District 10 baseball: Slippery Rock blanks Fort LeBoeuf in 4A first-round as Austan Runtas fires gem
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team celebrate after defeating Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
Austan Runtas pitches for Slippery Rock against Fort LeBoeuf in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
Slippery Rock’s Doug Popovec (3) high fives Jonathan Petras (99) during a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
Slippery Rock’s Isaac McCandless (13) slides into first base to avoid a tag during a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
-
The Slippery Rock baseball team defeated Fort LeBoeuf 6-0 in a District 10 Class 4A first-round baseball game at Slippery Rock University's Critchfield Park. Photog/Butler Eagle
SLIPPERY ROCK — Through four innings Tuesday, Slippery Rock’s baseball team had scored a single run. While the offense came to life late to plate five more tallies, the Rockets would have been fine without adding on.
That’s because Austan Runtas was masterful on the mound.
Throwing 83 pitches, the senior held Fort LeBoeuf to just one hit while striking out six and walking one in a complete-game, 6-0 victory in a District 10 Class 4A first-round playoff at Slippery Rock University’s Critchfield Park.
Runtas had compiled a 5-1 record with a 1.92 ERA during the regular season.
“He was in the zone today and changed speeds well,” Slippery Rock coach Tyler Friel said. “They (Bison) didn’t get many barrels on the ball. There was no doubt who we were going to throw today.”
Runtas began the game by retiring Fort LeBoeuf (6-13) in order in the top of the first on just four pitches.
The Bison’s lone hit was a single from Kaden Milner in the third inning. Ethan Bliley reached on a fielding error and Milner drew a walk, both in the fifth, but were stranded.
That was the extent of Fort LeBoeuf’s offense.
“I had a lot of rest before pitching today, and I felt good,” Runtas said. “I was able to throw all of my pitches (fastball, curve, changeup) for strikes and knew my defense was there to back me up. They’ve been amazing this year.”
Slippery Rock’s bats were frustrated by Fort LeBoeuf’s Jack Lewis for much of the game. He allowed an unearned run in the second when Casey Darr’s triple scored Doug Popovec, who had reached on an error.
Lewis does not throw fast, but Friel respects the job he did against Slippery Rock’s lineup.
“A pitcher who is down in velocity, but in the zone, that type of guy has been a challenge for us,” he said. “He was locating well early on.”
Lewis encountered control problems late in his outing, striking out four and walking six in five innings. A key sequence for the Rockets (14-4) came when Austin Kura doubled off third baseman Bliley’s glove in the fifth and two runs scored, extending Slippery Rock’s lead to 4-0.
“Jack gave us a chance to win, but we just didn’t put any pressure on their pitcher,” Bison coach Harry Latta said.
Two more runs followed off reliever Jacob Bruzda in the sixth, including one off Jacob Kunsman’s two-base hit.
Slippery Rock, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, will take on No. 2 Cathedral Prep in a semifinal Friday at a site and time to be determined.
“This is only my second year at Slippery Rock, but I know that Prep has been a thorn in our side for years,” Friel said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to go up there and win.”
Fort LeBoeuf 000 000 0 — 0 1 2
Slippery Rock 010 032 x — 6 6 1
WP: Austan Runtas 7 IP (6K, 1BB); LP: Jack Lewis 5 IP (4K, 6BB)
Fort LeBoeuf: Kaden Milner 1B
Slippery Rock: Connor Zorn 2-1B R, Jacob Kunsman 2B 2R RBI, Doug Popovec 1B 2R, Casey Darr 3B RBI, Austin Kura 2B 2RBI
Friday: Slippery Rock vs. Cathedral Prep, District 10 Class 4A semifinal, site and time TBD
