Avonworth dethroned the defending Class 3A champion Panthers Tuesday afternoon in extra innings at Wild Things Park in Washington, PA.
The 7-seeded Antelopes scratched out a run in the top of the 14th inning and held on for the historic 4-3 victory.
The WPIAL Championship game was the longest ever recorded at Wild Things Park and the longest game since 1940. The marathon game lasted over four hours.
Avonworth’s Luke Zelinko lined an RBI single to plate Mason Metz in the 14th inning and sophomore pitcher Cooper Scharding closed the door on the Panthers hopes of repeating.
Scharding entered the game in the 7th inning and essentially pitched another complete game, offering 7 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Scharding worked out of several james as Riverside put base runners on in 10th, 11th, and 12th innings.
Three Panthers pitchers combined for 20 strikeouts. Starter Christian Lucarelli struck out seven batters across 3 2/3 innings but surrendered five walks. Zach Hare tossed 7 1/3 innings of relief as well, striking out 10 Antelopes, and Hunter Garvin offered three innings of relief.
Riverside scored first in the second inning, but trailed with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning before scratching out a game-tying run courtesy of a Drake Fox RBI single to knot the game at 3-3.
Bowser and McDade each collected three hits to lead the Panthers offense. Schlosser and Garvin doubled.
The Panthers (16-2 Overall) still have an opportunity to defend a crown and repeat, and will turn its focus next to the PIAA Playoffs set to begin next Monday, June 3rd. The District 7 (WPIAL) runner-up will face Punxsutawney High School at Showers Field in Dubois, PA at 4:00 p.m.Ā The two teams are not strangers as the Panthers knocked off Punxsutawney last summer in PIAA semifinals.
š BALLGAME! š
Avonworth outlasts defending champ Riverside in the longest championship game in WPIAL history, prevailing in 14 innings for an unforgettable 4-3 win.
Cooper Scharding was spectacular for the Antelopes. He earns the win after 7 1/3 scoreless innings of relief: pic.twitter.com/roJPfQ1OFm
ā Steve Rotstein (@SteveRotstein) May 29, 2024
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