Belle Vernon edges Summer Rams in WPSBL quarterfinals

By: Michael Love
Monday, August 3, 2020 | 11:11 PM

The Summer Rams (Highlands) baseball team saw its run in the Western Pennsylvania Summer Baseball League playoffs come to an end in the quarterfinals Monday evening.

Garrett Greco singled home Martin Marion in the bottom of the seventh to lead Belle Vernon to a 3-2 walk-off victory at John Divirgilio Sports Complex in Rostraver Township.

The Summer Rams (11-7) had advanced to the quarterfinals with wins over Bethel Park and Thomas Jefferson last week.

“We really grew a lot together this summer,” Summer Rams coach Jeff Campbell said. “There’s a lot to build on for the fall.”

Belle Vernon got a bye in the first round before advancing past Seneca Valley in the round of 16. Now one win away from the championship game, the Leopards will face Ingomar (North Allegheny) in the semifinals Tuesday.

For the second straight game, the Summer Rams took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Belle Vernon countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead.

The Summer Rams came back to tie the game in the top of the third as Seth Helgert walked and later scored on an error.

The game remained tied for the better part of the next four innings, and the Summer Rams had a chance to move ahead in the top of the seventh.

They loaded the bases with one out, but Belle Vernon reliever Andrew Kostelnick got Dom Fellows to ground into a double play with a close play at first to end the threat.

Each team finished with three hits and also drew their fair share of walks. The Summer Rams got singles from Helgert, Matt Cekada and Ethan Hewitt.

Jett Slepak went the distance for the Summer Rams and struck out five.

Andrew Sokol started for Belle Vernon, and Kostelnick earned the victory.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Belle Vernon, Highlands