In two pivotal playoff implicating match-ups on Monday, both local teams came out with big victories, putting more focus on Tuesday’s Class 3A-1 section games.
Needing two victories over the Wildcats this week to earn a playoff berth, Ellwood City outlasted Shenango 6-3 in 13 innings Monday to earn the first victory in the two-game series.
After a 3-3 game fell silent for five extra innings, Ellwood City used four consecutive singles, including two-run single by Jordan Keller in the top half of the 13th inning to pull away from the Wildcats.
Wolverines starter Will Nardone helped his own cause in the fourth inning with a two-run double to put Ellwood City ahead first. Nate Kennedy followed with a run scoring single as Ellwood City jumped out to a 3-0 advantage.
Shenango responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning and knotted the game with two more runs in the fifth inning.
Nardone went 6 1/3 innings on the mound, allowing only two earned runs and six hits before giving way to Aaron Lake and Kennedy in relief. Lake and Kennedy combined to toss 6 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Wolverines. Each allowing only one hit a piece.
Offensively Isaiah Lutz joined Keller with two hits on the afternoon while Keller, Kennedy, and Nardone each knocked in two runs for Ellwood City.
Ellwood City (10-7 Overall) will next host the Wildcats on Tuesday at Sanders Field. Both teams enter the contest with identical 5-6 section records, and the winner will garner the last playoff berth from Class 3A Section 1.
#WPIAL Baseball – Sec. 1-3A
Ellwood City 6
Shenango 3
Mid 13thEC blows it open in the 13th! First 4 reach base, with a 2-rbi single for Jordan Keller. Nate Kennedy squeeze for insurance.
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🎥 https://t.co/qOjWQhUu0s . pic.twitter.com/bJ8OPJKxsQ— Lawrence County SportsNet (@LCSportsNet) May 6, 2024
JUST A HARE BETTER: Riverside Knocks Off Mohawk
After Neshannock ended the Panthers 36-game winning streak last week, Riverside found themselves looking up in the standings at a Mohawk team on Monday that entered the contest unbeaten in Section 1. The Panthers would need two victories over the Warriors to reclaim and repeat as section champions and Panther ace Zack Hare paved the way to a 3-2 home victory.
Hare was dominant on the mound, striking out 10 Warriors across six innings. He did not allow an earned run.
In the bottom of the sixth inning Hare smacked a game deciding solo homerun to put the Panthers ahead.
Hunter Garvin pitched an ‘immaculate’ inning of relief, striking out all three batters he faced (nine pitches, nine strikes) to give Riverside the section victory.
Drake Fox led off the scoring in the fourth inning with a 2-run homerun. All four of the Panthers hits on the afternoon were for extra bases as Sam Barber and Bo Fornataro each doubled to round out offense for Riverside.
The Panthers will next travel to Mohawk to look for the 2-game sweep of the Warriors (16-2 Overall, 10-1 Section 3A-1). With a victory Tuesday, Riverside (12-1 Overall, 10-1 Section 3A-1) will stake claim to the section crown and potentially a #1 seed in the WPIAL 3A playoffs.
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