Westmoreland CCC set for Region XX baseball tournament

Westmoreland County Community College's Giuseppe Schiano practices in Youngwood on Tuesday, May 11, 2016. - Steph Chambers | Tribune-Review

By Paul Schofield | Wednesday, May 11, 2016, 10:12 p.m.

If the Westmoreland County Community College baseball team wants to win the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XX title this weekend, then the hitters must lead the way.

WCCC opens the region tournament at 10 a.m. Friday against Prince Georges (Md.) Community College at CCAC-Boyce. CCAC-South and Montgomery College (Md.) follow at 1 p.m.

"Our hitters are capable of carrying us," WCCC veteran coach Mike Draghi said. "We've faced a lot good pitchers this season, and we've done well. We scored five runs on one of the best pitchers (Montgomery's Harry Thomas) in Division III. He hadn't allowed more than two runs in his other games."

Outfielder Giuseppe Schiano (Laurel Highlands) leads the offense with a .462 batting average and 38 RBIs.

Outfielder Mitch Matlas (Mt. Pleasant) follows with a .452 average and 42 RBIs, and infielder Rafael Amanau is hitting .406 and has scored 48 runs.

The trio was named to the all-Region team. The others picked to the honorable mention team were infielder Ronald Baron (California), infielder Vinnie Shoff (Norwin) and outfielder Anthony Faulk (Blairsville).

"Our pitching and defense has improved since our trip to Myrtle Beach in March," Draghi said. "We couldn't stop the opponent's running game. But the catchers and pitchers have worked hard, and we've pretty much fixed that.

"We know it's going to be an uphill battle, but we tell the players that it's suppose to be this time of the season. What I like about this group is they don't take themselves too serious. They're a loose group."

WCCC hasn't won the region since 2011, but if the pitching staff can pull together, the Wolfpack has a chance.

"We've told them all hands on deck," Draghi said. "We're going to need them all."

Michael Baird (Southmoreland) is 5-1, Brett Vallorani (Latrobe) is 4-1, Schiano is 3-1 and Garitt Woodburn (California) is 3-4.