Seven WPIAL teams went to Penn State over the weekend, looking for PIAA gold. Thursday wins by Shaler and Riverside baseball teams gave District 7 hopes of hitting the motherload. Unfortunately, the rest of the pans revealed only silver. Softball squads went 0-4 including one-run losses by Montour, Union and Shaler, the latter in nine innings.
Saturday afternoon, Mt. Lebanon’s drive for a second baseball championship ended in a loss to District 12 champion Father Judge. Mt. Lebanon took a 1-0 lead in the third on Matt Delvaux’s RBI single to left. Father Judge’s starter, David Rodriguez then slammed the door, retiring the next 10 batters. Meanwhile, the Crusaders scored twice in the fifth off the Blue Devils’ starter, David Shields, the first post-season runs against the sophomore left-hander who left the game one out into the seventh. Father Judge plated a pair of insurance runs off reliever Tyler Smith. The Blue Devils loaded the bases with two out in the seventh, but couldn’t tie the game, forced to settle for second place 25 years after winning their only state baseball championship.
Thursday, June 15
6A Softball North Penn 1, Hempfield 0
5A Baseball Shaler 9, Strath Haven 8 (8 inn.)
4A Softball Blue Mountain 3, Montour 2 (WJPA-AM)
3A Baseball Riverside 4, Camp Hill 0
Friday, June 16
1A Softball Tri-Valley 6, Union 3
Saturday, June 17
6A Baseball Father Judge 4, Mt. Lebanon 1 (WJPA-AM)
5A Softball Northern York 3, Shaler 2 (9 inn.)