Survive and Advance: Baseball Moves On Following 2-0 Win Over Briarcliffe (NY)

BUTLER, Pa- Sophomore right-hander and part-time magician Dan Laird (Munhall, PA/Steel Valley) pitched his way through multiple escape acts, as he hurled six shutout innings of five-hit ball in Greater Allegheny's (31-16) 2-0 win over ninth-seeded Briarcliffe (NY).

In the opening four frames for Briarcliffe, Laird successfully danced his way through a plethora of jams, stranding six total base runners.  The GA bats finally got things going in the fourth, when senior catcher Josh Kubisz (Goose Creek, SC/Goose Creek) blooped an RBI single into left field that gave the fifth seed a 1-0 lead.

With the tying run on second base in the top of the fifth, Laird picked up two huge strikeouts to maintain Greater Allegheny's slim advantage.  Senior outfielder Mike Visloski (McDonald, PA/West Allegheny) opened the GA fifth with a single, and proceeded to second base on a sacrifice bunt.  For the second time today, junior designated hitter Sam Weightman (Harrison City, PA/Penn-Trafford) drilled a key, run-scoring double, which now increased their lead to 2-0. 

As Laird approached his 100th pitch of the night in the sixth, Briarcliffe put runners on the corners with two outs.  But, as he had done all night, Laird navigated through the high-leverage situation when his toss to first base after snaring a come-backer ended the threat.

Junior Eric Schell (Linesville, PA/Linesville) entered in the seventh, and after issuing a lead-off walk, induced a rally-breaking, 6-4-3 double-play.  Following a single, Schell closed the door on a 2-0 triumph with a fly out to Visloski in right field. 

Laird (4-2) struck out seven and walked four during his tenure on the mound, with Schell (1) earning the one inning save in relief.  Visloski paced the Greater Allegheny offense with his 2-2 performance, while Kubisz and Weightman picked up the RBI's.

GA will now take on the seventh seed from Lindenwood-Belleville at 9 AM tomorrow morning.