By Jacob Gill
Philadelphia Region Director of Scouting

1st round match-ups are listed in bracket order.  Check the PIAA Championships Blog for game dates, times, locations, and results.

1-1 Calvary Christian vs 12-1 GAMP

Calvary Christian

How the Cougars got here: 2-seed in District I playoffs, beat Jenkintown 11-3, beat Plumstead Christian 3-2, beat Devon Prep 2-1

Players to Watch: Tyler Scheuer (2013 RHP) & Reilly Degen (2013 RHP) - The Cougars 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation will both be moving on to college baseball next season (Scheuer to Palm Beach Atlantic, Degen to University of the Sciences).

GAMP

How the Pioneers got here: beat Saul (15-0) & Masterman (5-4) in Public League playoffs

Player to Watch: Jacob Kurtz (2014 RHP) - The Public League champs will be the clear underdog in this one.  Kurtz, armed with a lively fastball and flashing a quality breaking ball, is expected to toe the rubber.  Provided the defense does its part, he has the stuff to keep his team in the game. 

4-1 Canton vs 3-2 Lancaster County Christian

Canton

How the Warriors got here: 1-seed in District IV playoffs, beat Muncy 2-1, beat Montgomery 8-5

Players to Watch: Garrett Wesneski, Chase Pepper - these two have combined for 14 of the Warriors 20 wins on the season.

Lancaster County Christian

How the Lions got here: 4-seed in District III playoffs, beat Antietam 9-8, beat Newport 7-4, lost to York Catholic 7-1

Players to Watch: Kyle Ebersole (2016 P), Jensen King (2015 P) - Youngsters Ebersole and King tag-teamed the district semifinals and championship game on the mound.

11-1 Tri-Valley vs 2-1 Old Forge

Tri-Valley

How the Bulldogs got here: 2-seed in District XI playoffs, beat Moravian 10-0, beat Williams Valley 4-2

Players to Watch: Hunter Bordner (2015 3B/RHP), Dalton Miller (2013 IF/RHP) - Bordner and Miller are 1-2 on the team in AVG, OBP & SLG, while also going a combined 11-3 in 81.1 IP.

Old Forge

How the Devils got here: 2-seed in District II playoffs, beat MMI 8-3, beat Lackawanna Trail 1-0

Players to Watch: David Chromey (2013 LHP), Steve Mascaro (2014 C) - Chromey (5-1, 3.28, 63 K) picked up the complete game win in the district title game. Mascaro hit .378 while leading the team in runs scored and XBH out of the 3-hole.

3-1 York Catholic vs 1-2 Devon Prep

York Catholic

How the Fighting Irish got here: 2-seed in District III playoffs, beat Mount Calvary 17-2, beat High Point Baptist 11-1, beat Lancaster County Christian 7-1

Players to Watch: Erich Hartman (2014 IF/RHP), Clint Bohn (2014 OF) - Hartman is the staff ace (4-3, 2.46, 22 BB, 45 K in 42.2 IP) and hit .415 with a .500 OBP, .631 SLG, and 9 SB.  Bohn hit .388 with a .627 SLG and 9 SB.

Underclass Name to Know: Jake Krevetski (2015 OF/RHP) - Krevetski served as the #2 starter while also batting .322 with a .500 OBP in the lead-off spot.

Devon Prep

How the Tide got here: 1-seed in District I playoffs, beat Calvary Baptist 10-0, beat Church Farm 1-0, lost to Calvary Christian 2-1

Players to Watch: Zach Schellenger (2014 RHP), Dominic Hardaway (2015 C) - Schellenger, who has made a verbal commitment to Seton Hall, has a prototypical power pitcher's frame and an upper-80s fastball.  Battery-mate Hardaway has a strong build and simple approach at the plate to go along with arm strength and good receiving skills defensively.

7-1 Western Beaver vs 9-2 Johnsonburg

Western Beaver

How the Golden Beavers got here: 5-seed in District VII playoffs, beat Jefferson Morgan 6-5, beat Carmichaels 6-1, beat Serra Catholic 5-1, beat Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 3-2

Player to Watch: Nick Miller (2014 IF/RHP) - Miller led the team in AVG, OBP & SLG offensively, while also pacing the staff in IP, ERA & K.

Johnsonburg

How the Rams got here: 1-seed in District IX playoffs, bye in 1st round, beat Coudersport 3-0, beat Cranberry Area 4-3, lost to Elk County Catholic 10-7

Players to Watch: Quinn Luhr (2013 RHP/IF), Cole Peterson (2014 RHP/IF) - The arms of Luhr and Peterson carried the Rams into the District IX title game.

6-1 Bishop McCort vs 5-1 North Star

Bishop McCort

How the Crushers got here: 1-seed in District VI playoffs, bye in 1st round, beat Saltsburg 10-1, beat Portage 4-3, beat Claysburg-Kimmel 7-6

Players to Watch: Nathan Neiderhiser (2014 LHP/OF), Luke Williams (2013 1B), Brad Coleman (2014 3B/RHP) - Williams, who is headed for Pitt-Johnstown, leads the team in AVG & SLG as one of only two seniors on a junior-dominated squad.  Neiderhiser (5-1, 1.56 along with .437 AVG) and Coleman (6-2, 4.28 plus .411 AVG) display their two-way talents on a daily basis.

North Star

How the Cougars got here: 1-seed in District V playoffs, beat Conemaugh Township 2-0, beat Southern Fulton 6-4, beat Meyersdale 10-0

Players to Watch: Tony Strasiser (2013 OF/RHP), Brantley Rice (2013 SS/RHP) - A dominating two-way combo for the undefeated Cougars, Strasiser was unstoppable with the bat (.639 AVG, .741 OBP, 1.230 SLG, 41 RBI, 26 SB), while Rice fronted the rotation (9-0, 1.23, 20 BB, 87 K in 51.1 IP).

10-1 Cochranton vs 7-2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Cochranton

How the Cardinals got here: 3-seed in District X playoffs, beat Kennedy Catholic 1-0, beat Eisenhower 8-1

Player to Watch: Ryan Northcott (2013 RHP/IF), Jesse Staudt (2014 OF) - Northcott threw more than half of the staff's innings (8-1, 1.90, 15 BB, 85 K in 62.2 IP), while also hitting .353.  Staudt hit .370 while leading the team in RBI and SLG.

Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

How the Chargers got here: 2-seed in District VII playoffs, beat Monessen 12-0, beat Union 5-1, beat California 2-1, lost to Western Beaver 3-2

Player to Watch: Preston Falascino (2013 RHP/IF), Santino Platt (2015 IF/RHP) - Slipper Rock-bound Falascino does it all for the Chargers (.527 AVG, 14 XBH plus 5 wins & 48 K), while Platt chipped in a .383 AVG and eight doubles.

9-1 Elk County Catholic vs 7-3 California

Elk County Catholic

How the Crusaders got here: 2-seed in District IX playoffs, 1st round bye, beat Ridgeway 6-3, beat Clarion Area 3-0, beat Johnsonburg 10-7

Players to Watch: Jack Herzing (2013 LHP), Brandon Schlimm (2014 RHP), Ivan Wortman (2014 OF) - Herzing (8-0, 2.40, 26 BB, 76 K in 46.2 IP) and Schlimm (5-1, 1.37, 18 BB, 68 K in 41 IP) were horses on the mound.  Wortman led the offense in AVG, OBP & SLG.

California

How the Trojans got here: 6-seed in District VII playoffs, beat Sewickley 7-4, beat Riverview 6-4, lost to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 2-1, beat Serra Catholic 10-6

Player to Watch: Brian Fisher (2013 P/1B), Ronnie Baron (2014 IF) - Fisher drew the start in the WPIAL semifinals and championship game, while Baron led the team in RBI, averaging more than one per game.