Fox Drives In Five, Panthers Advance To WPIAL Championship Game

Riverside has advanced to the WPIAL Class-3A Championship game.

The #1 seeded Panthers pounded East Allegheny 11-2 Tuesday afternoon at Pullman Park in Butler thanks largely in part to Drake Fox who drove in five on two hits.

The sophomore designated hitter broke the game open with a bases clearing double in the sixth frame, part of a six run frame for Riverside.

The Panthers offense got things moving quickly in the first inning when Mitch Garvin singled on a 2-1 count, scoring the game’s first run. In the third inning, Fox drove in two runs on a single to give Riverside a 4-0 lead.

After shaking loose of two first inning walks, Riverside starter Ronnie Harper settled in and struck out four East Allegheny batters through three shutout frames.

East Allegheny got on the board with a run in the fourth and added one more in the top half of the sixth inning before the Panthers erupted for six marks in the bottom half of the sixth.

Evan Burry, Hunter Garvin, Fox, and Darren McDade all contributed in the big inning with RBIs that propelled the Panthers to the victory and to the championship game scheduled next week.

Harper was credited with the victory for Riverside as he worked five-plus innings, allowing two runs on four hits, striking out seven and walking only two. Garvin threw two hitless innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Riverside totaled nine hits in the game with Fox and McDade each managing two hits for the Panthers.  Bo Fornataro singled, walked, and scored three runs for Riverside.

A day after the offense gained nine walks in its victory over Freeport, the patient Panthers earned eight more walks at the dish on Tuesday.

Riverside (20-o Overall) will face Neshannock in the WPIAL Class-3A Championship game to be played at Wild Things Park in Washington, PA on Wednesday, May 31st at 4:00 p.m.

The #6 seeded Lancers – a familiar foe from Section 1-3A whom the Panthers have faced twice during the regular season – knocked off #2 seed Avonworth 2-1 in eight innings in the nightcap at Pullman Park on Tuesday.