Sports

By Tom Robinson
Go Lackawanna sports correspondent

Jim Gavenus

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• Abington Heights wins PIAA baseball title

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Editor's Note: Various Web sites in the Wilkes-Barre Publishing Company had live, play-by-play updates from the Abington Heights state baseball championship game.

A look back at reporter Tom Robinson's reports shows how the 3-2 Abington Heights victory over Chartiers Valley unfolded.

Updates can be found for the Abington Heights Class AAA baseball championship game which started at 10 a.m. in Altoona and the Old Forge Class A softball championship game which started at 2 p.m. in Shippensburg.

Visit www.timesleader.com/sports, www.scrantonedition.com/sports, www.theabingtonjournal.com/sports or www.psdispatch.com/sports for updates.

9:13 a.m.| Chartiers Valley go the distance
Chartiers Valley had never been as far as a district baseball final before this season when it advanced all the way to this morning’s state final.

The Colts, the second-place team from District 7, will meet District 2 champion Abington Heights this morning at 10 for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A state title at Blair County Ballpark in Altoona.

Chartiers Valley made its first championship game in District 7 of the PIAA, which also serves as the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League in the Pittsburgh suburbs. The Colts had the bases loaded when their last out was recorded in a 3-2 loss to Moon in the final.
Since then, Chartiers Valley has won three straight state tournament games to advance to the final.

Chartiers Valley won its last two games by 3-1 scores, including a 10-inning battle with District 10 champion Grove City in the quarterfinals.

 Close calls are nothing new for the Colts, who had to win four of their final five regular-season games just to get into the playoffs on a tiebreaker as the third-place Class 3A team in Section 3 of the WPIAL.

9:23 a.m.| Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley on schedule
ALTOONA –The tarp is off the field, sun is breaking through the clouds and the teams are preparing for the 10 a.m. first pitch in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A baseball championship game at Blair County Ballpark.

Tournament director Mark Byers said the game between Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley will start on time.

The infield was covered with a tarp until 8 a.m. because of overnight rain. The natural grass playing field appears to be in good condition.

Dozens of Abington Heights fans have begun filling in the seats in the first several rows between home plate and the team’s dugout on the third-base side.

A busload of Comets fans pulled in minutes before the gates opened to fans at 9 a.m.

Abington Heights is the visiting team and will therefore bat first.

9:40 a.m.  | Softball pitchers on top of their game
There is not a high school softball pitcher in Pennsylvania on a hotter streak than the one Old Forge’s Jess Armillay carries into today’s 2 p.m. state Class A championship game against Curwensville at Shippensburg University’s Robb Field.

Looking at the season or a career as a whole, however, it is hard to top the numbers put up by Curwensville’s Holly Lansberry.

Armillay has thrown back-to-back perfect games in the state quarterfinals and semifinals to help Old Forge win 1-0 and 2-0 over Bristol and Claysburg-Kimmel.

Since Northeast Bradford’s Taylor Keefe singled to lead off the top of the seventh inning of a tie game in the first round of the state tournament, Armillay has retired 45 straight batters, including 26 by strikeout.

Lansberry gave up three runs in the state semifinals, but has shut out her other five playoff opponents. She has 20 shutouts while going 24-1 for the Lady Tide (25-1).

On the season, Lansberry has allowed just four earned runs while striking out 288 and walking 13 in 144 2/3 innings for a 0.19 earned run average.

Lansberry, the winning pitcher in the 2007 state championship game, has 860 career strikeouts. Curwensville was unable to defend its state title last season when Lansberry suffered a knee injury in the district playoffs.

9:45 a.m. | Pitching matchup: Mills, Colavencenzo
 ALTOONA – The pitching matchup is set for this morning’s Class 3A state baseball final between Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley.

Steve Mills will pitch for the District 2 champion Comets against Dan Colavencenzo for the District-7 runner-up Colts.

Mills is 4-1 with a 4.12 earned run average.

Colavencenzo is 6-2 with a 2.24 ERA.

Mills pitched the 6-1 quarterfinal victory over Upper Merion. He worked five innings, giving up just an unearned run on three hits while striking out two and not walking a batter.

Colavencenzo allowed just three hits in nine innings of a 3-1, 10-inning victory over Grove City in the quarterfinals. His previous start was a two-hitter in a 4-2 district semifinal victory over Trinity.

10:02 a.m. | Batting order for Abington Heights
ALTOONA – The Abington Heights batting order is set for this morning’s state Class 3A baseball championship game against Chartiers Valley.

The lineup is being announced now.

The players with year, position, home runs, runs batted in and batting average are:

Mike Umerich, soph, 2B, 2, 19, .432

Cory Spangenberg, sr, SS, 7, 28, .486

Tony Castellano, sr, LF, 7, 40, .431

Steve Mills, sr, P, 1, 15, .433

Matt Badamo, so, 1B, 2, 15, .375

Ross Fiore, sr, CF, 6, 29, .433

Mike Burke, jr, 3B, 0, 4, .225

Mike Diskin, jr, RF, 0, 6, .393

Matt Mortell, sr, C, 0, 16, .364

10:14 a.m. | Abington Heights vs. Chartiers game begins
ALTOONA – The Class 3A baseball championship game between Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley got underway at 10:08 a.m.

Game time temperature is 68 degrees.

The area is expected to be rain-free until the afternoon.

10:20 a.m. | Abington Heights, Chartiers scoreless
 ALTOONA – Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley are scoreless after a half inning.

Mike Umerich reached on a walk for Abington Heights to start the game. Cory Spangenberg then lined hard to third baseman Brian Rodavich, who threw across the diamond the double up Umerich.

Tony Castellano grounded out to end the inning.

Chartiers Valley pitcher Dan Colavencenzo needed just nine pitches to get through the inning.

10:25 a.m. | Scoreless after one inning
ALTOONA – Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley are scoreless after one inning, following a strong start by Abington Heights left-hander Steve Mills.

Mills retired the side with two strikeouts, throwing eight of his 12 pitches for strikes. Andy McIntyre, the second batter, hit a high fly to shallow left field.

One of the strikeout victims was leadoff hitter Ken Rodavich, who has a team-high .411 batting average.

Each school has hundreds of fans seated in the lower level of the minor-league stadium.

10:40 a.m. | Still scoreless, hitless
ALTOONA – Abington Heights and Chartiers Valley remain scoreless – and hitless – through two innings of the state Class 3A baseball championship.

Comets catcher Matt Mortell made outstanding defensive plays to start and end the bottom of the second.

Mortell took advantage of the extra space on the larger field to make a tough catch on a foul pop up to start the bottom of the second.

Luke Horew then became the first Colts baserunner when shortstop Cory Spangenberg committed an error on a groundball.

Horew reached second on a wild pitch, but was picked off second base by Mortell to end the inning.

Matt Badamo was hit by a pitch with one out for the only Abington Heights baserunner in the top of the inning. Right fielder Mike Perhosky came running in to make a sliding catch against Mike Burke to retire the Comets.

Eight Abington Heights baseball players are among the seniors at the school who are still waiting on word for how they will spend their afternoon.

Graduation ceremonies at the school are set for 5:30 p.m., but school officials have delayed a decision on whether to hold graduation inside or outside until 11 a.m.

Matt Mortell, Tony Castellano, Cory Spangenberg, Steve Mills and Ross Fiore are senior starters in today’s game while Chris Trotta, Dan Smith, Jon Scolere and Peter Doggett are available to come off the bench.

10:47 a.m. | Abington Heights 2-0 lead
ALTOONA – Abington Heights jumped in front, 2-0, in the top of the third inning with help from the top of its batting order.

Mike Umerich singled up the middle for the game’s first hit with two out and Cory Spangenberg followed with his team-high eighth home run of the season.

Spangenberg lofted a high shot well over the 375-foot mark in right-center field on a 2-2 pitch.

The score was 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third.

10:57 a.m. | Abington Heights holds 2-0 lead
 ALTOONA – Abington Heights is holding a 2-0 lead after three innings of the state Class 3A baseball championship game against Chartiers Valley.

Only one ball has left the infield against Steve Mills in three hitless innings.

Mills retired the first two in the third before walking Ryan Landy, who then stole second base.

Mills has thrown 39 pitches, including 21 for strikes.

11:11 a.m. | Mortell maintains control
ALTOONA – Matt Mortell continues to control games from behind the plate.

The Abington Heights catcher picked a runner off base for the second time in the game to help keep the Comets in a 2-0 lead over Chartiers Valley through four innings of the state Class 3A baseball championship game.

The defensive gems on both sides continued with Mike Diskin’s inning-ending sliding catch while avoiding a potential collision with second baseman Mike Umerich in shallow right field.

The defense was needed for the first time when Steve Mills allowed his first two hits of the game.

Abington Heights had its first two batters – Mills and Matt Badamo – hit by pitches in the top of the fourth but a double-play groundball helped Chartiers Valley get out of the inning without any additional scoring.

11:15 a.m. | Graduation ceremonies to be held at stadium tonight
ALTOONA – Abington Heights students will continue to enjoy the outdoors.

According to the school’s Web site, graduation ceremonies will be held outdoors at “The Pit,” Grove Street Stadium at 5:30 today.

The team, including eight seniors, and the student fans who made the trip are expected to leave Altoona immediately after the championship game and medal ceremony.

11:23 a.m. | Abington Heights holds on to lead
ALTOONA – Abington Heights still leads Chartiers Valley, 2-0, through five innings of the state Class 3A baseball final.

Cory Spangenberg hit the ball farther than his third-inning home run, but Chartiers Valley center fielder Ken Terpack went to the warning track 400 feet from the plate in dead center field to end the top of the inning and save at least one run.

Steve Mills retired the Colts 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.

11:30 a.m. | Abington Heights scores again, 3-0
ALTOONA – Cory Spangenberg’s sole possession of the team home run lead did not last long.

Tony Castellano matched Spangenberg with his eighth homer of the season to add to the Abington Heights lead in the state Class 3A baseball final.

Castellano led off the top of the sixth with the homer to increase the Abington Heights lead over Chartiers Valley to 3-0.

Castellano sent a 2-0 pitch into the last of the 10 rows of bleachers beyond the left-center field fence near the 385-foot sign at Blair County Ballpark.

The score remained, 3-0, going into the bottom of the sixth.

11:45 a.m. | Standing ovation for Mills, Spangenberg takes mound
ALTOONA – Steve Mills left the mound to a standing ovation from the Abington Heights fans with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Mills allowed three hits in 5 2/3 innings, but had two runners on and the top Chartiers Valley power hitter at the plate with the Comets protecting a 3-0 lead.

Cory Spangenberg moved to the mound to face Tyler Mroz, who has eight home runs and 35 RBI in 23 games coming into the state Class 3A final.

11:50 a.m. | Spangenberg ends threat, 3-0
ALTOONA – Cory Spangenberg got Luke Horew to fly out to right field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth, ending a threat and keeping Abington Heights ahead of Chartiers Valley, 3-0, in the state Class 3A baseball championship game.

Steve Mills, who started on the mound, made the catch to end the inning. Mills went to right field, Mike Diskin moved from right to second base, Mike Umerich went from second to shortstop and Spangenberg moved from shortstop to the mound with two on and two out.

Spangenberg got two strikes on clean-up hitter Tyler Mroz, who then fouled off two pitches to work out a walk and load the bases.

Mills worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits and two walks while striking out three. He threw 77 pitches, including 77 for strikes.

11:56 a.m. | Spangenberg prepares to retire Chartiers Valley
ALTOONA – Cory Spangenberg is on the mound preparing to try to retire Chartiers Valley in the bottom of the seventh inning with Abington Heights leading, 3-0, in the state Class 3A baseball game.

Mike Perhosky, Don Colavencenzo and John O’Neill, the sixth, seventh and eighth hitters, are each 0-for-2 coming into the inning.

11: 58 a.m. | Chartiers Valley remains scoreless
ALTOONA – Chartiers Valley has the tying run at the plate with none out in the bottom of the seventh.

Mike Perhosky led off with a single to right field and was replaced by pinch runner Tyler Kane.

Pitcher Dan Colavencenzo then drew a walk.

Abington Heights lead, 3-0.

12:00 p.m. | Chartiers Valley breaks shut out, 3-1
ALTOONA – Chartiers Valley has broken the shutout and has the winning run at the plate with one out in the bottom of the seventh.

Ninth hitter Ryan Landy singled up the middle with one out to cut the Abington Heights lead to 3-1.

12:05 p.m. | Chartiers Valley scores, 3-2
ALTOONA -- Peter Doggett is in a tight spot.

The senior right-handed pitcher has just been called on in relief with Abington Heights leading Chartiers Valley, 3-2, with one out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Brian Rodavich singled up the middle off Cory Spangenberg to cut the lead to 3-2.

12:06 p.m. | Chartiers Valley trails
Peter Doggett struck out Andy McIntyre for the second out, moving Abington Heights within an out of the win in the Class 3A state baseball final.
    
Chartiers Valley trails, 3-2, with runners on the corners.

12:07 p.m. | Abington Heights wins baseball title, 3-2
Abington Heights won its first state baseball title today by holding off Chartiers Valley, 3-2, in the Class 3A championship game. 

12:08 p.m. | Doggett retires two batters

ALTOONA – Peter Doggett retired the only two batters he faced and Mike Burke handled a slow groundball at third base for the final out as Abington Heights held off Chartiers Valley, 3-2, for the state Class 3A baseball championship.
Burke charged in and made the throw to first baseman Matt Badamo just ahead of Ken Terpack’s desperate head-first dive into first base.
Abington Heights led, 3-0, going to the bottom of the seventh.

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4:27 p.m. | Old Forge loses close one at Shippensburg

The Old Forge Blue Devils were defeated, 1-0, in their quest for the PIAA Class A softball championship this afternoon at Shippensburg University.

Old Forge pitcher Jess Armillay threw a two-hitter, but it wasn't enough to best Curwensville and pitcher Holly Lansberry's one-hitter. Nicole Giacometti had the only hit for the Blue Devils.

Curwensville won its second state championship in three years by scoring the game's only run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Old Forge pitcher Jess Armillay followed up two straight perfect games by going perfect through the first three innings of the final at Shippensburg University. 
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