California advances to Class A semifinals
WEST MIFFLIN – Sophomore Aaron Previsky drove in the go-ahead run with a single in the fourth inning and California held on to defeat Riverview, 6-4, Wednesday in the WPIAL Class AA baseball quarterfinals at West Mifflin High School.
The win sends California (17-4) into next week’s semifinals against Our Lady of Scared Heart (18-2), a 5-1 winner over Union.
Cal took an early 3-0 lead against Riverview (15-3), but the Raiders rallied to tie with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. A leadoff walk – one of nine issued by Riverview starter Anthony Malky – set up Previsky’s hit that gave the Trojans the 4-3 lead. California tacked on single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to make the score 6-4.
Riverview, which received a double and triple from Jake Paradise and a double by Jason Anthony, scored one run in the top of the seventh and had a runner on third base with two outs when Loudon Conte replaced starter Brian Fisher on the mound. Conte got the game’s final out for a save.
Fisher gave up six hits and five walks. He struck out six and helped his cause with a double. Josh Luko led Cal at the plate with two doubles. Ronnie Baron also doubled as half of the Trojans’ eight hits went for extra bases.