SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Rocco Tartaglione’s walk-off double in the eighth sent Meadville to a 6-5 win over Hickory in their District 10 Class 4A semifinal at Slippery Rock University.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning, but the Hornets scored two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings to send the game to extras tied at 5-5.
Hickory got runners on first and second with one out in the top of the eighth, but Meadville was able to double up Zac Lanshcak at first on Tyson Djakovich’s fly out to end the threat.
The Bulldogs wasted little time in the bottom of the inning. Bradyn Miller and Brighton Anderson led off with back-to-back singles to bring Tartaglione to the plate. Tartaglione ripped a 2-1 pitch into right center to bring in Miller for the game-winner.
The Hornets struck first in the first as Johnny Leedham’s RBI single brought in Luca Bertolasio for the 1-0 lead.
Tartaglione tied it up with an RBI triple after Anderson reached on an error to start the home half of the inning. After Brady Walker was hit by a pitch, Tartaglione came home when Owen Garvey reached on an error to put Meadville in front, 2-1.
Jordan Young followed with a single and Gavin Beck drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in Walker. Two outs later, Miller was hit by a pitch to bring in another run and give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead.
Neither team scored again until the fifth.
DJ Donatelli drew a 1-out walk and Leedham reached on an error. Lanshcak was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Donatelli scored on Djakovich’s ground out. Consecutive walks to Dennis Fedele and Noah Jordan brought in another run and trimmed the lead to 4-3.
Beck walked and later scored on a wild pitch to push Meadville’s advantage to 5-3.
Hickory tied it with a 2-out rally in the sixth.
Donatelli got it started with a single and advanced to third when Leedham reached on an error. Lanshcak followed with a 2-run double to tie it at 5-5.
Tartaglione finished with three hits, two doubles and a triple, scored a run, and drove in a pair.
Mason Walker got the win putting up all zeros in his ⅔ inning. AJ Feleppa got the start and went 4 ⅓. He allowed two earned runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Brady Walker allowed three unearned runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in three innings.
Leedham and Lanshcak each had two hits for the Hornets. Lanshcak had two RBIs and Leedham drove in one. Donatelli scored twice.
Djakovich took the loss allowing one earned run on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts in 2 ⅓ innings. Fedele got the start and allowed five runs, two earned, on two hits with two walks and six strikeouts in 4 ⅔ innings.
Meadville will face top-seeded Cathedral Prep, an 11-0 winner over Slippery Rock, for the D10 title on Monday at a time and location to be announced.
CATHEDRAL PREP 11, SLIPPERY ROCK 0, 5 INNINGS
ERIE – Cathedral Prep was firing on all cylinders as two players homered and two pitchers combined for a no-hitter in the Ramblers’ 11-0, 5-inning win over Slippery Rock in their District 10 Class 4A semifinal at Mercyhurst University.
Luke Costello and Andrew Malec combined for the no-no, while Nick Jackson’s grand slam broke the game open, and Costello’s 2-run blast in the fourth closed out the scoring offensively.
Three straight 1-out singles loaded the bases for the Ramblers in the second. One run came in when John Koshan reached on an error. One out later, Jackson’s slam put Prep ahead 5-0.
Jason Fultz hit an RBI double in the third, and a second run scored later in the inning when Koshan reached on an error for the second time.
Joey Spano singled and Jackson walked to start the fourth. An error on a steal attempt allowed Spano to score and Jackson to advance to third. Jackson later scored on a wild pitch during the same at-bat. Cole Constable drew a walk and, one out later, Costello capped the scoring with his 2-run blast to left.
Jackson’s home run was his only hit, but he scored twice and drove in four. Costello had two hits, scored twice, and had two RBIs. Fultz had a pair of hits and scored two runs, while Spano also scored twice.
Costello and Malec each walked one batter and struck out four on the mound. Costello got the start and went three innings, while Malec came on in relief for the final two innings.
The Ramblers will face Meadville, a 6-5 winner over Hickory, for the D10 title on Monday at a time and location to be announced.
CLASS 3A SEMIFINALS
(1) FAIRVIEW 3, (5) MERCYHURST PREP 2
ERIE – Fairview scored twice in the fifth to take the lead and the defense made it hold up as the Tigers defeated Mercyhurst Prep, 3-2, in their District 10 Class 3A semifinal at Mercyhurst University.
The Lakers had taken a 2-1 lead in the top of the inning when Jake Manendo scored on a balk.
Colin Bolla drew a leadoff walk to start the Fairview fifth. One out later, courtesy runner Patrick Stafford moved to second on Tyler Benford’s ground out. Brady Baker’s RBI single to left tied it at 2-2. Caleb Szklenski followed with a double to put runners on second and third with two outs.
Baker scored the game-winner when Adam Skelly reached on an error.
Fairview got on the board in the first when Aari Fox hit a 2-out double and scored on Ed Dolansky’s single.
The Lakers tied it in the fourth. Logan Wells hit a leadoff single and moved to second on Noah Trojanowski’s sac bunt. Wells scored on an error on the play.
Fairview’s Vinny Campoli was the only player in the game with multiple hits. Dolansky and Brady had one RBI each.
Bolla got the win allowing two runs, one earned, on two hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 4 ⅓ innings. Campoli didn’t allow a hit and struck out three in 2 ⅔ scoreless innings.
Bryce Schueth took the loss allowing three runs, two earned, on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts in five innings. Hunter Krahe didn’t give up a hit, walked two, and struck out a pair in his lone inning of work.
Fairview will face seventh-seeded North East, a 2-1 winner over Harbor Creek, for the D10 title at 2 p.m. on Monday at Mercyhurst University.
(7) NORTH EAST 2, (3) HARBOR CREEK 1
ERIE – Jacob Babo’s RBI single in the sixth proved to be the game-winner as No. 7 North East upset No. 3 Harbor Creek, 2-1, in their District 10 Class 3A semifinal at Mercyhurst University.
Babo’s single came just an inning after Tommy Owens’ RBI double, the only extra-base hit of the game for either team, tied it at 1-1, and the Grapepickers got out of a bases-loaded, 1-out jam in the bottom of the fifth.
Eli Moon’s 2-out RBI single in the bottom of the first brought in Jordan Irwin and gave the Huskies a 1-0 lead.
Jake Rzodkiewicz had a pair of hits for the Huskies.
Ryan Vaughn took the loss allowing two earned runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Gio Barbato allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out one in his inning of relief.
Owens had three hits and an RBI. Jerek Turlij had two hits and scored a run in the win.
Reid Courtwright got the win allowing one unearned run on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings. Tyler Wittman put up all zeros in his inning of relief.
