McCoy strikes out 10 as Portage defeats St. Joseph's Catholic Academy in District 6 Class 1A first round

PORTAGE, Pa. – Thursday afternoon began inauspiciously for the Portage Area High School baseball team.

No. 10 seed St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy took advantage of two errors and led by a run in the top of the first inning.

However, Portage junior right-handed pitcher Jake McCoy got back on track after throwing 30 pitches in the first inning and totaled 10 strikeouts. The Mustangs grabbed their first lead in the third and created separation through the end of the District 6 Class 1A first-round contest to prevail 6-1 at Pete and Mick Haschak Memorial Field.

“We’re just trying for our seniors and not let this be our last game,” said McCoy, who tossed 104 pitches in a complete game two-hitter. “We’re trying to go as far we can for them really.”

No. 7 seed Portage (9-12) travels to No. 2 seed Blacklick Valley at 4 p.m. Monday in a quarterfinal. The two teams met twice a year in the WestPAC North through 2022.

Portage senior shortstop Connor Binaut contributed three hits, including two doubles, and two runs at the top of the lineup.

Despite making two errors himself in the first inning, McCoy settled in and got stronger as the game progressed. Six of his first seven outs were strikeouts.

McCoy fanned the side in the first inning and produced two punchouts each in the second and sixth frames.

After allowing his second single in the fourth, McCoy retired the final 10 batters he faced in order.

“He wanted to finish the game and I said, ‘Go ahead, see what you can do,’ “ Portage coach Larry McCabe said. “I thought he really showed up at the end of the stretch, getting their big hitter that only struck out once all year. He got him (Luke Duckworth) on a called third strike (in the sixth).”

St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy (6-15) received a one-out single from Derrick Stoicheff in the first inning.

An errant pickoff throw to first base allowed Stoicheff to reach second. Portage senior first baseman Justin Morgan fielded a two-out grounder, but McCoy was unable to make the catch at first. Stoicheff raced around to score.

“We looked a little shaky in the beginning,” McCabe said.

Binaut doubled with one out in the third. An error allowed Binaut to score from second.

With two outs, Tony Lawrence laced a 1-0 Duckworth offering into center field to score two runs as Portage led for the first time at 3-1.

“Binaut really had a good day at the plate,” McCabe said. “We had some timely hitting. Tony Lawrence had a big hit, a two-run single. Those things make a difference.”

With two outs in the fourth, Binaut doubled down the right-field line. A walk and hit batter loaded the bases. An error on the third baseman permitted Binaut to score.

Portage added to its lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth.

Jonah Irvin’s sacrifice bunt was followed up by Trent Nesbella’s sacrifice fly to center. McCoy helped his own cause with an RBI groundout in the sixth.

After 30 pitches in the first, McCoy recorded inning totals of 15, 16, 12, 10, 11 and 10.

“I felt like after the first inning usually in a game, you get warmed up and settled in,” McCoy said. “After 30 pitches, I didn’t expect to get through the whole game, but we got there.”

McCoy, who struck out 10 or more batters for the third time this season and fifth occasion of his career, mixed in his two-seam fastball and curveball to keep the WolfPack hitters guessing. He induced 18 swings and misses.

Portage won a District 6 playoff game in a fourth consecutive season.

“I feel good for these guys,” McCabe said. “There’s a really good group here. We haven’t had a great year record-wise. They don’t miss practice. They work. They got good attitudes, so I’m happy for them. This is their last game here. We got to go on the road now.”

Portage is quite familiar with Blacklick Valley’s program.

“We know them,” McCabe said. “They’re not far away. (Coach) Garry Wurm does a really good job with those guys.

“We know who their top arm is. We’ll get ready.”

Jake Oswalt is a copy editor for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @TheWizOfOz11.