PIAA BASEBALL: Class AA semifinal capsule

Jun. 14—PIAA Baseball Preview Capsule

CLASS AA QUARTERFINAL

Schuylkill Haven (23-3) vs. Riverside (23-0)

When/Where: Today, 4:30 p.m., Mountain Top Legion Field, Mountain Top

GPS address: 1550 Henry Drive, Mountain Top, 18707

Radio: WPPA 1360 AM, 105.9 FM

Live updates: Follow @pubsportsboss on Twitter

Tickets: Cost $8 per person (plus processing fee) and must be purchased online at www.piaa.org/tickets

Up next: Winner advances to Friday's state championship game against the Shenango-Serra Catholic winner. Game time is 10:30 a.m. at Penn State's Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

About the Hurricanes

Head coach: Scott Buffington (44th season, 664-264)

How they got here: District 11 champion Hurricanes defeated District 12 entry Masterman in the first round, then downed District 3 champion Camp Hill 10-2 in Thursday's quarterfinals.

Offensive leaders: 1B/P Jake Houtz, sr. (.534, 34 R, 39 H, 37 RBIs, 5 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR), P/Inf Mason Ulsh, sr. (.423, 39 R, 33 H, 20 RBIs, 22 SB), SS Jack Higgins, sr. (.370, 34 R, 27 H, 33 RBIs, 6 2B, 3 HR)

Pitching leaders: Mason Ulsh, sr. (11-0, 0.80 ERA, 96 K, 70 IP), Jake Houtz, sr. (9-3, 2.57 ERA, 50 K, 51.2 IP), Cole Canfield, jr. (2-0, 3.06 ERA, 21 K, 22.9 IP)

About the Vikings

Head coach: Sean Hughes

How they got here: District 2 champion topped District 4 champion Sayre 7-1 in opening round, then edged District 5 champion McConnellsburg 1-0 in Thursday's quarterfinals.

Offensive leaders: C Jason Janesko, soph. (.500, 35 R, 34H, 9 2B, 4 HR, 15 RBIs), SS Michael Rickert, sr. (.446, 31 R, 31 H, 11 2B, 28 RBIs), OF Trevor Balcerzak, soph. (.441, 4 HR, 22 RBIs), 3B-P Zach Day, sr. (.443, 30 RBIs)

Pitching leaders: R.J. Santarsiero, jr. (10-0, 0.81 ERA, 80 K), Zach Day, sr. (10-0, 1.45 ERA, 90 K)

Game notes: Hurricanes are looking to become the first Schuylkill League baseball team to play for a state title since Pine Grove in 2012. ... Haven is making its third trip to state semifinals in the past seven seasons, falling 4-0 to Devon Prep in 2014 Class A playoffs and 9-8 to Camp Hill in 2018 Class AA tournament. Haven lost in the PIAA Class AA state final to Riverview in 1983 and in the Class A title game to Greensburg Central Catholic in 2002. ... Haven enters today's game having won 13 straight. ... Hurricanes are batting .331 as a team, with seven starters hitting .300 or higher. ... Vikings are in state semifinals for the first time since 2000. ... C Janesko is an East Carolina commit. ... In Thursday's quarterfinals, Zach Day threw a complete-game, four-hit shutout and struck out 10. Vikings scored a run in seventh to win it. ... In first round, Santarsiero allowed one run on four hits and struck out six in six innings. Janesko, Michael Rickert and Trevor Balcerzak each had two RBIs.

— Compiled by Leroy Boyer

Contact the writer: Lboyer@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @pubsportsboss on Twitter