BVA hopes to avoid another letdown

By Jose Negron
jnegron@yourmvi.com
The Belle Vernon Area baseball team finds itself in a familiar position, entering the WPIAL playoffs for a fifth consecutive year.
They come in, however, with the expectation that history will not repeat itself.
First-round exits have become commonplace over the past four seasons and Daryl Hixenbaugh’s 11th seeded Leopards (11-7) aim to avoid making it a fifth straight letdown when they face No. 6 Beaver Area (10-7) today at Fox Chapel at 2 p.m.
“We told them (Monday night) to let the pressure go and have fun, this is a fun time,” Hixenbaugh said. “They knew going in each year that we were facing the best pitcher in Class 4A and 3A when we were there. That put pressure on them, but now they know we aren’t facing a top pitcher in the first round. I think that takes some of the pressure off.”

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