PIAA BASEBALL: Schuylkill Haven ends Riverside's unbeaten season in Class 2A semis
Jun. 15—MOUNTAIN TOP — In a back-and-forth game, Schuylkill Haven had
one more response than
Riverside.
As a result, the Vikings' unbeaten season and championship hopes came to an end.
Mason Ulsh's two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning broke a tie and enabled the District 11 champion Hurricanes to edge District 2 champion Riverside, 8-7, in the PIAA Class 2A baseball semifinals Monday at Mountain Post 781 American Legion Field.
Ulsh, a senior who is headed to Division I Quinnipiac University, also struck out eight in 5 1/3 innings of relief to send Schuylkill Haven
(24-3) to Friday's state final against District 7 champion Shenango (23-2) at Penn State University's Medlar Field at 10:30 a.m. Shenango advanced with a 5-0 win over Serra Catholic.
"(Ulsh) has been a horse for us all year, very consistent with his effort," said Schuylkill Haven coach Scott Buffington, who is in his 44th season. "We were going to bring him in at some point, hopefully a little later than we did. But he gave us the effort that he always does.
"Give a ton of credit to that Riverside team, though. They brought a tremendous team in here and didn't give up."
Riverside, which was seeking its first trip to the state final, had its season end at 23-1.
"That was a heavyweight fight, jab for jab," Riverside coach Sean Hughes said. "We just couldn't come up with that one extra hit."
The Vikings lost despite a gutsy performance from Zach Day.
After Schuylkill Haven touched Riverside starter R.J. Santarsiero for seven runs (three unearned) in 1 2/3 innings, Day came on and threw 4 1/3 innings in relief to keep the Vikings in the game.
He also had three hits, finishing a home run shy of the cycle, and three RBIs.
"Both teams fought hard, but they were able to come out on top," Day said. "We knew it was going to be a hard game coming in. We never gave up, but that's baseball. They're a great team, too, and I wish them best of luck (Friday). I'm proud of (our) team."
Eleven walks and two errors also did not help Riverside.
"The biggest thing was to get ahead, but we put ourselves in a hole with 3-2 counts," Vikings catcher Jason Janesko said. "We had to make a pitch to the hitter instead of our pitchers doing their own things and being ahead."
After a 63-minute rain delay to start the game, Riverside jumped ahead in the top of the first.
Janesko reached on an error to lead off the game. Santarsiero laid down a sacrifice bunt and when no one covered the bag, Janesko alertly advanced all the way to third. He scored on a two-out double by Day.
Schuylkill Haven responded in the bottom of the first with four runs, thanks to three walks, an RBI fielder's choice, an error and a two-run triple by Shane Pothering.
"After that first inning, it would have been easy to say, 'This team is on another level than us,' " Hughes said. "But our kids stuck together and battled a strong, tough team."
In the top of the second, Riverside answered with four consecutive two-out RBI singles by Janesko, Santarsiero, Michael Rickert and Day. An error allowed another run to score and put the Vikings back in front, 6-4.
It was after Santarsiero's single that Ulsh came on in relief of Schuylkill Haven starter Jacob Houtz.
With its ace on the mound, the Hurricanes came back in the bottom of the second with a two-out rally. Ulsh walked, Jack Higgins doubled and Houtz followed with a two-run double. An error off a ball hit by Cole Canfield enabled Houtz to score, making it 7-6 and ending Santarsiero's day on the mound.
Back came the Vikings with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Rickert doubled and Day tripled him home to tie the game at 7.
However, that would be the Vikings' last base runner as Ulsh retired the final 10 batters.
"When I came in the second inning, they hit me around a little bit," Ulsh said. "But then I found my location with my fastball and my curve.
"I just wanted to go out there, be the best version of myself and get the win for our guys."
Day wriggled out of a second-and-third, no-out jam in the bottom of the fourth, getting two strikeouts and a fly out to keep it a 7-7 game.
"My coaches and teammates had my back," Day said. "I just had to push through and throw strikes."
The Hurricanes would not be denied, though, in the bottom of the fifth.
Jack Davis reached on a one-out bunt single. Santarsiero then made a nice catch of a foul pop along the fence for the second out of the inning.
But after Davis stole second, Ulsh came through with his RBI single to left field to put Schuylkill Haven ahead for good, 8-7.
All seven of Riverside's runs and seven of Schuylkill Haven's eight runs came with two outs.
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