Hopewell qualifies for PIAA tournament after defeating Greensburg Salem

By: HSSN Staff
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 | 8:27 PM

Hopewell was seeded No. 10 in the Class 4A playoffs by the WPIAL baseball committee, but the Vikings sure didn't play like, especially with Joey Rock on the mound.

The left-hander kept the Greensburg Salem off-balance, allowing just a triple by Andrew Rosenberg, and Hopewell took advantage of 10 walks to defeat the Golden Lions, 4-1, in the consolation game Wednesday at Washington & Jefferson's Ross Memorial Park.

Hopewell (14-10) earned a berth to the PIAA playoffs, which begin Monday. The Vikings will face District 10 champion Grove City at a site and time to be determined.

Greensburg Salem starting pitcher Matt Wicker struggled with his control. He allowed a run without the aid of a hit in the first inning (three walks and a hit by pitch) as leadoff hitter Jake McGovern scored on a double play.

“We had 10 walks and a hit batter and three led to runs,” Greensburg Salem coach Bill Wisniewski said. “I thought their pitcher did a great job keeping us off-balance.

“It doesn't take away from what we did this season. We had a great run, and I thought we ran out of gas, and Hopewell is pretty good.”

Greensburg Salem, which was seeded No. 8, defeated South Park and upset No. 1 Blackhawk in the postseason. But the Golden Lions fell to Ringgold in the semifinals and seemed sluggish against Hopewell.

“That loss took a little wind out of our sails,” Wisniewski said. “We tried to regroup and play up the state, but I think it had a factor.”

Rosenberg gunned down a Hopewell runner at home plate in the second inning, and then the senior center fielder got Greensburg Salem's lone hit, a leadoff triple in the fourth inning. He scored on a throwing error by catcher Mitch Heranic to tie the score 1-1.

“We came a long way, and I couldn't be prouder of my boys; I love them,” Rosenberg said. “I was just sitting fastball because I knew I could handle his curve.”

Hopewell struck for two runs in the top of the fifth inning.

McGovern opened the inning with a triple down the left-field line that eluded a diving Dajauhn Hertzog. Then Wicker got wild again, as he walked four batters to force in the Vikings' third run.

“Our mindset all season was to worry about ourselves,” Wisniewski said. “These last two games, we beat ourselves, and that was the result.”

Rock walked two and struck out six.

Hopewell tacked on another run off Rosenberg in the seventh when Tyler Sabo walked, stole second and scored on two throwing errors.

Paul Schofield is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at pschofield@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Schofield_Trib.

Tags: Greensburg Salem, Hopewell