PIAA Baseball Preview Capsule
Class A First Round
Tri-Valley (15-8) vs. Christoper Dock (16-4)
When/Where: Today, 4 p.m., Spring-Ford High School, Royersford
Tickets: $6 adults, $3 students
How they got here: Tri-Valley defeated Shenandoah Valley 11-1 in six innings, Marian 8-2 and Pius X 5-0 to win the District 11 championship. Christopher Dock downed Faith Christian 4-0 and Delco Christian 5-2 to win the District 1 championship.
Directions: Take Route 61 to the Reading area, get on Route 222 south toward Lancaster. After Broadcasting Road exit, bare left onto Route 422 and take Route 422 through Reading and Pottstown areas toward Philadelphia. Get off Route 422 at Royersford exit. Off ramp, bare right onto South Township Line Road, which then become Main Street. After 2 blocks, make left onto South Lewis Road. GPS address is 350 South Lewis Road, Royersford, PA 19468.
About the Bulldogs
Head coach: Bob Felty (12th season, 199-71)
PIAA playoff history: The 1996 PIAA Class AA champions, Tri-Valley is no stranger to the state baseball playoffs, making its 10th appearance. Dawgs, however, have lost in the first round the last three times they’ve reached states, losing in 2006 (Muncy), 2011 (Calvary Christian) and 2013 (Old Forge). Ironically, all three of those games were at Stump Stadium in Pine Grove.
Projected lineup: SS Dawson Schwalm, fr. (.324, 24 H, 19 R, 5 RBIs, 4 2B, 10 SB), CF Tyler Lucas, jr. (.227, 17 H, 17 R, 4 2B), P Hunter Bordner, sr. (.358, 24 H, 16 R, 17 RBIs, 7 2B, 2 HR; pitching — 10-2, 0.63 ERA, 92 K, 66.1 IP), 1B Hunter Herb, jr. (.417, 30 H, 13 R, 19 RBIs, 7 2B, 3 3B), C Logan Yoder, fr. (.308, 20 H, 12 RBIs), 2B Dominic Carado, sr. (.280, 14 H), RF Ashton Buchanan, fr./DH Mark Klinger, sr. (.344, 11 H), 3B Jake Masser, fr. (.137), LF Will Kimmel, fr. (.222, 10 H)
Notes: Dawgs faced Christopher Dock once before in the PIAA playoffs, losing 4-0 in a Class A quarterfinal in 2005 at Coplay. Dock went on to win the state title. ... Bordner will get the ball again after throwing a complete-game, five-hit shutout in District 11 Class A title game, striking out nine. ... Yoder paced Tri-Valley’s offense in district final, going 3-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. ... Dawgs’ “young pups” can’t be fazed by being in the state playoffs and have to just go out and play. Spring-Ford is a great stadium — Blue Mountain played there in 2011. ... Must continue to play excellent defense behind Bordner, and put the ball in play offensively.
About the Pioneers
Head coach: Eddie Melendez
PIAA playoff history: The Pioneers won PIAA Class A crowns in 2005 and 2006. Making first appearance since 2009, when Dock lost 7-2 to Williams Valley.
Projected lineup: SS Jimmy Kustra, sr. (.407, 27 R, 24 H, 13 RBIs, 5 3B), CF Tyler Alderfer, jr. (.465, 24 R, 20 H, 17 RBIs, 6 2B), C Tim DiLoreto, jr. (.481, 26 R, 26 H, 20 RBIs, 7 2B, HR), 1B Andrew Walters, soph. (.354, 13 R, 17 H, 18 RBIs, 4 2B), 3B Seth Frankenfield, sr. (.333, 14 R, 18 H, 19 RBIs, 4 2B), LF Rasheed Saint LeFleur, jr. (.281, 16 RBIs), 2B Isaac Brunk, jr. (.372, 16 H), RF John Glancey, sr. (.222, 10 RBIs), P Daniel Sabath, soph. (5-0, 1.11 ERA, 70 K, 44.1 IP)/DH Evan Trauger, sr. (.192, 10 R)
Notes: Based in Lansdale, Christopher Dock won its first District 1 title since 2009 by enduring a 1-hour, 47-minute rain delay to defeat Delco Christian. Sabath started the game and pitched the first three innings, but didn’t return after delay. Trauger pitched three innings and Andrew Walters threw the seventh. ... Won the President’s Division of the Bicentennial Athletic League with 12-2 record. League consisted of Calvary Christian, MaST Charter, Valley Forge Christian, Church Farm and Morrisville. ... Regular-season losses were to District 1 AA champ Devon Prep (12-2), District 1 AAA champ Holy Ghost Prep (13-3), Souderton (5-4) and Pius X (5-2)
Up Next: Winner advances to Thursday’s quarterfinals and will face the Southern Fulton-Millersburg winner.
— Compiled by Leroy Boyer