Pioneers’ greatest season closes with loss to OLSH
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
West Greene shortstop Dalton Lucey takes the throw as Our Lady of the Sacred Heart’s James Saftner steals second base during Thursday’s WPIAL playoff game at Burkett Field. Saftner stole five bases in the Chargers’ 6-0 win.
West Greene's Dalton Lucey pitches against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
West Greene coach Lenny Lohr has a chat with the home- plate umpire during Thursday's WPIAL playoff game.
West Greene center fielder Lane Allison catches a fly ball as second baseman Kaden Shields looks on during Thursday's WPIAL playoff game against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart at Burkett Field.
McKEES ROCKS – There’s a general theory in baseball that to have success against a good pitcher you have to get to him early.
West Greene failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity in the first inning against Our Lady of the Sacred Heart in their WPIAL Class A playoff game at Burkett Field on Thursday.
Chargers pitcher Isaiah Schulz worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam and cruised the rest of the way to lead his team to a 6-0 win and a spot in the semifinals.
“That was key,” West Greene coach Lenny Lohr said. “I don’t think we threatened after that. Usually we can hang some runs on the board.”
James Saftner was the offensive catalyst for the fifth-seeded Chargers, going 3-for-3 with a walk while stealing five bases and scoring three runs.
Schulz didn’t need much help, though. The left-hander twirled a one-hitter with two walks and 15 strikeouts in putting an end to the senior-laden Pioneers’ greatest season.
West Greene (12-6) earned its first outright section title and then won only its second ever playoff game – the first coming last year – in the first round, 8-1, over Western Beaver.
“This is a very special group to me,” Lohr said. “I’m going to miss them. They’re awesome. I’ve been with those guys all four years. We’re really close.”
The Chargers (12-7) knocked off a Section 2 team for the second game in a row, following a 12-2, five-inning win over Jefferson-Morgan in the first round.
OLSH took a 2-0 lead in the first inning off West Greene pitcher Dalton Lucey. James Saftner and Brandon Brazell both singled to start the rally which also included Gino Williams’ RBI groundout and Brady Brazell’s run-scoring double.
Schulz hit the Pioneers’ Hunter Hamilton with his first pitch in the bottom of the inning, then walked Kaden Shields. Lucey hit a sharp single to center to load the bases.
Schulz then got two strikeouts and a ground out to escape the threat.
West Greene only had two other baserunners from then on. Ian Van Dyne hustled to first on a chop in front of the plate that resulted in an errant throw with one out in the second. Lane Allison drew a one-out walk in the fifth.
The fourth-seeded Pioneers could never get their timing down against Schulz as they belted a slew of drives foul down the left-field line.
“The kid kept us off-balance and we just didn’t hit the ball, and when we did it was foul,” Lohr said. “We haven’t faced many lefties, just one that I can remember against Bishop Canevin. It’s a different approach. We don’t have a left-handed kid on our team.”
OLSH continued to add to their lead against Lucey, who gave up five earned runs on nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts
Saftner walked, stole second and scored on an error in the third. Brady Brazell singled, went to third on Mario Williams’ single and scored on a balk in the fourth.
Up 4-0, the Chargers capped the game’s scoring in the fifth, parlaying a single and two stolen bases by Saftner, a double by Gino Williams, and run-scoring single by Nate Schmid, an error and another balk into two runs.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Peterswood Park at 2 p.m. but when that field was deemed unplayable Thursday morning the site was moved to Burkett Field.
“It ended up being a crazy day,” Lohr said. “We got a call at like 10, we’re coming here to play at one o’clock, so we had about 45 minutes to get to West Greene, get on the bus and get going.”
The Pioneers were then sent scrambling for proper footware as Burkett Field has a newly installed turf infield.
“They said if you’ve got metal spikes you can’t play on this field,” Lohr said.
“But I don’t want to make excuses. The better team won today. We just didn’t get it done.”