Latrobe tops West Allegheny to reach 5A semifinals

Crawford hit two of the first three batters and Latrobe had the bases loaded when designated hitter Griffin Clark hit a two-run single. Ryan Shawley then brought home a run with a groundout before Shawley got in a rundown between first and second. West Allegheny threw home in an attempt to get Clark, but the throw was wild, and ShawleyHe Stas’ then groundout.ended scored up at on third. Dan Stas had a two-run single in the sixth and Tyler Roble had a run-scoring triple.

“We went to sleep a little during the game ,” Kokoska said of the middle innings. “But it was still a great win overall.”

Jared Kollar pitched 5⅔ innings before he reached 100 pitches, the maximum allowed under a new PIAA rule this year. He gave up nine hits and struck out nine and got a big strikeout with two outs and the tying run in scoring position in the fifth. Kokoska relieved Kollar, threw all fastballs and retired all four batters he faced. “We were saying all along that West Allegheny wasn’t going to go away and they didn’t,” Basciano said. “But I’ve been saying all along about the heart of this [Latrobe] crew and they weren’t going to let them take this game away from them.”

The previous time Latrobe made it to the PIAA semifinals, the Wildcats had a star pitcher in Dick Holler, but lost to Bethel Park, 5-1.

“Every win, these players are writing a new chapter of history,” Basciano said. “Almost all of the seniors have been with us for four years. It’s such a great group. With the run we have going, I’m going to be really upset when it’s over.”

Latrobe plays Springfield-Delco Monday in the semifinals at a site to be determined. SpringfieldDelco beat Cedar Cliff, 1-0, Thursday in another quarterfinal.