A big game for senior Kingston Krotec earned a spot in the state tournament for sixth-seeded Hopewell and brought No. 13 Derry’s season to an end.
Krotec threw a complete-game shutout, scattering seven hits and striking out three, and helped his own cause by going 2 for 2 with two RBIs to lead the Vikings to a 3-0 victory in the WPIAL Class 4A third-place game Tuesday night at Ross Memorial Field in Washington.
In Class 4A, only the top three teams from the WPIAL advance to the PIAA tournament, which begins Monday.
Hopewell (17-6) did all its damage in the third inning. Drew Donovan led off with a walk and Jayvion Lindsey singled before Derry starter Max Doherty struck out the next two batters. Krotec hit a two-run single to center and Charles Smetana followed with an RBI double to give the Vikings all the runs they needed.
Derry’s best chance to score came in the first inning when the first three batters reached base, Parker Petrosky and Anthony Sacco on singles and Cason Long on a walk. Hopewell got out of the jam with a caught stealing, a fly out to left and a ground out to short.
The Trojans also had the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning after a two-out single by Cam Ferri, but Krotec finished the game off with a strikeout.
Doherty was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Derry (9-11), giving up three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in six innings.
The loss ends the surprise playoff run of the Trojans, who beat No. 4 Beaver and No. 12 Hampton before falling to top-seeded Indiana in the semifinals.
Serra Catholic 5, Western Beaver 0 – Jake Jellison threw a five-hit shutout with eight strikeouts and went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead No. 3 Serra Catholic (14-8) past No. 4 Western Beaver (12-5) in the Class A third-place game. Max Black homered, Cole Hann doubled and drove in a run, DJ Delliman tripled and scored a run and Kaleb Bynum had two hits and two runs scored for the Eagles. Christian Stefankis and Sawyer Chaffee each singled and walked for the Golden Beavers. Both teams have qualified for states.
Softball
Baldwin 3, Thomas Jefferson 1 – Melina DeFelice allowed six hits in a complete-game win and helped her own cause with a single and an RBI as No. 5 Baldwin (19-5) defeated No. 2 Thomas Jefferson (17-5) in the Class 5A third-place game. Mackenzie Bowen also singled and drove in a run for the Highlanders. Zoie DeCastro doubled in a run for the Jaguars. Both teams have qualified for states.
Ellwood City 5, Keystone Oaks 1 – Amber McQuiston kept her team’s season alive, throwing a complete-game three-hitter with eight strikeouts and hitting a pair of home runs to lead No. 4 Ellwood City (11-6) past No. 7 Keystone Oaks (17-6) in the Class 3A third-place game. McQuiston hit a two-run homer in the first and a three-run blast in the sixth. Crystal Folino had two hits and two runs scored for the Wolverines, who claimed the third and final PIAA berth out of the WPIAL. Kennadi Smith went 2 for 2 with two doubles and an RBI and Kailyn Brannon singled and scored a run for the Golden Eagles.
Laurel 6, Chartiers-Houston 5 – Lizzy Pascoe hit a grand slam in the third inning to lead No.1 Laurel (16-6) past No. 2 Chartiers-Houston (18-4) in the Class 2A third-place game. Lexi Krol went 3 for 3 with a double and a run scored and Mayci Lang doubled and scored a run for the Spartans. Kiera Drilak doubled twice, tripled and drove in a run, Lauren Rush singled, doubled, tripled and drove in two runs and Aubree Randolph went 2 for 2 with a double for the Bucs. Both teams have qualified for states.
North Catholic 4, Hampton 3 – Dakota Hicks hit a two-run double in the top of the seventh, leading No. 7 North Catholic (15-6) past No. 4 Hampton (15-7) in the Class 4A third-place game. M Kotwicka and K Brown singled before Hicks doubled to give North Catholic the third and final PIAA playoff spot out of the WPIAL in Class 4A. Brown went 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI and was the winning pitcher, allowing one earned run on two hits in seven innings. Alena Zottola and Teresa Fritsch each singled and scored a run for the Talbots.