SV's Stanger, McLean stick together
JACKSON TWP — For eight years, Matt Stanger and Josh McLean have been baseball teammates in the Seneca Valley School District.
So what's another summer?
The two have wound up playing travel ball this summer for Team All-Amerian Peters — a 16-under squad based out of Washington & Jefferson College and coached by former Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Chris Peters.
“We began looking for a summer travel team last fall,” Stanger said. “This team was cutting loose a couple of players and wanted to build a stronger roster for the tournament season.”
McLean said they found Team All-American Peters “through one of our assistant coaches, who knew one of their coaches.”
No matter how the duo hooked up with this team, it's been a good fit.
Stanger, who will be a junior catcher for the Raiders next spring, is the regular catcher for Team All-American Peters and bats sixth in the lineup. McLean, who will be a senior center fielder for the Raiders, plays the same position on the travel team and bats third.
Team All-American Peters participated in the 64-team Diamond Nation 16-under World Series last weekend in Flemington, N.J. The tourney was divided into three brackets and Team All-American Peters won the Red Bracket by winning all five of its games.
The team outscored the opposition 33-12, including a 9-1 win over the API Cavaliers, who came from Maryland, in the championship game.
“We have kids from all around Pittsburgh on this team and we never got a chance to know each other right away,” Stanger said. “This tournament was the first time we really meshed ... We blossomed as a team.
“I feel like we're playing to our full potential now.”
McLean agreed — and the team still has tournaments remaining in Cincinnati, Atlanta and the Pittsburgh area.
“We were invited to the Perfect Game Tournament in Atlanta and that's a big one,” McLean said. “We got off to a slow start, but we've formed a strong baseball team and I feel like we can compete with the top teams in the nation.”
Stanger had six hits in Team All-American Peters' five-game sweep over three days last weekend. McLean had three hits early in the tourney.
The team defeated opponents from Maryland, New York, North Carolina and New Jersey en route to winning its championship. Players on the team come from Shady Side Academy, Carrick, Pine-Richland, Thomas Jefferson, Peters Township, Bethel Park, Seton-La Salle and Upper St. Clair.
McLean said he and Stanger have been teammates “since Evans City all-stars when we were 7 or 8 years old.
“We've always been there for each other,” he continued. “If I have a bad at bat, was dipping my shoulder or something, Matt would let me know, and I'd do the same for him.”
Stanger said the two have known each other since they were 4 years old.
“It was helpful just joining this team with him,” he said. “I didn't know anybody else on the roster, so we got to know everybody together.”
Both are hopeful of playing college baseball.
“I've always been a catcher and my goal is to play for a Division I school down the road,” Stanger said.
McLean is a wide receiver-free safety for Seneca Valley's football team along with playing center field in baseball. He hit .270 for the Raiders last spring while playing error-free ball defensively.
“If I can play both sports in college, that'd be great,” McLean said. “Eventually, I know I'll have to make a choice. But Division I or II baseball is definitely something I want to do.”
