Updated: Peters Baseball Falls to Seneca Valley in WPIAL Playoff

Editor's Note: This story was updated Wednesday, June 1 at 4:08 p.m.

Seneca Valleyjunior starting pitcher Matt Smith looked up and down the Peters Township battling lineup and couldn’t identify an easy out prior to last night’s WPIAL Class AAAA baseball championship.

“That’s a great hitting team,” Smith said. “I’ve played with some of Peters Township’s top hitters. They just rip the ball. I knew I had to be on my game.”

With Pitt recruit Justin Bianco (.559) batting third followed by University of Hartford recruit Brady Sheetz (.482) in the cleanup spot, Peters Township had averaged over 10 runs per game against WPIAL opponents this season while racking up 19 overall victories.

However, good pitching beat good hitting once again.

Smith relied on a wicked curveball to keep the Indians off balance for a 15-4 complete-game victory over top-seeded Peters Township Tuesday night at Consol Energy Park in Washington.

Smith, who moved to 9-1 on the season and 3-0 in the playoffs, led 5-4 after three innings. He allowed just two hits the rest of the way to pick up his first WPIAL Gold Medal.

“In the early innings, I didn’t have my fastball or good location on my curve,” Smith said. “About the third or fourth inning, I was able to get my stuff back and place my curve on the corners.”

Seneca Valley (16-3) won its first baseball title since moving up to Quad-A competition and second WPIAL title overall including the 1994 championship. The Raiders have won 12 of their last 13 games heading into the state playoffs.

“We’re excited,” Smith said. “We’re really pumped. We’re hitting the ball really well right now. It’s a great atmosphere around the team right now, and I think we’ll compete well at states.”

Peters Township, which claimed a pair of WPIAL baseball titles in 2007 and 2008, advanced to the PIAA baseball tournament where the Indians could eventually challenge Seneca Valley again.

Peters Township coach Joe Maize recalled two previous seasons in which the Indians lost in the WPIAL semifinals, but came back to finish the season in the state finals both times.

“We kind of challenged our players,” Maize said after holding a team meeting in shallow right field following the game. “It’s going to depend on the senior leadership, regrouping and getting ready for Monday’s (PIAA opening-round) game.”

Seneca Valley took advantage of three wild pitches, a balk, a passed ball, a dropped fly ball and an infield throwing error.

“They (Seneca Valley) did a better job on the mound, and they did a much better job defensively,” Maize said. “We did not get the job done defensively, but that’s uncharacteristic of this group. They’ve been a joy to work with. They’re a great group of kids and we work hard. We just didn’t do a very good job today.

“So we’ve got to regroup,” he said. “And I think we will. We said before the game, win or lose, we’re still playing on Monday. In the state playoffs, anything can happen. If we win three games, we’re going to Penn State (for the PIAA final).”

Smith held Peters Township (19-2) to nine hits while striking out 10. He gave up one run in the first inning and three in the third.

Smith might have displayed his best stuff when he struck out three consecutive batters in the fourth inning with Indians runners on first and second base.

Seneca Valley’s Jack Graham and Christian Durbin each hit a home run to the left-field corner that landed only a few feet apart. Durbin, a basketball guard playing his first varsity baseball season, smacked hit first career home run.

“I told him he might pinch run for us, and now he’s our leading hitter,” Seneca Valley coach Eric Semega said with a laugh.

Senior outfielder Kyle Gorniak added three hits to the attack and sophomore shortstop Sam Fragale drove in three runs for Seneca Valley.

The Raiders pounded out 13 hits and their 15 runs added up to the most scored against Peters Township all season.

“We tried to stay aggressive,” Semega said. “Our hitting has been very consistent (in the playoffs). It’s definitely been a team effort offensively.

“I’m so proud of this group because they’ve worked so hard,” the coach said. “And they made a pact. No excuses. No matter what the situation. So they’re a great team. I’m very excited for them.”

Peters Township starter Ryan Minteer (9-1) threw four innings and suffered his first loss of the season. He gave up both home runs.

Peters Township junior outfielder Andrew Erenberg, one of the WPIAL’s top returning running backs, delivered an RBI single and senior shortstop Brady Sheetz added a run-scoring double in the three-run third inning.

Seneca Valley gave up only seven runs in four playoff games en route to the championship, including earlier victories over Central Catholic (7-1), Upper St. Clair (2-1) and Bethel Park (2-1).

Peters Township dominated Latrobe, 17-1, and knocked off Butler, 6-4, to advance to the title game.

Seneca Valley’s baseball team became the second group of Raiders to claim a WPIAL spring sports title. One Raiders team remains in contention.

The Raiders softball team (13-5) plays Latrobe (14-4) for the Class AAAA crown at 7 p.m. Thursday at California University’s Lilly Field.

Last week, the Raiders girls lacrosse team won the WPIAL title with a 12-11 victory over Sewickley Academy at North Hills High School.

After losing to North Allegheny, 3-1, in last week’s WPIAL boys Class AAA volleyball final, Seneca Valley was eliminated from the opening round of the PIAA playoffs, 3-2, by State College last night.

We're hearing the PTHS boys varsity baseball team has qualified for an automatic playoff bid to contend for the PIAA State baseball championship series beginning sometime in early June. Stay tuned.