Seventh-inning rally puts Rams in first title game
Ringgold coach Don Roberts paused mid-answer and spun around, scanning the immediate area around the Rams dugout.
“I’m keeping an eye out for water,” Roberts explained as he turned back around.
He didn’t mean rain. He meant the celebratory water typically dumped on a winning coach after a big game.
The Rams will be playing for their first PIAA baseball championship against Valley View at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in State College, Pa., after slipping past Meadville, 3-2, Monday in a Class 4A semifinal at Neshannock High School.
“This is all new ground for us, so this is great,” Roberts said.
“Great for the program, great for the community.”
The Rams had to overcame three errors in the sixth inning that allowed Meadville to tie the game at 2-2.
Roberts pointed to experience as the key factor that enabled Ringgold, which lost the WPIAL 4A title game against South Fayette, 4-1, to keep its composure heading into the seventh inning of a tie game.
“One thing I feel worked to our advantage, we played a lot of close games this season and last season,” Roberts said. “We have a lot of senior leadership, a lot of experience. So those guys don’t get too nervous when the game’s on the line like that. They actually play pretty well.”
In the seventh, Ringgold junior Chase Angotti reached base on an error and went to third on a balk by Meadville reliever Nick Frantz. Starting pitcher Ryan Varley reached base on another error, which allowed Angotti to score and give the Rams a one-run lead.
Varley struck out two in the bottom of the seventh, but was replaced with junior reliever Josh Peters after reaching his pitch count. Peters got the final out.
“It’s history in the making is all I can say,” Varley said of the championship run.
“I wouldn’t want to be out there with any other group of guys. This team’s family, and let’s hopefully go get a win at Penn State.”
In 6⅔ innings, Varley gave up two runs, one earned, walked two and allowed four hits. He also struck out 11.
“He’s phenomenal, man,” Roberts said of Varley.
“For my mind, he’s the best player in the WPIAL. He’s done it again. He’s the best player I’ve ever coached.
“He had his control really good. He was painting the corners with his fastball, he had control of his off-speed. He had everything working for him today. He had great control.”
In the first inning, an RBI single by Meadville’s Andrew Mook scored Nick Rinella to build a 1-0 lead.
Ringgold responded in the fourth with a single by junior catcher Robert Boyer that scored Varley and senior Bo Haines.
Both Meadville’s Cole Potase and Ringgold first baseman Anthony Vavasori were ejected from the game after a collision at first base in the fifth, when it appeared Potase stepped on Vavasori’s ankle and Vavasori responded with a shove.
Because of the ejection, Vavasori will not be permitted to play in the PIAA championship game.