Decade’s best WPIAL finals: Baseball No. 7

By: Don Rebel
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 | 12:17 AM

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While it almost became a theme to repeat in WPIAL softball this past decade, it was nearly an impossible dream for district baseball teams.

Wild Things Park in Washington continued to be the home for the WPIAL baseball championships, but only twice in 42 title games was a school successful in repeating as champions. Seneca Valley in Class AAAA and Neshannock in Class A pulled it off the same two years in the spring of 2011 and 2012.

Speaking of Seneca Valley, the 2014 team gave hope for every team that qualifies for the district playoffs as that Raiders team captured WPIAL gold as the No. 16 seed.

So, while the third decade of the 21st century got off to a slow start with the 2020 season wiped away, here is a look back at the last 10 years with a countdown of the Top 10 WPIAL baseball championship games.

No. 7 – Golden performance by the golden boy

Throughout his record breaking high school baseball career, Brendan McKay of Blackhawk accomplished many things.

However, the only time he left the diamond with gold was following the 2012 WPIAL Class AAA championship game.

Then a sophomore, McKay allowed only two hits and struck out 11.

The game was tight with the Cougars leading 1-0 heading into the seventh inning when McKay walked two Belle Vernon hitters with a single in between to load the bases with one out.

However, the clock struck midnight on the Cinderella Leopards as McKay induced a title-winning double play ground ball that was as easy as 1-2-3.

Click the final score below for a look back at the Cougars hard fought victory over the Leopards.

Blackhawk Cougars 1, Belle Vernon Leopards 0

Decade’s best WPIAL baseball finals:

No. 8, 2010 Class AAA: Hopewell 2, Moon 1

No. 9, 2018 Class 6A: Canon-McMillan 2, North Allegheny 1

No. 10, 2017 Class 2A: California 3, Freedom 1 in 10 innings

Tags: Belle Vernon, Blackhawk