Thurs. Pa. boys’ roundup: Dock reaches semifinals

Brandon Reichart turned in another dominating pitching performance, and Alex Summers and Ryan Seiz hit back-to-back home runs, powering Christopher Dock to an 11-1 win over Berks Christian in the quarterfinals of the PIAA state Class A baseball tournament playoffs at Montgomery County College on Thursday.

Summers and Seiz homered in the first inning to jump-start the Pioneers' offense, which produced runs in five of the game's six innings.

Reichart struck out 11 batters, walked two and gave up just two hits.

"Reichart pitched a very good game," Christopher Dock coach Ed Molnar said. "He's getting stronger every game. Our offense did well and eight of our nine starters got a hit."

Bryce Frankenfield went 3 for 3 and knocked in three runs as the Pioneers rapped 13 hits against the District 3 champions.

Christopher Dock is two wins away from its first state title since 2005 and its third in the last seven years. The Pioneers will face Pius X in the semifinals on Monday.

Christopher Dock   220142 - 11132

Berks Christian   100000 - 121

WP: Brandon Reichart. LP: Kraus. 3B: CD-Alex Seiz, Drew Mininger. HR: CD-Alex Summers, Ryan Seiz.

State Class AAAA. Jeff Wiand accounted for all of Owen J. Roberts' runs, and Dave Vining and Tim Ponto combined to pitch the Wildcats' 3-2 quarterfinal win over South Western at Hershey.

Wiand doubled in a run in the first inning and slugged bases-empty homers in the third and fifth innings. Ponto got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth with a pair of strikeouts.

"The key today was our defense," Wildcats coach Greg Gilbert said. "Our catcher, Steve Piskai, picked off two runners at second base, and Paul Kochu, our leftfielder, threw out a runner at third base to end the fourth inning. Those were big plays for us."

South Western   0100010 - 250

Owen J. Roberts   101010x - 362

WP: Dave Vining. LP: Walker. 2B: OJR-Jeff Wiand, David Raifsnider. HR: OJR-Jeff Wiand 2.

Great Valley pitcher Mike Douglas belted a seventh-inning home run, but it was the only run the Patriots managed since the first inning during an 11-2 quarterfinal loss to Lower Dauphin at Reading's George Field.

Lower Dauphin the third-seeded team from District 3, coming off a first-round win over District 1 champ Council Rock North, broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run third inning as Clay Thrasher hit a two-run homer.

Tyler Stauffer notched the pitching win, putting the Falcons in Monday's semifinals against Owen J. Roberts.

Lower Dauphin   0135002 - 1190

Great Valley   1000001 - 282

WP: Tyler Stauffer. LP: Mike Douglas. HR: LD-Clay Thrasher. GV-Mike Douglas.

State Class AAA. Archbishop Wood's Kyle McCrossen singled with two outs in the first inning but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, marking the lone hit for Archbishop Wood in a 2-0 loss to Twin Valley at Boyertown.

Jared Price pitched for Twin Valley, the third-place team from District 3, allowing five walks.

Wood pitcher Jeff Courter retired the last 11 Twin Valley batters he faced.

Twin Valley   1001000 - 281

Archbishop Wood   0000000 - 010

WP: Jared Price. LP: Jeff Courter.

State Class AA. Kennedy-Kenrick, which will merge with St. Pius X as Pope John Paul II in the fall, ended its athletic history with a 9-1 quarterfinal loss to Loyalsock at Northern York.