WJPA Sports

Rowan junior right-hander Michael Miles held the Washington & Jefferson batters to three hits and no runs as the Profs blanked the Presidents, 9-0, winning the Annville Regional Championship. Rowan got all the the runs they needed over a four-batter span in the second. With one out, Anthony Schooley singled, moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Chris Curcio and scored on Hunter Wroniuk’s safety squeeze bunt. Eric DiDomenico followed with a two-run home run of W&J senior Henry Litman. That score held until the seventh when Rowan added one run, then five more in their final at-bats. The Presidents had opportunities to get on the board but never got that clutch hit, eventually stranding six runners in scoring position in the game. Tyler Horvat, Evan Sante and Joe Lehner had singles for W&J, Horvat picking up his 16th post-season hit in the fifth inning.  W&J’s season ends at 37-10. Rowan (33-8) moves on to the Super Regionals.

Burgettstown rolled past California in the opening round, then dominated #3 Shenango two days later to reach the WPIAL semifinals for the first time in 40 years. The #6 Blue Devils face #7 Neshannock on Monday.  Peters Township needed a walk-off single in the 7th to get past Penn-Trafford and back to the semifinals. The top-seeded Indians take on #12 Thomas Jefferson. The Jaguars doubled up #4 Latrobe, then edged Chartiers Valley in the quarterfinals.

On the softball diamonds, the 2A bracket is one round behind with quarterfinal play set for Monday. The area teams are in action including #4 Chartiers-Houston, #8 Charleroi and #14 Bentworth, the Bearcats coming in off their 1-0 upset of #3 Ligonier Valley. The winners move to Wednesday’s semifinals and clinched state tournament berths. Links for brackets & broadcasts plus the daily schedule for teams from the two-county area follow.

Baseball WPIAL Brackets — Click Here  —  Softball WPIAL Brackets — Click Here

Monday
Baseball Semifinals
2A #6 Burgettstown vs. #7 Neshannock, 2 pm at Shaler WJPA-AM (1450) or LISTEN HERE!
5A #1 Peters Township vs. #12 Thomas Jefferson, 4:30 pm at W&J Ross Memorial Park WJPA-AM (1450) or LISTEN HERE!

Softball Quarterfinals
2A #4 Chartiers-Houston vs. #5 Laurel, 4 pm at Sewickley Academy
2A #14 Bentworth vs. #6 OL/Sacred Heart, 5 pm at West Mifflin
2A #8 Charleroi vs. #1 Neshannock, 5 pm at Mars Area

PITTSBURGH — Paul Goldschmidt went 4 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI to lead the St. Louis Cardinals over the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Saturday night. Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 14 games and his on-base streak to 28. His two-run double capped a four-run second inning. Bryan Reynolds hit an inside-the-park home run for the Pirates, and Yoshi Tsutsugo had a two-run double. Both finished with two hits — Reynolds also doubled. Highly touted St. Louis prospect Matthew Liberatore came within one out of winning his major league debut. The left-hander allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings while striking out three and walking two. Liberatore was recalled from Triple-A Memphis before the game. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Liberatore’s command will improve as he continues to pitch. Drew VerHagen (1-0) tossed 2 1/3 scoreless inning in relief of Liberatore for his first major league win since 2019 with Detroit. VerHagen spent the past two seasons playing in Japan. Ryan Helsley worked a perfect ninth for his second save. Tommy Edman added two hits as the Cardinals had a total of 10. Jose Quintana (1-2) was tagged for five runs — two earned — and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

PITTSBURGH — Forward Bryan Rust and the Penguins have agreed to a six-year contract extension, according to a release from the team. Rust’s contract extension is worth $30.75 million and begins at the start of the 2022-23 season. The contract runs through the 2027-28 season. Rust will make $5.125 million annually. Rust is 30 years old and a two-time Stanley Cup Champion. In the 2021-22 season, Rust recorded a career-best 58 points in 60 games.