Jun. 18—PIAA Baseball Preview Capsule
CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP
Schuylkill Haven (24-3) vs. Shenango (23-2)
When/Where: Today, 10:30 a.m., Penn State University’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
Live updates: Follow @pubsportsboss on Twitter
Radio: WPPA 1360 AM, 105.9 FM
TV: The game will be broadcasted live on PCN and streamed live on PCN Select. Replays of the game will air back-to-back on cable and PCN Select on Saturday, June 26, beginning at 8 a.m.
Tickets: Cost $8 per person (plus processing fee) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org/tickets
About the Hurricanes
Head coach: Scott Buffington (44th season, 665-264)
How they got here: District 11 champion Hurricanes defeated District 12 champion Masterman 15-0, District 3 champion Camp Hill 10-2 and District 2 champion Riverside 8-7 to reach state title game for first time since 2002 and third overall.
Offensive leaders: 1B/P Jake Houtz, sr. (.532, 36 R, 41 H, 40 RBIs, 6 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR), P/Inf Mason Ulsh, sr. (.425, 41 R, 34 H, 21 RBIs, 24 SB), SS Jack Higgins, sr. (.378, 35 R, 28 H, 33 RBIs, 7 2B, 3 HR)
Pitching leaders: Mason Ulsh, sr. (12-0, 0.93 ERA, 104 K, 75.3 IP), Jake Houtz, sr. (9-3, 2.89 ERA, 51 K, 53.3 IP), Cole Canfield, jr. (2-0, 3.06 ERA, 21 K, 22.9 IP)
About the Wildcats
Head coach: Larry Kelly (1st season, 23-2)
How they got here: District 7 champions downed District 6 runner-up Mount Union 7-3, District 9 champion Johnsonburg 2-1 in eight innings and District 7 third-place finisher Serra Catholic 5-0 to reach PIAA title game for first time.
Offensive leaders: Shane Cato, sr. (.483, 23 R, 29 H, 33 RBIs, 11 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR), Cre Calabria, sr. (.410, 33 R, 34 H, 18 RBIs, 5 2B, 4 3B), Tyler Kamerer, jr. (.400, 37 R, 32 H, 32 RBIs, 5 2B, 5 3B, 3 HR), Ethan Bintrim, sr. (.387, 29 R, 29 H, 22 RBIs, 7 2B)
Pitching leaders: Shane Cato, sr. (10-1, 2.86 ERA, 91 K, 71 IP), Braeden D’angelo, soph. (6-0, 2.83 ERA, 27 K, 47 IP), Zach Herb, soph. (4-0, 1.15 ERA, 21 K, 18.1 IP), Ethan Bintrim, sr. (1-1, 6.05 ERA, 16 K, 19.2 IP)
Game Notes: This is uncharted waters for Shenango, which is located in New Castle in southern Lawrence County, 45 miles north of Pittsburgh and 90 miles south of Erie. The Wildcats won their first WPIAL/District 7 title and are making their first trip to the state championship game. The WPIAL Section 2-2A champion, the Wildcats knocked off top-seeded Seton LaSalle 2-1 in the WPIAL title game on Gabe Yanssens’s two-out, two-run single in the sixth, downed 2019 PIAA Class 3A champion Mount Union in the first round of states, then edged previously unbeaten Johnsonburg 2-1 in eight innings in the state quarterfinals. Kamerer hit a solo homer to tie that game in the fifth, and Bintrim scored on an error in the eighth to win it. … Senior and Grove City College recruit Cato is the Wildcats’ star, pitching six-plus scoreless innings and delivering a key two-run double in Monday’s state semifinal win over Serra Catholic. He also pitched a five-hitter in the win over Seton LaSalle. … First-year Shenango coach Larry Kelly is 67 years old. … Hurricanes are making their third trip to the PIAA title game, falling 4-3 to Riverview in 1983 Class AA championship and 4-1 to Greensburg Central Catholic in 2002 Class A final. … Both teams have gaudy offensive numbers: Hurricanes are hitting .329 as a team, with a .485 on-base percentage, 244 runs scored and 129 stolen bases. … Wildcats are hitting .360 as a team, with 230 runs scored, 65 extra-base hits and 86 stolen bases. … Shenango enters today’s game with a 21-game win streak, while Schuylkill Haven has won 14 straight. One of the Hurricanes’ wins came over Halifax, which won the PIAA Class A title Thursday. The Wildcats’ losses came to Neshannock and Mars. Haven’s losses came to District 11 Class A champ Tri-Valley, PIAA Class 3A runner-up Oley Valley and Schuylkill League Division III champ Panther Valley.
— Compiled by Leroy Boyer
Contact the writer: Lboyer@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @pubsportsboss on Twitter