PG West: Langley focuses on state baseball tournament: "Elliott, a combination of Langley and Bishop Canevin players, finished in first place in league play last summer ahead of notable suburban programs North Allegheny, Robinson and Moon.But first, we've got concerts today and tomorrow. Today is the instrumental concert at the Elem School (Phillips). Friday is the HOUSE CONCERT, here, with Joe Jencks. And, on Saturday, I think it is a radio date with Larry Berger and Saturday Light Brigade.
'The times we've lost in the state playoffs, it just seems like our kids weren't hitting that day,' Langley coach Leo Rauterkus said. 'We'd pitch and field the ball pretty well, but we'd fall behind by four or five runs and that just seemed to be the game.'"
Then, next week, more baseball.
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PG West: Langley focuses on state baseball tournament
Thursday, June 01, 2006
By David Assad, Tri-State Sports & News Service
City League champion Langley faces an uphill battle in its PIAA Class AAA tournament first-round baseball game next week against the winner of yesterday's WPIAL title game between Pine-Richland and Hampton.
The City League has won only two games in PIAA competition during the past 19 years. Langley's most recent trips to the state playoffs resulted in a 4-1 loss to Plum in 1998 and a 9-1 defeat to Shaler in 2003.
Last season City representative Perry lost to Moon, 13-5, in the PIAA Class AAA first round while City champ Allderdice fell to North Allegheny, 7-0, in Class AAAA.
The Mustangs (17-5), however, have a roster loaded with players who have proven talent and a good track record against suburban competition.
Senior pitcher Matt Barnes, senior left fielder Doug Ruckert, senior second baseman Jonathan Mack and senior catcher Brian Sites were starters last summer for Elliott, which won the American Legion Ohio River League championship.
Elliott, a combination of Langley and Bishop Canevin players, finished in first place in league play last summer ahead of notable suburban programs North Allegheny, Robinson and Moon.
"The times we've lost in the state playoffs, it just seems like our kids weren't hitting that day," Langley coach Leo Rauterkus said. "We'd pitch and field the ball pretty well, but we'd fall behind by four or five runs and that just seemed to be the game."
Mack, Ruckert and Barnes hit at the top of the Langley batting order. Sites, who usually bats seventh or eighth, led Langley with three hits last week in the City League championship game. That game resulted in a 5-1 win against Allderdice May 24 at PNC Park.
Langley didn't hit particularly well with just seven hits (including two doubles) in the district final. The Mustangs compensated by playing aggressively on the bases while being sound defensively.
Barnes, with a fastball clocked as high as 86 mph, shut down Allderdice. The Dragons had been averaging nine runs per game in the more difficult section (1) of the City League. Allderdice also scored 10 runs in losing to WPIAL playoff qualifier Shady Side Academy.
"When Matt is on, he can shut down any team," Rauterkus said.
Barnes has a 10-2 record this season. One of the losses includes a 6-5 defeat at Northgate (16-4), the WPIAL Section 6-AA runner-up. The Mustangs blew a four-run lead in the bottom of the last inning in that loss.
"We're scrimmaging Canevin [a PIAA Class A qualifier] this week, so we'll get in a good workout before we play the WPIAL champion, whoever it is," Rauterkus said. "We gave the kids a few days off after winning the City championship, but we're now into it again, getting focused on our next game."
Allderdice committed four errors to only one for the Mustangs at PNC Park. Allderdice coach Don Nania remarked that playing in a major league ballpark under a difficult sunny sky can be a big adjustment.
Nania noted that his team did not respond well to the adverse and uncomfortable conditions at PNC Park while it did not seem to faze the Langley players.
"It's an honor playing at PNC, but it was no big deal for our kids," Rauterkus said. "A lot of them have played there before for the Big League [CitiParks] championship in the summer."
Rauterkus believes he has a more mature team, physically and mentally, than previous title teams at Langley.
"One thing we have this year is we have some big, physical kids," Rauterkus said. "We've got some football players on this team who go over 200 pounds who can hit the ball."
Junior first baseman Rob Holste is a 225-pound center on the football team who bats fifth. Junior right fielder Frankie Dodd weighs 215 as an offensive tackle in the fall. The 180-pound Barnes played quarterback and safety.
The connection between the Elliott Legion team and Langley is strengthened by the presence of D.J. Sammel, an assistant coach with both teams.
"D.J. coaches with the Elliott manager, Ed White," Rauterkus said. "They both played for City championship teams at Langley.
"They do a great job with the Legion team and they're going to be loaded this year between our kids and the Canevin kids."
scanned your blog
googled two terms
Dirt Rag and Kennywood
wondered if the two linked up
just visiting Pittsburgh
just visiting your blog
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