May 24, 2006

Mother Nature finally allowed playoff baseball and softball games to proceed over the weekend and the beginning of this week.

Unfortunately, all of the teams in my coverage area are done. Penn Hills and Plum softball along with Gateway baseball had great seasons.

There is nothing to hang their heads about.

I had the opportunity to see Gateway's first-round playoff game against North Allegheny, so I can speak accurately on the topic of playoff adjustments.

Plum was blanked by Shaler, 10-0, so the result speaks for itself.

Gateway was held scoreless through 3 1/3 innings of Monday afternoon's game and only had three hits through the first six.

The Gators were a team that hit the cover off the baseball all season, hitting over .300 as a team.

On several occasions the squad was able to come back from deficits.

A game that sticks out is Gateway's first matchup with Woodland Hills in which it fell behind 7-0.

The team ended up coming back to win 8-7, but that was against a Woodland Hills team that was still trying to hit its stride.

In the playoffs it's unlikely that you're going to find a team that will allow its opponent to come back from large deficits.

Gateway fell behind 5-0 before finally scoring a run, and gave it a good run, pushing across two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lose 6-3.

North Allegheny pitcher Rich Raraigh threw strikes and baffled the Gator lineup all game, but he was nothing spectacular.

The team has seen Woodland Hills' Mike Ritson, one of the better pitchers in the WPIAL when he hits his spots, twice.

Gateway was certainly capable of better hitting. And for that matter, I'm sure Plum coach Jay Marston probably feels similarly when he reflects on his squad's loss to Shaler.

In the playoffs, teams have to bring their 'A' game to succeed and move on.