are in the PIAA semifinals for the second time in school history and for the first time since 2000 when they beat DCC, 13-1, in the semifinals before losing to Southern Columbia, 2-0 in the Class 1A title game
Bald Eagle Area Notes: BEA has two wins over fellow semifinalist Mt. Union among its 20 victories … The Bald Eagles are back in the PIAA semifinals for the first time in 41 years since losing to Langley, 8-3, in 1982 when the semifinals were played a day before the finals and there were only two classifications
CLASS 3A BASEBALL
(9-1) Punxsutawney (20-2) vs. (7-1) Riverside (23-0), 4 p.m. at Jack Critchfield Park on the campus of Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, Pa.
How to follow: The YDL Sports Network will be doing a video broadcast of this game
How they got here: Punxsutawney beat WPIAL runner-up Neshannock, 9-1, in the first round and District 6 champion Philipsburg-Osceola, 6-1, in the quarterfinals … Riverside beat District 6 runner-up Tyrone, 3-2, in the first round and District 10 champion Fairview, 9-3, in the quarterfinals
Who the winner gets: Winner of the (3-1) Camp Hill vs. (11-1) Saucon Valley game at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park at Penn State University, University Park, Pa.
Punxsutawney offensive leaders: Nevin Day (.470, 1 HR, 7 2B, 2 3B, 26 RBIs. 23 R), Justin Miller (.429, 4 2B, 17 RBIs, 22 R, 5 SB), Carter Savage (.420, 1 HR, 7 2B, 17 RBIs), Jake Sikora (.369, 4 HR, 6 2B, 1 3B, 21 RBIs), Josh Tyger (.365, 6 2B, 19 RBIs, 23 R), Peyton Hetrick (.357, 5 2B, 17 RBIs), Zach Dinger (.367, 2 HR, 3 2B, 3 3B, 23 R, 7 SB)
Punxsutawney pitching leaders: Jake Sikora (7-2, 2.33 ERA, 48 IP, 63 K, 29 BB), Nevin Day (6-0, 1.19 ERA, 47 IP, 42 L, 8 BB), Coy Martino (5-0, 0.68 ERA, 20 ⅔ IP, 49 K, 2 BB)
Riverside offensive leaders: Ashton Schlosser (.465, 1 HR, 7 2B, 1 3B, 20 RBIs, 29 R), Bo Fornataro (.451, 2 HR, 6 2B, 3 3B, 28 RBIs, 32 R), Hunter Garvin (.433, 4 HR, 8 2B, 25 RBIs, 28 R), Mitch Garvin (.403, 1 HR, 8 2B, 35 RBIs)
Riverside pitching leaders: Christian Lucarelli (5-0, 1.44 ERA, 48 ⅔ IP, 104 K, 29 BB), Ronnie Harper (7-0, 1.51 ERA,, 46 ⅓ IP, 49 K, 16 BB), Hunter Garvin (6-0, 1 SV, 0.51 ERA, 27 ⅓ IP, 44 K, 12 BB)
Punxsutawney Notes: The Chucks are in the semifinals for the second straight season and for the fourth time in school history. Last year, Punxsutawney lost to eventual PIAA champion Central-Martinsburg, 6-5. In 2007, the Chucks won the state title beating Marple Newtown, 5-4, after taking care of Blakchawank, 14-3, in six innings in the semifinals … In 2005, Punxsutawney lost to Peters Township, 12-2, in the semifinals … The Chucks lone losses have come to Hollidaysburg, 11-8, April 13 at the Curve Classic and 2-1 to DuBois May 10, They have won eight in a row since that loss … Day is only a freshman but was named the Northern Allegheny League Large School MVP … Sikora will play for USCAA National Champion Penn State DuBois next season
Riverside Notes: Riverside manager Dan Oliastro is in his 55th season coaching the Panthers. His first year of coaching was the same year Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. The 79-year-old Oliastro enters the game with a record of 694-442 record which includes four PIAA titles and six WPIAL titles. No other coach in state history has won four PIAA championships in baseball (and remember he started coaching nine years before the PIAA started a baseball championship) … Riverside’s PIAA titles came in 2005, 2006, 2011, and 2012) … This is Riverside’s first PIAA semifinal appearance since 2016 when they lost to Bishop McCort, 1-0, in Class 2A and it is Riverside’s seventh overall semifinal appearance (4-2) … Lucarelli has committed to pitching at Duke.
CLASS 3A SOFTBALL
(10-1) Jamestown (22-2) vs. (6-1) Juniata (24-3) at Heindl Field, DuBois, Pa.
How to follow: The game will be live streamed (video) on the Jamestown softball Facebook page (one has to request permission to join the page if they are not already a member)
How they got here: Jamestown beat WPIAL fourth-place finisher Waynesburg, 6-4 in the first round and District 5 champion Chestnut Ridge in the quarterfinals, 3-0. Juniata beat WPIAL third-place finisher Burrell, 1-0 in the first round and WPIAL champion and defending PIAA 3A champion Avonworth, 6-1 in the quarterfinals.
Who the winner gets: Winner of (11-1) Palisades and (2-1) Mid Valley at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Nittany Lion Softball Park, University Park, Pa.
Jamestown Offensive Leaders: Reese Schaller (.518, 8 HR, 2 3B, 12 2B, 39 RBIs), Kiley Matters (.458, 1 HR, 12 2B, 28 RBIs), Savannah Thurber (.408, 3 HR, 6 2B, 23 RBIs), Madilyn Enterline (.343, 1 HR, 1 3B, 4 2B, 23 RBIs), Miranda Biles (.323, 1 HR, 2 3B, 5 2B, 15 RBIs), Morgan Bercis (.356, 2 3B, 14 RBIs).
Jamestown Pitching Leaders: Miranda Biles (18-2, 2.92 ERA, 115 IP, 22 BB, 163 K)
Juniata Offensive Leaders: Elizabeth Gaisior (.390, 2 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B, 25 RBIs), Regan Lowrey (.391, 5 HR, 1 3B, 6 2B, 19 RBIs),Shaleyln Armstrong (.329, 1 HR, 1 3B, 9 2B, 22 RBIs), Savannah Marshall (.333, 3 HR, 4 2B, 19 RBIs), Alexea Frontz (.299, 1 3B, 4 2B, 19 RBIs).
Juniata Pitching Leaders: Elizabeth Gaisior (24-3, 0.73 ERA, 32 BB, 393 K)
Jamestown Notes: The Muskies are in the PIAA semifinals for the first time in program history … Jamestown’s only two losses this season came to Cathedral Prep and Franklin, the 4A finalists in District 10 … The Muskies had a double-digit run total in 15 of their wins to this point … The 3-0 PIAA quarterfinal win over Chesnut Ridge was the fifth shutout this season … Schaller, who will play at Division I Youngstown State next season, ranks second in RBIs and sixth in home runs among District 10 players whose teams enter stats on MaxPreps.
Juniata Notes: This is Juniata’s first PIAA semifinal appearance in program history … The Indians have won 17 games via shutout this season … Two of their three losses this season came to Upper Dauphin … They have outscored their opponents this season 200-33 this season .. Gaisior will play at Division I Fordham University next season.
