Published: May 17, 2008 11:58 pm      

Moore good work for UPJ

Pitt-Johnstown pitcher Jon Moore was looking for a little redemption at the NCAA Division II North Atlantic Regional tournament after a poor start in his last outing during West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference postseason play.

The right-hander delivered for the fourth-seeded Mountains Cats in an 8-0 elimination-round victory over sixth-seeded and defending regional champion Kutztown University on Saturday afternoon at Johnstown’s Point Stadium.

Moore, who relied on his defense to get out of some tight spots – including a bases-loaded situation in the fourth inning – went the distance, allowing five hits and striking out four.

“I came out in the conference tournament and I was throwing everything right down the middle, everything was above the knee – thigh-high. You could crush it,” said Moore, who improved to 7-1 on the season. “This time I came out and tried to hit my spots.”

The Golden Bears (31-26) stranded 10 runners against Moore.

The 6-foot-4 freshman became the first WVIAC hurler to pitch a shutout at regionals since 2002.

Somerset Area High School graduate Drew Shaulis ran down nine fly balls while patrolling the vast center field at the Point.

Shaulis had all three putouts in both the second and seventh innings, helping UPJ advance to Saturday’s nightcap against top-seed West Chester.

“Anything I left up and they crushed, Shaulis was there to get it,” Moore said. “I can’t complain.”

Shaulis (3-for-3) doubled to the left-field wall, scored two times, drove in a run and walked once.

The Mountain Cats (37-18-1) got to Kutztown starter Derick Reis for a run in the top of the second inning.

Coach Todd Williams’ club added a pair of runs on three hits in the third and chased the Golden Bears’ right-hander with four more tallies on a sacrifice fly and four singles in the fourth.

Mountain Cats leadoff hitter Dan DelSignore drove in two runs and freshman Nick Barbera was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Junior first baseman Matt Hanley homered over the left-field wall in the eighth off Kutztown reliever Mike Bucklin to set the final.