California captures 5th WPIAL title with 10-inning win over Freedom
Extra innings have been a happy place for California baseball.
Brendan Sheehan led off the 10th inning with a double and scored the go-ahead run on Johnny DeFranco's sacrifice fly, and second-seeded California battled its way to a fifth WPIAL title by defeating No. 5 Freedom, 3-1, in the Class 2A final Tuesday at Wild Things Park in Washington.
The Trojans (20-2) won their first title in three years, and their 10-inning triumph comes six days after they needed 11 innings to advance past OLSH, 4-3, in the semifinals.
“It's a great feeling. We've worked hard for four years, starting every year in October, and we go all the way until it's over, typically in June,” California coach Nick Damico said. “It's a long process, but it's worth it. The hard work definitely paid off for these guys.”
Sheehan's double to the left-field corner was followed by a Richie Stimmell single to put runners on the corners with none out. DeFranco's crucial swing looped a ball to right field, but the throw home by Freedom (17-6) was cut off and there was no play at the plate.
“Brendan just crushed that ball (on the double). ... That was probably the best ball I've seen him hit this year,” Damico said of his left fielder and No. 8 hitter.
Stimmell picked up the win after entering the game and working out of a jam in the seventh. The junior righty threw 3 1⁄3 scoreless innings and scored the insurance run in the 10th on a wild pitch.
His biggest pitches were his first ones, however, after California starter Nate Luketich was forced from the game because of the pitch-count rule. Stimmell entered with two outs and runners on first and second for Freedom, but he drew a fly ball to left off the bat of Noah Henderson to force extra innings.
“(Stimmell has) been doing that all year. He just comes in and shuts people down, and he's been a better reliever than a starter this year,” Damico said.
“His mental toughness is like no other, him and Luketich. He threw a lot of off-speed for strikes, where Nate is more of a power guy. It's a good combo to have. ... I had full confidence he was going to get it done, and he did.”
Nick Henderson drove in the run for Freedom on a groundout that scored leadoff man Jason Norman in the first inning. California tied it in the fourth on an RBI single by Tyler Jacobs that scored Brandon Powell.
Both starting pitchers turned in effective outings but did not factor into the decision.
Luketich lasted 6 2⁄3 innings before being Stimmell entered. The senior right-hander allowed one run on seven hits with six strikeouts.
His counterpart for Freedom, senior righty Zach Greene, went seven innings and allowed one run on four hits.
“(Seven) fantastic innings,” Freedom coach Dan O'Leary said. “Zach has given us that kind of game all year. He got pulled because of pitch count, but if you go back through our games, Zach doesn't normally get that high. That's why it's a championship game; it's two top-notch teams battling it out, and they proved they were worthy.”
Nick Henderson allowed two runs on five hits, pitching the final three innings for Freedom. His brother, Noah, was outstanding defensively at third base, where he was a perfect 10 for 10 on fielding chances.
California advances to face District 10 runner-up Saegertown, while Freedom will play District 6 champion Bishop McCort in the PIAA Class 2A first round Monday. Times and sites for those games are yet to be determined.
Matt Grubba is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mgrubba@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Grubba_Trib.
