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Trinity win earns PIAA berth
Staff writer
jmontecalvo@observer-reporter.com
BEAVER FALLS - Sometimes, in order to be successful, you have to stray from the beaten path. Doing things by the book and sticking with what conventional wisdom tells you isn't always the best plan.
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A berth in the PIAA playoffs was on the line after the Hillers dropped a 10-2 decision to top-seeded West Allegheny, and New Castle fell to Blackhawk in the WPIAL semifinals. The top three teams in the district tournament advance to the state playoffs.
"When we played West Allegheny, the coaching staff did as much homework and gathered as much as we could on them," Hillers coach Levi Bristor said. "Not that it didn't help, but it just seemed like we might be better off to go out there, see (New Castle) in person and not worry about it."
The new line of thinking seemed to work.
Trinity scored 10 runs in the fifth inning and pounded out 17 hits on the way to a 20-8, five-inning victory at Chippewa Park. The Hillers are expected to travel to the District 10 champion Monday at a site and time to be determined in the first round of the PIAA tournament.
"From Day 1, even when we were practicing and training in the summer, that's been our goal," said Andrew Sweat, who was one of several Hillers to put up impressive numbers at the plate. "Coach Levi said, from the beginning, that anything less than a state championship wasn't good enough."
Sweat's performance alone almost was good enough to earn Trinity (13-7) the win.
The junior hit a two-run homer on the fourth pitch of the game, had an RBI-single and scored in the second inning, and had a run-scoring triple in the fifth. He also walked and scored that inning, when Trinity sent 15 batters to the plate.
"When we played West Allegheny, we came in there nervous and we did not play our best ball," Sweat said. "We realized what we had to do and what mistakes we made, so we came out here with an aggressive attitude. I don't think we've ever scored that much."
The 20 runs are a season high and the entire lineup contributed.
Leadoff-hitter Graham Cowieson was 3-for-4, scored three runs and hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning. Andrew Armstrong had a double and triple during the fifth, and scored both times. Preston Linck reached base four times and had a two-run single in the fifth, when he scored two runs. Nick Weaver reached base four times and scored three runs. Sean McKnight and Evan Bukowski each had a hit and RBI.
That offensive production helped Matt Shade, who didn't have his best stuff, but pitched all five innings for the win.
After the Hillers scored three runs in the top of the first, New Castle (15-8) answered with three in the bottom of the inning.
"I'm not going to lie; I was nervous pitching," Shade said. "I struggled my first inning, but I got used to the mound and came through."
And Trinity responded with four runs in the second as Shade helped himself with a two-run double. He finished with four hits, including two doubles, and five RBI.
"(New Castle) is a good ball team; they were the No. 2 seed," Bristor said. "Our guys are just going out and playing hard."
