Archbishop Wood, Dock playoff runs end in state semifinals

Here is Tuesday's PIAA state baseball roundup involving Courier/Intell teams:

Class 4A

Semifinals, June 13

2-1 Dallas 8, 12-1 Archbishop Wood 3

The Vikings couldn't overcome Dallas' six-run fourth inning at DeSales University on Tuesday. Dallas will face District 6 champ Bellefonte, a 6-5 victor against District 7 top seed Hopewell, for the state championship Friday afternoon (1:30) at Penn State, while 18-7 Wood's season ended.

The Vikings, who scored 24 runs in their first two state playoff games, loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the first inning but only plated one run on senior Dariel Tiburcio's fielder's choice. Jim DiGuiseppe Jr's team only had one hit — a second-inning double by senior first baseman Jared Uzdzienski — through five innings. Senior second baseman JP DiGuiseppe doubled after senior Logan Pietrzak drew a one-out walk and junior Patrick Gozdan brought them in with a two-run single in the seventh.

Wood, which only trailed 2-1 going into the fourth, also loaded the bases with two outs on walks to Uzdzienski and senior outfielder Sean Burke, with junior Braden Kelly reaching base on an error in the fourth but didn't score.

"Listen, we're all disappointed right now," said DiGuiseppe Jr, whose team reached the 5A state semifinals in 2022. "I get it. It's tough and a bitter pill for us to swallow right now, but I don't want that to take away from what they accomplished this year."

Kelly was the starter for Wood, while senior Joey Gale and sophomore Mason Burlingame, who struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth inning, pitched in relief.

The Vikings rolled through the first two rounds of districts, toppling Pope John Paul II 15-5 in five innings and Montoursville 9-2 in the quarterfinals.

"We had a great year," Kelly said. "We did a lot of good things, beat a lot of good teams and played a lot of good baseball, but we didn't get what we wanted (a trip to the state finals)."

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Class 6A

Semifinals, June 13

12-1 Father Judge 4, 1-3 North Penn 1

The Knights were ousted by Philadelphia Catholic League champion Judge, who will face District 7 champ Mount Lebanon in Friday's state title game (4:30) at Penn State.

Judge rules again: North Penn falls to Father Judge in PIAA baseball semifinals

Junior Ben Farley produced a first-inning RBI single for 21-6 North Penn, with sophomore Trevor Lugara pitching the first 5⅔ innings. The Knights earned a 10-0 first-round victory over Hazleton in five innings and outlasted Bethlehem Liberty 4-3 in the quarterfinals. They captured the Suburban One League Colonial Division title.

Class A

Semifinals, June 13

9-2 DuBois Central Catholic 4, 1-1 Dock Mennonite 2

Baseball teams advance: Archbishop Wood, North Penn, Dock win in state playoffs; CB West falls to Judge in 9

The Pioneers were hoping to get back to the state championship game for the first time since winning it all in 2010, but DuBois CC jumped out to a 4-0 lead and held on for the victory. DuBois CC plays District 9 champion Clarion, a 3-0 winner over District 5 top seed Fulton, in the state title game Thursday morning (10:30) at Penn State.

Senior Nate Lapp had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth inning and pitched for 21-3 Dock, which downed Marian Catholic 7-2 in the first round of states and Northeast Bradford 11-2 in the quarterfinals for its first PIAA victories in 13 years.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Archbishop Wood is ousted in state baseball semifinals