Wolverines Knock Off Riverside, Advance To WPIAL Championship Game.

The Wolverines rallied again!

Ellwood City defeated defending WPIAL champion and cross-town rival Riverside 6-5 Thursday evening at Butler’s Pullman Park to advance to the Class 3A Championship game.

Days after a come-from-behind victory over Burrell, the #3 seed Wolverines rallied again with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Gino Biondi’s 2-out 2-run single proved to be the difference maker in the back-and-forth contest.

Riverside opened the scoring in the third inning with an RBI double by Logan Young.

Ellwood City responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth when Geordan Bokor collected a 2-run single to put the Wolverines ahead 2-1.

The #7 seeded Panthers captured a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning when Dylan Meyer collected a base clearing 3-run triple and came home to score on an ensuing single by Alex Weisz.

The Wolverines put its first two runners on in the sixth to chase Panther starter Jackson Barber. Cole Vogel walked his first batter and hit Mykal Cuevas to force in a run. Logan Young entered for Riverside and collected the innings first two outs before Biondi was able to connect on his two-run single.

Nate Kennedy went the distance for Ellwood City, striking out seven and allowing two walks across his complete game performance.

Jordan Keller went 2-2 at the plate and earned two walks for the Wolverines. Bokor and Biondi collected the only other hits for Ellwood City who was held to four singles by Panther pitching.

Barber started for Riverside and struck out six batters and allowed three hits in his five innings. Barber also went 3-4 with a double and scored two runs to pace the Panthers offense.

Logan Young and Meyer also had multiple hits for Riverside in defeat.

Ellwood City (18-3 Overall) advances to face #5 seed South Park in the WPIAL Class 3A Championship game next week at EQT Park, the home of the Washington Wild Things, in Washington, PA. The Eagles also rallied in their 5-2 victory over top-seed Avonworth Thursday behind the efforts of Cooper Hochendoner who tossed a complete game and knocked in three runs for South Park.

The Wolverines are looking for their sixth WPIAL Championship and first since 2012.