Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

PIAA State Playoffs Game Recaps: Round One

June 4, 2014

By Greg Williams
PA Director of Scouting

The first round of state playoff action kicked off on Monday with 30 of the 32 scheduled games being played. The lone games rained out were played on Tuesday as a double header at Jerry Uht Park, home of the Erie SeaWolves. Following is a recap of both games.

Franklin 7, Seton La Salle 2

Nate CardySeton La Salle jumped on Franklin in the top of the 1st inning. The Rebels lead-off hitter Matthew Wilke walked, but was cut down at the plate on a well-executed relay from Knights' 2015 SS Joe Desko following a double off the bat of 2015 CF Danzel McKinley-Lewis. Following a groundout McKinley-Lewis scored on an infield single by 2016 C Liam Sweeney. The Knights answered back in the bottom half of the inning with consecutive one out singles by Desko and unsigned senior C Nate Cardy (right), followed by a run scoring double from 2014 3B Ryan Madden.

Franklin would go on to add a single run in the 2nd, three runs in the 3rd, and solo runs in the 4th and 5th to allow 2015 LHP Zach Guth some breathing room. The talented Indiana Hoosier commit cruised the rest of the way allowing just a one out, run scoring double by Wilke in the 5th inning. The junior lefty struck out 12 and walked two in a complete game effort.

Desko led the Franklin offense going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and also swiped two bases. The Knights advance to Thursday's quarterfinal round of state playoff action where they will battle the Central Dragons.


Cathedral prep 9, west mifflin 2

Carter CrossCathedral Prep got a quality start from 2016 RHP Carter Cross (right), who went six plus innings allowing two hits and four walks while striking out seven, and two big offensive innings to win going away. The Ramblers went quietly in the 1st, but used four hits, a walk and two Titans' errors to plate five runs in the 2nd inning to give Cross the cushion he needed to work comfortably.

The talented sophomore, two-way prospect, ranked No. 18 in the PA Class of 2016, carried a perfect game into the 5th inning. West Mifflin was able to put together two hits, a walk and a sacrifice bunt to plate two runs in the 5th cutting the deficit to 5-2. That momentum was squelched when the Ramblers' offense answered with four more runs in the bottom of the 6th inning to put the game away.

2014 2B Joe Baltes was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored, 2014 1B Billy Fessler was 2-for-3 with a walk and run scored, and 2015 OF Charlie Fessler was 2-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Ramblers' offense.

Cathedral Prep moves on to take on Punxsutawney on Thursday for the right to play in the Western final on June 9.

+ See the Pennsylvania Scout Blog for measurables and scouting notes on Guth, Desko, McKinley-Lewis and Cross.

additional pa news: