Cleveland State-bound Chuck Gasti (right) was the winning pitcher in last year's quarterfinal extra inning contest over the Royals.

Carmichael's Roster

No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Year

1 Keller, Nathan C Senior
2 Blasinsky, Matt OF Freshman
4 Krall, Seth OF Sophomore
5 Musgrove, Bill P/IN Junior
6 Lapkowicz, Joby P/OF Senior
8 Clarke, Nick C/IN Freshman
9 Robinson, Trevor P/OF Sophomore
11 Gasti, Chuck P/IN Senior
12 Maurin, Justin OF Junior
13 Swift, Jeff C/IN Sophomore
14 Halliday, Josh OF Freshman
15 McCann, Justin IN/OF Senior
17 Decker, Kody OF Freshman
20 Wolfe, Zach IN/OF Junior
21 Antonelli, Dan OF Sophomore
22 Yoders, Colton P/OF Freshman
24 Krall, Jonathan IN Freshman
29 Kennedy, Jordan P/IN Freshman
30 Davis, Marcus C Freshman
31 Farrar, Anthonie OF Sophomore
32 Zack, Phil OF Freshman
35 Krause, Shayne OF Junior


SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

Date Opponent Venue Score

3/20 3:45 pm Cornell Carmichaels W 8-1
3/23 4 pm Bentworth Carmichaels W 9-0
3/25 4 pm at Brownsville Brownsville PPD
3/30 4 pm at Bentworth Bentworth PPD
3/31 4:15 pm Albert Gallatin Carmichaels W 3-2
4/1 4:15 pm at Laurel Highlands Hutchinson Field PPD
4/2 4 pm Connellsville Carmichaels W 9-5
4/3 4:15 pm Chartiers-Houston Carmichaels PPD
4/6 4 pm at Frazier Frazier W 13-0
4/8 4:30 pm at Beth-Center * Beth-Center W 5-0
4/13 4:15 pm Geibel * Carmichaels W 6-0
4/17 4 pm at Jefferson-Morgan * Jefferson-Morgan W 12-1
4/17 4:15 pm at West Greene * Carmichaels W 12-1
4/22 4 pm at Chartiers-Houston Chartiers-Houston L 4-3
4/24 4 pm Beth-Center * Carmichaels W 1-0
4/27 4 pm at Geibel * Geibel L 6-5
4/29 4:30 pm West Greene * Center Twp. Park, Rogersville W 5-0
4/30 4:30 pm Frazier Carmichaels PPD
5/5 2 pm Mapletown * Carmichaels W 12-1
5/5 4:15 pm Jefferson-Morgan * Carmichaels W 10-0
5/6 12 pm at Mapletown * Mapletown W 15-0
5/8 4 pm California Carmichaels W 3-2

WPIAL Class A Playoffs: First Round

5/12 4:30 pm Vincentian Academy Mt. Pleasant Twp. Park Field

The Vincentian Academy baseball team were in the midst of a three-game losing streak and searching for some kind of spark to put an end to the midseason skid. The friendly confines of LaRoche College and the start of a four-game section homestand proved to be just that - as well as having Adam Dian back on the hill.

After taking their lumps at Avonworth (9-4) and Cornell (15-5)last week, the Royals also came up empty in a 13-12 slugfest to OLSH at Youthtowne Field on Saturday night. However, vengeance was soon to be accomplished.

Yesterday, Vincentian and OLSH matched their aces of their staffs pitting sophomore Adam Dian versus Potomac State-bound Dave McNeil. Dian easily outshined one of the WPIAL's top prospects as he lead the Royals to a 10-0 shutout in a five inning shortened game. The sophomore standout blanked the Chargers on two hits while striking our six batters. He improves his season record to 4-1 with 40 strikeouts in just 26 innings of work.

Dian, two for three offensively, also was one of four Vincentian hitters to have a multi-hit game. Senior Mike Beerman and John Gourley eached added a couple hits as well as scoring two runs apiece and junior Nick Quarantillo also had two base hits while driving in two runs. Another junior, Mike Darby, continued to swing a hot bat tripling and adding two more rbi's.

Darby and John Melvin were a couple of the few bright spots during the Royals three-game losing streak. Darby, after a slow start, has gone six for eleven over the past four games, scoring four runs with four rbi's. He has lifted his average almost .300 points. Melvin, who has been steady throughout the season, went five for nine at the plate over the three-game losing streak, driving in five runs during that stretch. The junior outfielder is currently among the WPIAL's leaders with 18 rbi's and a .486 batting average.

The Royals will travel to the "City of Champions" tomorrow to face the Jeannette Jayhawks who are currently 8-2 and could be a possible playoff opponent in a couple weeks. This will be their last road contest of the season, before returning home to host Sewickley on Wednesday, Quigley on Friday, the number one ranked Serra Catholic Eagles on Satuday and section leader Avonworth next Tueday.

Vincentian Academy may not have a football team, but their baseball program registered football like point totals this past week over section opponents Sewickley and Quigley.

Yesterday, the Royals amassed 14 runs at Quigley, while tipping the scales with 20 runs at Sewickley on Wednesday. Leading the robust offensive output in the 14-6 triumph over Quigley was junior outfielder John Melvin. Melvin punished Spartan pitching racking up three hits, two of them going for extra bases, while driving in four runs. He laced the ball all over the field, crushing rbi doubles to left and rightfield while rifling an rbi single to centerfield. The game high four rbi's also pushes Melvin's season total to 11 which places him atop the Royals rbi leader list as well as amongst the tops in WPIAL.

Accompanying Melvin's superior offensive performance was shortstop Mike Beerman. Beerman consistently set the table for the Royals lineup throughout the evening reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. The senior slugger not only reached base all five times, but also accomplished the feat by getting on the bases a remarkable five different ways. To go along with his double, single and base on balls; he was hit by a pitch and reached on an error. Beerman scored twice and knocked in two more, raising his batting average to a lofty .500. Alex Franc, Mike Darby and Eric Dian scored two runs each helping the Royals to their stout 14 run performance. Dian also executed the defensive play of the year with a full-extension diving catch of a sinking line drive to shallow leftfield in the sixth inning.

Adam Dian started and pitched four more quality innings on way to his third win of the season. He struck out six Spartan batters giving him 28 for the season in just 15 innings. Beerman and John Gourley combined to keep Quigley at bay for the final three innings as the Royals improved to 3-0 in section play.

Earlier in the week, Dian supplanted his pitching heroics with an explosive bat leading the Royals to thier second section victory of 2009.
The sophomore pitcher/infielder pummelled the Nichols field outfield fences, driving the ball past the Sewickley outfielders his first and only three trips to plate. Dian blasted two doubles and a long single, totaling four rbi's in just three innings of work. Dian's explosive offensive outburst propelled the Royals to a 20-3 pasting of the Panthers in a mercy-shortened four inning game.

Several Royals had strong days at the plate. Beerman, Melvin and Eric Dian added two hits apiece, with Beerman scoring twice and Melvin scoring three times. Melvin also had two rbi's. Junior second-baseman Mike Darby had three rbi's and two stolen bases. John Gourely scored two runs and Ryan Healy had two rbi's. Freshman phenom Chris Koryak continued to be outstanding on the base paths, scoring a game high four runs while swiping two more bases. Sophomore Alex Franx garnered his second win of the season from the mound posting a complete game, while singling and walking twice at the plate. Franc has walked an astonishing 13 times this season in his 30 plate appearances.

Fresh off a brutal nonsection schedule that undoubtedly vaults the Vincentian Academy varsity baseball team to the top of the RPI, BCS or any strength of schedule measuring stick; the Royals finally got a chance to see one of their new section rivals yesterday.

The Cornell Raiders, who many think will challenge the Royals this season for the section crown, invaded the North Hills yesterday but did not receive the friendly welcome they were looking for from their new section foe. Junior Ryan Healy lead a seven-run, seven-hit attack and Adam Dian impressed once again from the mound as the Royals sent the Raiders away with a 7-3 defeat.

Healy exploded for his best offensive game of the young season. The left-handed slugging catcher lined a two-run home run over the centerfield fence in the first inning giving the Royals an early 3-2 lead. He finished the day two for three with a walk. Dian, the sophomore ace on the hill, pitched another solid six innings in his second outing of the season. He struck out nine Cornell batters while walking just two, improving his '09 record to 2-0. Senior Mike Beerman came on to pitch a scoreless seventh inning, notching his second save as the Royal's closer.

Extra-base hits were abound as the Royals slugged as season-high four in the contest, while shining on defense and committing as season-low zero errors. Accompanying Healy's two-run blast were doubles by Dian and John Melvin as well as John Gourley's fourth inning triple that proved to be the game-winning rbi.

Eight new faces in the dugout - No, not the dugout that is situated between home plate and first base at PNC Park after the trade deadline over the past 16 years - but the one the will house the Vincentian Academy Royals throughout the 2009 season. Five freshman, two transfers and one injury returnee will suit up this season to help the Royals take aim a the Class A Section 4 title.

Freshman Chris Koryak has emerged out of the gate as one of these top newcomers. Koryak took advantage of ample playing time over the Spring trip in Disney, displaying strong offensive and defensive skills throughout the week. Blazing speed, a quick bat and tremendous versatility are some of the ingredients the ninth grader quickly introduced to his new Royal teammates. He started two varsity games and one junior varsity game, logging innings at third base, shortstop, centerfield and leftfield as well as on the mound. Koryak hit .600 on the trip which tied senior outfielder John Gourley's mark for the team lead. He also lead the team with four stolen bases, two doubles and a robust .714 on base percentage.

Tyler Symanski also made an immediate impact upon his return to the Vincentian lineup. The junior backstop missed the entire 2008 season with an injury he suffered during the basketball season. It took Symanski all of one game to get back into the swing of things, as he knocked in a game-high three runs in the Royal's season opening triumph over the Shipley School out of Philadelphia. He garnered Player of the Game honors versus Shipley and pounded several extra base hits in the junior varsity games. Symanski started every varsity and junior varsity game at catcher during the trip and looks to add another solid bat to the middle of the Royal's 2009 lineup as well as bolstering the team's options behind the plate.

Freshmen Ryan Thompson and Payton Carlucci also logged valuable playing time in Disney. Both made a varsity start (Thompson on the mound and Carlucci at DH) as well as starting both the junior varsity contests. Carlucci participated in all three varsity games, notching his first varsity hit and stolen base on the trip, while Thompson appeared in two out of the three contests. He was opening day starter against Shipley and pitched in relief during the second Hammond game. He compiled an impressive seven strikeouts in just four innings on the trip and looks to be a nice lefthanded pitching option for the Royals this season.

A couple of transfers from North Catholic High School should help create a strong family environment throughout the Vincentian clubhouse this season. The Brothers Dian have been shining defensively throughout spring workouts and early scrimmages. Eric, a junior, may be the best defensive outfielder on the squad as his younger brother Adam could very well be the top defensive weapon in the infield. Adam, just a sophomore, could also challenge to be the number one starter in the pitching rotation. Both have shown to be capable sluggers and should add more punch to the Royal's offensive output in 2009.

Rounding out the newcomers are freshmen Evan Gourley and Ryan Wise. Gourley sustained an injury on the Disney trip and will probably be out of action for the next couple weeks. Upon his return, the freshman outfielder/pitcher will add a solid bat to the Royals bench as well as providing the squad with a strong utility outfielder and solid pinch running option. Wise, looking to do his best Roy Hobbs impersonation, has been out of baseball for a couple years. He has displayed an impeccable work ethic and made tremendous strides since the start of conditioning. He could prove to be a solid outfielder and will definitely be a strong presence in the Vincentian dugout.