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Adams’ walk-off single saves Cal

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California’s Tyler Jacobs (7) congratulates teammate Drake Johnson (15) after he scored a run Wednesday against OLSH during a WPIAL Class AA semifinal game at Peterswood Park.

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California’s Dom Davis swings at a pitch Wednesday against OLSH during a WPIAL Class AA semifinal game at Peterswood Park.

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Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart’s Jeff Zick swings at a pitch against California during a WPIAL Class AA semifinal game at Peterswood Park.

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California’s Jacob Swartz tags out Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart’s Allex Santacroce during a WPIAL Class AA semifinal game at Peterswood Park.

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California’s Richard Stimmell is one of two senior pitchers new coach Lou Pasquale is leaning on this year. Stimmell had five wins a season ago, including a victory in the WPIAL Class AA Championship game.

Observer-Reporter

McMURRAY – With runners on second and third and two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Our Lady of Sacred Heart decided to intentionally walk California’s No. 3 hitter Nate Luketich in the Class AA WPIAL semifinal game at Peterswood Park late Wednesday night.

Coming up to home plate at about 10 p.m. was third baseman Alex Adams, who was 0-for-4 on the day. The senior captain sent everyone home, as he ripped a walk-off single to left field to win the game, 4-3, and send the Trojans to the WPIAL championship game and a spot in the PIAA playoffs.

“I was looking for something (inside) the whole time,” Adams said. “I was ready for it and I had two strikes so I had to protect. I made solid contact and it went in the hole where I wanted it to go. Now we’re going to the WPIAL game.”

California coach Nick Damico said he was confident Adams would come through at the end of the game.

“He really squared that ball,” Damico said. “He had a nice at-bat there. He took a strike low and away. If he swung at that he would’ve gotten himself out. He worked the at-bat and came through for us.”

The No. 2-seeded Trojans got on the board first, as four of the first five OLSH batters reached base to start the game. Drake Johnson hit a leadoff single and scored on an RBI single by junior pitcher Brandon Powell later in the inning. Despite two fielding errors that allowed batters to reach base, senior pitcher Dylan Osheka induced a one-out pop up and a strikeout to leave the bases loaded.

The No. 3-seeded Chargers took the lead in the second inning, scoring two runs with two outs. After back-to-back singles to start the frame, California senior third baseman Alex Adams fielded a groundball, tagged third base and threw to first base to turn the double play. Sophomore Nathan Hart then hit an RBI single, advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on a single by sophomore Allex Santacroce to give the Chargers the 2-1 lead.

The Trojans responded with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame, scoring two unearned runs that reached base via a hit by pitch an error to start the inning. The runs scored on an RBI single by senior shortstop John DeFranco and a sacrifice fly by senior catcher Nate Luketich.

The Chargers tied the game at 3-3 on a one-out RBI double from senior designated hitter Ethan Harrell, scoring junior second baseman Scott Symons, who led off the inning with a double. Damico then put junior Richard Stimmell in to replace Powell.

Stimmell shut down the Chargers, throwing five shutout innings of relief. Powell allowed eight hits and three runs, two earned, over 3.1 innings pitched. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out one.

“Richy came in and did a fantastic job for us,” Damico said. “We kept telling him to get us three (outs) and we’ll get you one (run). Finally we got that run.”

After facing the minimum in the third and fourth innings, Osheka got into trouble in the fifth. With runners on first and second, OLSH sophomore right fielder Jeff Zick made a fantastic sliding catch in foul territory to end the scoring threat.

After recording the first two outs in the sixth inning, Osheka exited the game as he reached his 100-pitch count. He gave up three runs, none earned, over 5.2 innings, while allowing four hits, walking two and striking out two. He also went 2-for-5 with a double and a walk at the plate.

He was replaced by Symons, who eventually took the loss after throwing five innings of three-hit ball, allowing only one unearned run while walking four and striking out three. He also went 3-for-4 with a double at the plate.

Neither team was able to push a run across until Adams’ walkoff hit in the 11th. The Trojans had several chances to score late in the game, leaving six runners on base in the last half of the game.

Pitcher Jacob Swartz relieved Stimmell with two runners on and one out in the top of the ninth. He retired the next two batters and threw the next two frames scoreless to earn the win in relief. He allowed two hits while striking out one batter.

“He changes speeds and he can throw three pitches for strikes,” Damico said.

California will play the No. 5-seeded Freedom next week in the WPIAL Championship next week, while OLSH will take on top-seeded Serra Catholic in the third-place game for a spot in the PIAA playoffs. The dates and times of both games are to be determined.

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