Timely hitting, squeeze bunt helped Penn-Trafford claim 1st WPIAL baseball title

By: Paul Schofield
Wednesday, May 29, 2024 | 3:37 PM

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Purchase Photo Options

Previous Next

When opportunities were presented Tuesday, the Penn-Trafford baseball team capitalized on them in the WPIAL Class 5A championship game at Wild Things Park.

That proved to be the determining factor that helped the Warriors capture their first WPIAL title. They executed the little things while Bethel Park did not, as the Warriors rallied for a 4-3 victory.

Penn-Trafford (19-3) got timely hitting, executed a squeeze bunt and used solid pitching and defense to claim the title.

It was only the second time in school history Penn-Trafford reached the finals. The Warriors fell to Pine-Richland in 2019.

After a strong finish last season, when P-T lost to Bethel Park in the WPIAL semifinals but advanced to the PIAA tournament by defeating Plum and then upset No. 1-ranked Central Mountain for the school’s first state playoff victory before falling to eventual state champion Shaler, the Warriors were ready to take it to another level.

“Our goals were to win the section and WPIAL title and see how far we could go in the state tournament,” Penn-Trafford second-year coach Lou Cortazzo said after the players poured ice and water over his head in celebration late Tuesday night. “We’ve done so far what we had planned. Now it’s time to finish the job.”

The team arrived back in Harrison City around 2 a.m. following the game and received a police escort from Pleasant Valley Road to the high school. Cortazzo wondered who would be up that late with police sirens blaring.

“We were greeted by a nice crowd at the school. I was surprised,” Cortazzo said. “I was freezing because of the ice bath I got. I had to get into the school and warm up. My hat is still dripping water.”

Penn-Trafford didn’t allow a two-hour delay because of a 14-inning game beforehand derail its dream. After a slow start, the Warriors came alive in the fourth inning.

The Warriors took advantage of two walks and a misplayed two-run triple by Ian Temple to tie the score.

Then Cortazzo went old school and pulled out a squeeze bunt that was executed by Carmen Metcalfe for a 3-2 lead.

“I learned that from my former coach, Orin Bache,” Cortazzo said. “Coach Bache squeezed all of the time. It’s part of our game. We work on bunting all of the time. I’m not opposed to bunting anyone in the lineup.

“It’s a lost art, but you’ve seen it come back in the major leagues. We use it to put pressure on the defense. Too many people are teaching launch angles at a young age. I’d rather see guys teach kids how to hit line drives. I don’t want to see fly outs.”

Cortazzo said his team and Bethel Park both utilized the bunting game in the championship.

Brayden Stone then doubled home the fourth run of the inning.

“We took advantage of our opportunities, and their coach (Patrick Zehnder) said they didn’t,” Cortazzo said. “Our pitchers (Brandon Rohrer, Dom Delio and Hunter Brown) did a phenomenal job, and Ian shut down their running game. They love to run, and they decided not to challenge him.”

A couple key defensive plays in sixth inning also keyed the victory — one by center fielder Jason Sabol, who held a gap shot to a single, and another by relief pitcher Delio, who speared a one-hop grounder headed to center field that would have tied the score.

“Those two plays were huge by Jason and Dom,” Cortazzo said. “If they don’t make them, who knows how the game would have ended up?

“I’m proud of them. They took a team and made it a family. It’s a unique bond. They play for each other, their school and the community.”

Cortazzo gave the players a day off Wednesday even though many wanted to practice.

“The job isn’t done,” Temple said. “Winning the WPIAL title is awesome. But we’re not done.”

Penn-Trafford won’t have a long trip in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs this year. The Warriors’ game against the winner of Thursday’s game between Palmyra and Lower Dauphin will be played Monday in Western Pennsylvania. Last year, they traveled to Lock Haven to play Central Mountain.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Penn-Trafford