Bobcats Down GCC In PIAA State Class-1A Baseball Quarterfinals; Set To Face Eden Christian In Semifinals On Monday (June, 9th)

on 6 June, 2025 at 13:00

Above photo Courtesy of Jami Smail – Bobcat players and coaches basking in their quarterfinal victory

The District 9-2 Clarion Area Bobcats downed the Greensburg Central Catholic Centurians 15-5 in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) State Class-A quarterfinals at Slippery Rock University’s Jack Critchfield Park on Thursday (June 6th).

Home and away is decided by a coin flip before the game, with the Bobcats becoming the home team in this one.

The game was ended when the Bobcats scored two runs in the top of the seventh on the ten-run rule.

**Photo Courtesy of Brinley Kiskadden-BK Media – An exuberant Hayden Weber after crossing the plate**

The was stopped in the fourth inning, with the Bobcats batting and leading 8-5, for a lengthy weather delay.

Clarion opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first. GCC had a run in the bottom of the inning. The game was tied 5-all after two, with the Cats scoring 3 and the Centurians plating their final four runs of the game.

Clarion posted 3 in the fifth and the two runs in the seventh to set the final.

Billy Kahle went 4-for-5 for the Bobcats, driving in 5 runs, while scoring once. Wyatt Watterson had a triple, driving in two runs. He also scored once.

Noah Harrison had 2 hits, including a double, scored a run and drove in a pair. Dylan Smail had a pair of hits, with two RBIs and a run scored. Hayden Webber had 2 hits and scored twice.

**Photo courtesy of Maria Wilson – Noah Harrison snagging a fly**

Parker Miller singled and scored three runs, Derek Smail had a double, scored a run and drove in a run. Carter Hindman had 1 hit, scored a run and plated two runners. Ethan Rex scored a run.

Dylan Smail pitched five scoreless innings in relief to pick up the win.

Clarion head coach was very pleased with his the Bobcats’ performance. “Great team win. Everyone contributed 1-9 in the batting order. The bottom of the order did a fantastic job turning it over to the top.

“Billy had a monster day out of the 9 spot with 4 hits and 4 RBIs.

“Dylan did a great job coming in and shutting a very good offense down. He let up some hits but managed them beautifully without letting up a run. He pitched strikes and I thought our defense played great.

“Awesome bunch of young men who are just getting hungrier and hungrier! I’m enjoying this ride they are taking us on!!!”

Having defeated District 7 (WPIAL) champion Serra Catholic and District 7 number 4 team GCC, the Bobcats are now scheduled to face their third WPIAL team, number 3 Eden Christian Academy Warriors, in the PIAA State Class-1A semifinals on Monday (June 9th), at SRU’s Jack Critchfield Park.

(Keep it going, Bobcats!!!! Thanks to Brinley Kiskadden-BK Media, Maria Wilson and Jami Smail for their photos!!)