Gladiators fall to No. 1 Riverside

SPORTS

South Allegheny will play No. 14 Burrell in next week’s 3A consolation game to determine seeding.

The anticipation was through the roof as the stage was set for the Riverside Panthers and the South Allegheny Gladiators, each competing for a coveted spot in the WPIAL Class 3A Championship Game. The showdown was scheduled for 4 P.M. at NASH Baseball Field, located at North Allegheny High School, with perfect weather providing an ideal backdrop as the sun was shining all day.

Taking the mound for their respective teams were Adam Jackowski for South Allegheny (17-5) and Zack Hare for Riverside (16-1), both ready to lead their squads to the promised land.

In the end, it was No. 1 Riverside that ended No. 4 South Allegheny’s historic district playoff run with a 2-0 victory. The Gladiators will take on Burrell in a third-place consolation game to determine their seed in the state tournament.

Tuesday’s game commenced with Riverside’s Zack Hare issuing a five-pitch walk to South Allegheny’s leadoff batter, Trenton Popovich. However, Hare quickly regained his composure, delivering back-to-back strikeouts and inducing a grounder to the second baseman to end the inning.

This early moment of tension proved to be one of the few challenges Riverside faced, as Hare dominated from the mound, showcasing his impressive pitching throughout the game and never missing a beat after that first batter.

In the bottom half of the first inning, Riverside managed to string together two consecutive hits with two outs, but their momentum was halted when Drake Fox’s flyout left both runners stranded, giving the Gladiators a morale boost as they successfully navigated their first challenge of the game.

Riverside didn’t have to wait long for another scoring opportunity, and this time they capitalized.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Riverside catcher Sam Barber ignited the rally with a line drive single to left field that fired up his teammates. The next batter, Sean Hayes, was controversially hit by a pitch on a bunt attempt, advancing Barber to second base. That brought up the top of the order, as Bo Fornataro stepped up to the plate and delivered a clutch hit into the gap in center field, allowing Barber to round third and score the game’s first run, putting Riverside in front, 1-0.

With some run support behind him, Hare went to work, showcasing his effectiveness on the mound. He skillfully managed the counts, controlled the strike zone, and dominated the opposing batters all game long as he delivered one of his strongest performances of the year, rising to the occasion in this crucial playoff matchup.

“Leading up to the game, there was a lot of preparation,” said Hare. “Honestly, I just wanted to make sure I didn’t let the ‘playoff’ factor get in my head and just focus on going out there and pitching like I have been this entire season, not overthinking anything. Working on one batter at a time, going pitch by pitch, and being as efficient as possible.”

Hare delivered a stellar performance on both sides of the plate, pitching six innings while allowing only two hits, striking out 11, and walking three without surrendering a single run. He contributed offensively as well, going 2-for-2 with a single, a double, and reaching base on a walk. His double in the fifth inning set up his courtesy-runner, Matt Santillo, to score the second run of the game, further cementing his pivotal role in Riverside’s victory.

“He pitched and played really well today,” said Riverside head coach Dan Oliastro when asked about his starter’s performance. “That was definitely one of his better games of the season, and he stepped it up when it mattered most. He’s been tough all year though. That was his ninth win of the season. He’s been consistent working the plate, his strike-toball ratio has been 70% or better in most games, and he’s just a tough kid.”

Riverside’s defensive dominance ensured that their two runs were more than enough to secure the victory and clinch a spot in the WPIAL 3A Championship game against Avonworth. In the top of the seventh inning, relief pitcher Hunter Garvin struck out the final three batters, sealing the win and sending Riverside to the big game.

“We’ve been here before,” said Coach Oliastro. “These guys know what it takes to win and we’re ready to go.”

Riverside will take on Avonworth in the championship game at Wild Things Park next week.