WPIAL Baseball Playoff Recaps for Friday, May 20th

By: Bruce Markey
Friday, May 20, 2011 | 12:00 AM

After waiting…and waiting…and waiting for the rain to stop, and with schedule changes here there and everywhere, it was finally time to PLAY BALL Friday with 17 of the 19 First Round games in the WPIAL Baseball Playoffs heard here on the MSA Sports Network. Here are recaps from ALL 19 games played on Friday.

Thanks to Sam Hall, Josh Rowntree, Lee Mohn, Jason Tennant, Mike Azadian, Bob Gregg, Greg Kuntz, Steve Nagler and Don Rebel for their help on these recaps.

WPIAL CLASS AAAA FIRST ROUND:

Latrobe Wildcats 3 – Shaler Titans 1
The Greater Latrobe Wildcats got a tremendous start from Ryan Bisi on the mound and combined that with a three run outburst in the fifth inning offensively to eliminate the Shaler Titans 3-1 in AAAA opening round action at Ross Memorial Park Friday night. Bisi, a right-handed throwing junior pitched a complete game five-hitter allowing just one run, while walking three and striking out five to improve to 5 – 0 on the year. Shaler broke out on top with an unearned run in the top of the third inning as Mike Logan scored from second base on a pick-off attempt gone bad for the Wildcats. Trailing 1-0 the Wildcats got the offense going in the home half of the fifth inning, cathcher Derrick Zavatsky started the inning with a lead-off triple to deep right-center field and came home to tie the game on a close play at the plate when Max Sciullo grounded to the shortstop, and Zavatsky was busting home on contact. Later in the inning Josh Shoemaker chased home a run with an infield single, and Jordan Giannini also picked up an rbi with a fielder's choice. Bisi would make that stand up with some splendid defense behind him including a highlight reel type catch by left fielder Matt Shoemaker in left field to robShaler first baseman Derek Sullivan of extra bases to start the top of the seventh inning. With the win the Wildcats move on to the quarter finals and a match-up with the top seed Peters Township Monday night at Ross Memorial and on the MSA sports Network. Latrobe moves to 10-8 on the season while the Titans season comes to a close at 12-8. Junior Tyler Temple takes the loss for Shaler working 4 and 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on four hits while striking out two and walking one.