EVERETT — With a PIAA Class AA Tournament first-round victory fresh in its minds, Upper Dauphin had an opportunity to continue the moment Thursday against Quaker Valley.
Instead, the Quakers stopped an early threat and rode a steady pitching performance from John Medich to a 5-1 victory in the tournament’s quarterfinals.
While Quaker Valley will oppose Neshannock on Monday for a berth in the state finals, Upper Dauphin closes its season at 15-10.
Both teams were coming off a full two days’ rest, having both gotten their first-round games in Monday as originally scheduled.
Upper Dauphin threatened to score in the top of the opening inning, but Kaleb Hoch was thrown out at the plate to end the inning while attempting to score on Aaron Cleveland’s single.
Quaker Valley which played its then succeeded in the bottom half as Peyton Russoniello drove home a run with a single.
One inning later, Colin Jackovic’s base hit drove home a second run.
Upper Dauphin then mounted its biggest threat in the fourth as the Trojans loaded the bases with two outs, but Medich forced Tanner Miller to fly out to right field to end the inning.
With a 2-1 lead, Quaker Valley then pulled away.
In the sixth, Upper Dauphin pitcher Kyle Glouner threw a wild pitch that scored two runs. In the same inning, catcher Dylan Lesher attempted to throw out a baserunner attempting a steal of second base, but the throw went into the outfield, allowing another run to score.
Medich then completed the victory by retiring the Trojans in order in the seventh. He allowed seven hits, including two each by Cleveland and Miller, who doubled.
Jackovic had two hits for Quaker Valley, which set up a rematch of the District 7 championship game against Neshannock. Jack Hendricks scored two runs.
Game Summary
PIAA Class AA Quarterfinal
At Everett Elementary School
QUAKER VALLEY (5) — C. Tanabe 4 0 1 0, A. Tanabe 2 1 0 0, Pilewicz 3 0 0 0, Russoniello 2 0 1 1, Medich 3 0 1 0, Garbee 3 0 0 0, Hendricks 1 2 0 0, Saldino 3 1 1 0, Jackovic 2 1 2 1. Totals 23 5 6 1.
UPPER DAUPHIN (1) — Miller 4 1 2 0, Hoch 3 0 0 0, Wise 3 0 1 0, Glouner 3 0 0 0, Cleveland 3 0 2 0, M. Deitrich 3 0 1 0, Lesher 2 0 0 0, T. Deitrich 3 0 0 0, Barge 3 0 1 0, Reigner 0 0 0 0. Totals 27 1 7 0.
Quaker 110 003 0 — 5
UDA (15-11) 001 000 0 — 1
E — Quaker Valley 1, Upper Dauphin 4. 2B — Miller.
Quaker IP H R ER BB K
Medich W 7 7 1 0 2 4
UDA IP H R ER BB K
Glouner L,2-5 6 6 5 2 5 4
Reigner 1 0 0 0 0 1
WP — Glouner.