Mars baseball coach Brian Hobaugh couldn't remember the last time the Planets won a WPIAL playoff game.

“I think it was 1998 ... I know it's been a long time,” he said. “The team talked about that. We were ready to end that streak. We felt like we had something to prove today.”

Only it didn't happen.

Belle Vernon struck for 13 hits and right-hander Matt Callaway tossed a three-hitter in posting a 7-1 WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinal win over the Planets Wednesday at Pullman Park.

The victory was the second playoff win in as many days for the Leopards, who had not won a postseason game since 2001 before edging Beaver, 4-3, on Tuesday.

That game was played in Hampton, forcing Belle Vernon to log plenty of miles on the team bus the past two days.

“Actually, I think those long bus rides helped us,” Leopards coach Dan Palm said. “Everyone gets all hyped up for a playoff game. By the time our kids got off the bus, they were calmed down and focused on playing a ballgame.”

Callaway threw only 72 pitches in his route-going effort, 47 for strikes. He struck out just one batter, but walked none.

“We didn't have a good mental approach against him,” Hobaugh said. “We swung at a lot of first pitches all day. Our mental approach wasn't very good in general.

“In the playoffs, you have to make plays. They did and we didn't. We didn't hit. We didn't field. This was set up for us today, having the bye, our No. 1 (pitcher) against their No. 2, and we didn't get it done.

“This one's gonna eat at me for a long time,” Hobaugh added.

Belle Vernon had runners at first and second with one out in the top of the first inning when Dom Francia grounded sharply to third. Josh Bartley picked the ball clean, stepped on third and fired to first for a would-be inning-ending double play, but his throw was dropped by the first baseman.

Mars then had two runners picked off, but failed to execute the rundown either time and the Leopards wound up scoring two runs.

“The same thing happened for us against Beaver yesterday,” Palm said. “We scored twice in the first inning without hitting the ball particularly hard.

“Getting the lead is huge against a pitcher like (Dave) Bednar. That kid is outstanding.”

Mars' ace entered the game with a 7-1 record and 1.19 earned run average. He left Wednesday's contest with one out in the fifth, having allowed three runs on nine hits.

“Frankly, I'm surprised we hit him as well as we did,” Palm said.

The Leopards had a pair of bunt singles in the game, executed three sacrifice bunts, and poked numerous hits through the infield.

“Dave didn't pitch badly,” Hobaugh said. “They put together the type of at-bats against him we should have had against their guy.”

The Belle Vernon lead was 3-1 before the Leopards broke the game open with a four-run sixth. Mars scored its lone run in the first on a two-out RBI infield single by C.J. Weigand. Earlier in the frame, the Planets lost shortstop Kevin Giallonardo to an injured ankle as he tried beating out a close play at first.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the third, the Planets nearly took the lead when Matt Eperesi drilled a deep fly to right with two outs and Ben Erdahl on first base. Right fielder Adam Ferita crashed into the wall as he made the catch, however.

“If that ball goes another few feet, yeah, who knows what happens the rest of the way?,” Hobaugh said. “But I can't explain this. It's disappointing. We just didn't get it done.”

Belle Vernon 200 014 0 — 7 13 1Mars 100 000 0 — 1 3 2W: Matt Callaway 7IP (1K, 0BB). L: Dave Bednar 4.1IP (6K, 3BB).Belle Vernon (17-4): Chad Balzano 3-1B, Adam Ferita 2-1B 3-R, Dom Francia 1B 2-RBI 2-R, Joe Simsic 3-1B 3-RBI, Matt Callaway 1B, Dylan Shupe 2B 1B, Colin Berkley 1BMars (15-5): C.J. Weigand 1B RBI, Dave Bednar 1B, Ben Erdahl 1B