DUBOIS — Prior to the season starting, Elk County Catholic coach James Slay said this would be a season of learning on the fly for his team.
The Crusaders returned just one starter from their 2019 squad that won the district championship, but that didn’t stop ECC from making an underdog run in the postseason District 9 Class A Tournament, upsetting No. 3 Clarion and No. 2 Otto-Eldred. But that run came to a halt in Monday’s title game at Showers Field in DuBois at the hands of fifth-seeded DuBois Central Catholic, 7-4.
“A game like this, these guys are inexperienced. I think the jitters get the most of them and it takes a little while to settle in,” Slay said. “We didn’t have much preparation in the offseason. So having an opportunity to play throughout the season to get to where we’re at right now, we’re very fortunate for our team.”
The sixth-seeded Crusaders (8-13) fell behind early 2-0 before plating three runs in the second to take the lead. But the Cardinals (10-11), who upset No. 4 Smethport and top-seeded Clarion-Limestone to get into the title game, scored a run in the second and third innings and then added three in the sixth to win the district championship.
DCC starter Brandin Anderson got off to a strong start, striking out three in the first before Dante Armanini and Damon Foster each recorded an RBI for the Cardinals in the bottom of the first.
But ECC was quick to answer soon after, tallying three runs in the top of the second thanks to a bases-loaded, two-run RBI single by Tommy Slay with two outs in the inning.
David Anderson then came through with an RBI single to give the Crusaders a 3-2 lead.
With two outs down in the bottom of the same inning, Carter Hickman hit a line drive single that hit off of Luke Ginther’s glove, bringing home Matt Pyne. An RBI groundout from Ben Gritzer then gave the Cardinals the lead for good in the third.
“Credit to Adam Fox, he’s a great friend of mine,” Slay said. “If I’m going to lose a championship game, I’d rather lose it to Adam than anybody else.”
The tide turned to DCC’s side starting in the third inning.
The hard-throwing Anderson was pulled from the game with no outs in the third. Kaden Brezenski relieved him on the mound and went on to retire 12 batters in a row. He finished the game with three strikeouts and allowed one hit, one walk and an unearned run. He also added two hits at the plate.
“We pounded the pitching machine all week trying to run high 80s — just getting ready for Brandin,” Slay said. “I know that off speed pitch of (Brezenski) and that release point — we just couldn’t find it so credit to him as well.”
On the mound for ECC, Tommy Slay pitched all six innings for the Crusaders and allowed seven runs (all earned) on eight hits and four walks with a strikeout.
After DCC took the lead in the third, Slay retired the Cardinals in order in the fourth and kept them off the board in the fifth, capped off by a double play that saw Slay making a diving catch on a bunt attempt by Foster. He then tossed the ball to third to get Armanini out, who was charging for home plate.
However, the Cardinals racked up three critical insurance runs in the sixth inning, thanks to an RBI single by Cartar Kosko and two-run RBI triple by Hickman — getting the ball by Mason McAllister in right field. Hickman led DCC with three RBI.
ECC didn’t go down easily, though, in the seventh, as Isaac Dellaquila reached first on an error. A fielder’s choice and another error eventually led to ECC having runners at the corners, and then Dominic Zambonini hit an RBI single to center field for what would be the Crusaders’ final run of the game.
The bases were loaded after Ginther was walked, but Jordan DePrator popped out in foul territory to end ECC’s bid for a comeback.
“I was very pleased to see the patience at the plate,” Slay said. “But some of the big hitters were there and I think they were really trying to tie the game in one swing. Again, that comes with experience and that comes with a little bit of patience, so I’m certainly not disappointed.”
Both teams will play in the PIAA state tournament with the first round kicking off next Monday.
“I just told the boys — (in) a championship game, there’s a winner and there’s a loser,” Slay said. “How you deal with that whether you win or you lose, it carries on in life, so I don’t look at this as a disappointment or as a failure. I look at it as something that we just build on playing baseball again next week. We’re building on our season next year.”
AT DUBOIS
R H E
Elk Catholic 030 000 1 4 6 0
DuBois Catholic 211 003 X 7 8 2
ECC: Tommy Slay (1 SO, 4 BB) and Isaac Dellaquila
DCC: Brandin Anderson (5 SO, 2 BB), Kaden Brezenski (3) (3 SO, 1 BB) and Ben Gritzer
