Brendan McKay, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound sophomore was nearly perfect for six innings in Blackhawk’s 1-0 win over Belle Vernon in Wednesday’s WPIAL AAA championship game at Consol Energy Park. McKay retired the first 17 batters he faced before his perfect game was broken up in the bottom of the sixth inning on a seeing eye single by Belle Vernon’s Dean Manown. He ended the game with an impressive 11 strikeouts while only allowing two hits in a complete game shutout. McKay, who is PBR’s No. 2 ranked player in the Class of  2014, was also impressive at the dish going 2-for-3 with a walk. 

Blackhawk, ranked No. 1 in the state by PBR, scored its lone run in the fourth inning with a lead off double by Tyler Craig who was plated later in the inning via an RBI single by Joe Lopez. Lopez ended the day 2-for-3 with the game’s lone RBI.

Belle Vernon rallied in the bottom of the 7^th and was within a base hit of pulling off the upset. Following a one out walk, Dom Francia singled down the left field line putting runners on second and third. McKay then walked the next batter to force the bases loaded. Belle Vernon’s Matt Calloway grounded into a 1-2-3 double play to end the game.

It was Blackhawk’s third consecutive 1-0 victory.  Both teams will advance to the PIAA State Tournament with Blackhawk being the number one seed and Belle Vernon the number two seed out of District 7.