May 11, 2026 By Joe Smeltzer 5 min read

McKEES ROCKS – Tim Crawford’s pitching performance earned the Aquinas Academy starter an ice bath.

It also put Avella coach Jason Fogg at a loss for words.

Aside from a rocky fourth inning, Crawford was masterful.

In seven innings, he retired Avella in order five times, meaning that No. 11 Aquinas Academy’s five runs would be more than enough for a 5-2 win Monday at Burkett Park and a quarterfinal date with No. 3 Serra Catholic next week in the WPIAL Class A baseball playoffs.

On most days, and ice bath wouldn’t go over well, but Crawford was happy to get one on this day.

“Oh, yeah,” Crawford said after, “it felt great.”

Although errors contributed to four of the five runs Avella gave up, Fogg felt that the game was defined by what the Eagles’ offense didn’t do.

“I think it’s more we didn’t hit,” Fogg said. “I mean, you give up five runs. Yeah, that can be okay, but…

“I didn’t think too much of it was their pitching. I thought we weren’t used to seeing something that slow. So I give (Crawford) credit.”

On the other side, it was a tough-luck loss for Avella’s (11-7) Bryce Wright, who allowed just one earned run over six innings, giving up seven hits, walking two and striking out nine.

Aquinas Academy (9-5) scored first in their first at-bat, with a little help from Avella’s defense.

With two outs and runners on second and third, an infield single by Jonah Burchill scored one run, and a second came in on a throwing error by shortstop Chas Rush on the same play.

Everything went swimmingly for Aquinas Academy for a while after that.

Crawford retired the first nine batters he faced, and Aquinas Academy held their lead into the fourth inning.

Then, things stopped going so well.

First, Avella’s Noah Kimberland broke up the perfect game with a single.

Then, Chas Rush singled, and for the first time, Avella had a runner in scoring position.

Next, Rush should have been forced out on a ground ball by Wright, but an error by second baseman Henry Hynds allowed the bases to be loaded with nobody out.

Cleanup hitter Brayden Fuller then hit a sac fly, and had centerfielder Jonah Burchill thrown to third, he likely would have thrown out Rush. But he threw home, and as a result, Avella had runners at second and third with one out, plus the run in.

Kimberland limited the damage from there, allowing only the tying run on a sac fly by Cam Ullom.

In the top of the sixth, a single by No. 9 hitter Patrick Ritchammer- who had two RBI all regular season- scored two runs to put Aquinas Academy back up by 2. Aquinas Academy added on later that inning when a misplayed fly ball by left fielder Jorden Moore led to another run.

Crawford made sure tat lead would hold, allowing a harmless single in the sixth and then retiring the side in order in the seventh to seal the win.

So what does Aquinas Academy need to do to keep this playoff run going?

“What we did today,” Crawford said. “If we can keep that up, the I think we’ll have success going forward.”

For Avella, the season is over.

When asked how he feels this year should be remembered, Fogg paused for 14 seconds.

“Um…” he said before three more seconds of pause.

Finally, as “I want it that way” by the Backstreet Boys played, Fogg answered.

“No comment,” he said.

Laurel, 7-0

In the second game of the playoff doubleheader, No. 12 Burgettstown hung in with No. 5 Laurel for five and a half innings, trailing 2-0 going into the bottom of the sixth.

Laurel then exploded for five runs and cruised from there to a 7-0 win behind a one-hit shutout by Luca Santini.

Burgettstown (8-10) coach Doug Tunno described Santini as “probably the best pitcher in 2A.”

“He was just as strong at the end of the game as he was at the beginning,” Tunno said. “Great control, he’s a good pitcher. That’s why they’re there.”

Burgettstown started Matthew Bredel on the mound and he held Laurel to two runs through five but struggled in the sixth.

For Tunno, this was a successful season despite the disappointing end.

“Our goal every year is to make the playoffs,” he said, “and we accomplished that. We lost our best two hitters from last year. We knew we’d have trouble hitting this year, but we came on at the end of the year and had a little streak going. The kids pitched well, Bredel and (Jayden) Roach. We’re happy. We’re not happy losing, but we’re alright with the season.

Laurel (10-6) will take on the winner of No. 4 Riverview and No. 13 Frazier next Monday at a time and place to be determined.