ERIE – Fairview got a strong start from Colin Bolla, and held off a late North East rally as the Tigers defeated the Pickers, 6-3, to win the District 10 Class 3A baseball title at Mercyhurst University.
The Tigers held a 6-1 lead through six innings. The Pickers scored twice in the top of the seventh, but Vinny Campoli struck out the final two batters to clinch the title.
North East had an opportunity to strike first in the first. The Grapepickers had runners on second and third with two outs, but Bolla got Tyler Whitman, his mound opponent, to strike out to end the threat. It was the first of seven straight strikeouts for Bolla.
“I knew I had gotten through the first four guys in their lineup, their toughest guys,” Bolla said. “They’re all really good hitters. Props to them because all year they’ve been hitting the crap out of the ball. I knew it was going to be about just throwing strikes the rest of the way and being as efficient as humanly possible.”
See Bolla’s full postgame interview:
The Tigers got their first run in the home half of the inning. With two outs and no one on, Aari Fox lifted the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to put Fairview ahead 1-0.
See Fox’s home run:
“It’s nice to be ahead in the beginning, set the tone,” Fox said.
See Fox’s full postgame interview:
Bolla helped his own cause in the third. With the bases loaded and one out, Bolla hit a sac fly to left to double the lead. Campoli followed with an RBI single to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.
North East broke through in the fourth. David Gibson hit a leadoff single and Andrew Aspen was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Both moved up a base on a wild pitch. One out later, Jacob Babo brought in Gibson with a ground out to cut the lead to 3-1.
Fairview answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Three straight 1-out singles loaded the bases for Austin Hawley. Hawley ripped a grounder to short and reached safely when Gibson’s throw went wide. Two runs came in on the play and the Tigers had a 5-1 advantage. Another run came home on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.
Babo hit a leadoff single to start the North East seventh and Owen Kemp followed with a double to put runners on second and third. Vinny Triana’s ground out brought in a run, and Braden Cornman followed with an RBI single to make it 6-3.
Campoli got the final two outs via strikeout, though the umpires conferred for a brief moment following the final out. Reid Courtwright fouled a ball back on an 0-2 count. Ed Dolansky caught the ball and started celebrating. After a brief meeting, the plate umpire gave the out signal and the Fairview celebration was on.
“Not a doubt, I knew that ball was in the spot you saw it in the outfield,” Bolla said. “We knew it was there, it was just about ‘Let’s confirm it.'”
Bolla allowed just one earned run on two hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts in five innings. He also had a hit and an RBI at the plate.
Fox’s home run was Fairview’s only extra-base hit of the game. Adam Skelly had two hits and scored twice, and Hawley drove in a pair.
Campoli allowed two earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts in two innings.
Gibson had a pair of hits for North East.
Fairview coach Joe Spinelli told his team following the game that they experienced a PIAA tournament win last season, and this year is about winning multiple games. Players echoed that sentiment as well.
“Gotta go there with the mentality of wanting to win,” Fox said. “Not being done just by winning the district title.”
The Tigers will play the No. 4 team from the WPIAL on Monday, June 5 at a time and location to be announced.
“We know whoever we face is going to be really good,” Bolla said. “It’s just about us coming out and doing our best job and being able to compete no matter what.”
