CENTER VALLEY — Lake-Lehman ran its way into the PIAA Class 3A baseball semifinals Thursday afternoon.
The Black Knights combined eight stolen bases with 13 singles and a one-hitter from their pitches in an 11-0, six-inning romp over Science & Leadership Academy of Philadelphia in the state quarterfinal game at DeSales University’s Weiland Park.
With the win, Lake-Lehman (20-3) advances to the state final four for the first time in school history. The semifinals will be on Monday against District 11 champion Notre Dame Green Pond, which shut out Wyoming Seminary, 8-0, earlier Thursday.
Alex Magdalinski was a big part of Lake-Lehman outhitting SLA, 13-1. He joined Nick Finarelli in driving in four runs each and relieved Ty Federici to pick up the pitching win while completing the combined one-hitter.
“My defense is always there for me,” said Magdalinski, whose only strikeout in 2 1/3 innings was on the first batter he faced to strand the two runners he inherited. “Plus, when you’re up five runs or more, it gives you something to fall back on.”
The Black Knights struggled for clutch hits early, starting out 1-for-8 and 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
“It took us a little while to get going,” Lake-Lehman coach Len Sincavage said. “I really thought we could have broken it open earlier.”
The running game, however, kept the early lack of clutch hits from being an issue.
“We were able to get some good jumps off first,” Sincavage said. “We’re usually a pretty aggressive team.”
Five of the Lake-Lehman stolen bases eventually resulted in the runner coming around to score. Another, by Connor Morgan in a first-and-third situation, drew a wild throw that allowed the lead runner to score on the error.
All but one of the stolen bases came in the first four innings while Lake-Lehman was building a 7-0 lead.
The Black Knights then scored four runs when six consecutive batters reached in the sixth inning, five of them on hits, to end the game early on the 10-run rule when Magdalinski got the final three outs.
Luke Spencer, who went 3-for-4 and scored three times, started a double play from his shortstop position after his error allowed the only base runner in seven batters faced by Magdalinski.
Things didn’t go quite as smoothly for Federici, who walked five in 3 2/3 innings. He did not allow a hit, however, after a leadoff single, worked out of trouble in the first and retired six straight batters after two straight second-inning walks.
Federici was also involved offensively from his clean-up spot, going 2-for-3 with a walk, setting up Gavin Ruger, his courtesy runner, to score three times.
Finarelli drove in Spencer with the game’s first run in the second inning and scored when Morgan drew the wild throw with his steal.
“I really wanted to hit the ball today,” Finarelli said. “I hadn’t been doing too well the last few games, so I wanted to just put the ball in play and help the team out.
“ … It definitely feels good to be able to hit the runs in and have some RBIs on the day.”
The Wyoming Valley Conference Division 3 champion Black Knights also scored multiple runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings.
Magdalinski was hit by a pitch and Finarelli drove in a run with a fielder’s choice in bases-loaded situations after the first three batters reached in the fourth.
Federici, Spencer and Magdalinski had consecutive two-out hits in the middle of a three-run fourth inning. Max Paczewski started the inning with a hit then a steal of second and scored along with Federici and Spencer. Federici drove in one run and Magdalinski two.
SLA reliever David Hammond got the first two outs of the sixth inning before Lake-Lehman batted around.
Finarelli singled in two runs between RBI singles by Magdalinski and Morgan.
Spencer and Kyle Sincavage finished with two stolen bases and four teammates added one each.
PIAA Class 3A Quarterfinals
Lake-Lehman 11,
Science & Leadership 0 (6 inn.)
Lake-Lehman`AB`R`H`BI
Paczewski 3b`4`1`1`0
Roote ph`1`0`0`0
Sincavage 2b`3`0`1`0
Cercone c`3`1`0`0
Federici p-1b`3`3`2`1
Spencer ss`4`3`3`0
Magdalinski 1b-p`3`1`2`4
Finarelli lf`4`2`2`4
Martin rf`2`0`1`0
Field ph`0`0`0`0
Morgan cf`4`0`1`1
Totals`31`11`13`10
Sci. & Lead.`AB`R`H`BI
Cammisa p-ss`3`0`1`0
Mullen2b-cf`3`0`0`0
Cantor c`3`0`0`0
Simms 3b`2`0`0`0
Cantor ss-2b`3`0`0`0
Hammond cf-p`3`0`0`0
Cassel-Siskind 1b`1`0`0`0
Lewis rf`0`0`0`0
Mitchell lf`1`0`0`0
Tully ss`2`0`1`0
Totals`19`0`1`0
Lake-Lehman`022`304 — 11
Sci. & Lead.`000`000 — 0
Lake-Lehman`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Federici`3.2`1`0`0`5`2
Magdalinski (W)`2.1`0`0`0`0`1
Sci. & Lead.`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Cammisa (L)`3`4`4`3`3`2
Hammond (W)`3`9`7`7`1`1
