Jul 21, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 3 min read

ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP — Belle Vernon was back in the game against Connellsville on Sunday night when the sky opened.

With Connellsville holding a 2-1 lead, rain started to fall, and because of poor field conditions, the game was suspended and resumed Monday afternoon with Belle Vernon batting in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Connellsville had to replace starting pitcher Mason Miller on Monday because of pitch-count rules, but Matt Firestone came in and shut down Belle Vernon over two innings for a 2-1 victory.

Belle Vernon wasn’t able to recover following the loss to Connellsville (17-0). A 7-0 loss to Baden (10-8) ended Belle Vernon’s season at 13-5.

“I think we were flat today, and that started from the first game with Connellsville,” Belle Vernon coach Tom Jackson said. “We didn’t hit the first time. We told our kids to be patient. He closed with 15 pitches over two innings. The team that wins it here will deserve it, and hopefully they represent our region well at states.”

Baden’s Joey Pugh threw a five-hit shutout to earn his second win of the tournament after defeating Uniontown on Friday. He had eight strikeouts and walked two in throwing 95 pitches.

“We had a lot of first-pitch missed swings,” Jackson said. “I think he had seven pitches in the first inning. The strike zone was awful.”

Belle Vernon’s A.J. Grese and Austin Hoffman each had a double, and Belle Vernon had several opportunities with runners in scoring position but couldn’t push any runs across.

Grese advanced to third on an error after his double in the second inning, but Pugh recorded a strikeout to end the threat.

Belle Vernon had runners at first and third with one out in the fourth following back-to-back singles from J.B. Crovak and Cole Matusik, but a line-drive by Jake Peterson was snagged by second baseman Liam Baker, who doubled off Matusik at first.

“That’s a hell of a play by the second baseman,” Jackson said. “They were a totally different team today than on Saturday when we beat them, 13-3.”

Hoffman’s double came when he led off the sixth inning, and Matusik walked, but Pugh forced a pop up to first base to end the frame.

Akron commit Cy Herchelroath started for Belle Vernon Sunday night against Connellsville.

Herchelroath allowed two earned runs on three hits over 5 ⅔ innings. He struck out and walked six. Herchelroath was lifted in the sixth inning after throwing 107 pitches. Matusik replaced Herchelroath and threw four pitches Sunday night.

Connellsville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on Kace’s Shearer’s line drive to center field that scored Alex VanSickle.

Belle Vernon recorded an out at third base to end the inning, but VanSickle crossed home plate before the out was made.

Connellsville extended its advantage to 2-0 in the third when Chase Sankovich drove in Grayden Gillott with a base hit to center field.

Belle Vernon cut the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Herchelroath tripled to right field and scored on Peterson’s double to left field.

Miller recorded back-to-back strikeouts and forced a groundout to shortstop to get out of the inning with a one-run lead.

Miller yielded one earned run on five hits over five innings to earn the win. He had five strikeouts and no walks while throwing 72 pitches.