Moon High School's first-year baseball coach, Dom Santeufemio, knows all about the lethargy that can set in after the WPIAL championship game.

"If you don't keep your head in the first game coming off the WPIAL playoffs, you'll lose," said Santeufemio, a longtime Moon assistant. "We found out that was a real possibility."

But WPIAL runner-up Moon (16-8) battled back from a two-run deficit in the fourth inning to fend off Perry (10-10), 13-5, in a PIAA Class AAA first-round game yesterday at Shaler's Matulevic Field.

Moon catcher Casey Williams hit a two-run home run in the fifth to tie it, 5-5, and trigger a final three innings in which the Tigers scored 10 unanswered runs.

"We never panicked when we got down," Santeufemio said.

"That was the key."

Class AA

Marion Center 4, Center 3: WPIAL fourth-place finisher Center (17-6) almost pulled off a resounding upset before District 6 champion Marion Center (15-1) used its last at-bat to pick up a first-round victory at White Park in Indiana. Marion Center was trailing, 3-2, heading into the bottom of the seventh before scoring two runs to advance and end Center's season.

Riverside 6, Brookville 3: Riverside (21-2), the WPIAL runner-up, kept trudging along towards a PIAA crown with a first-round win against District 9 champion Brookville (14-9) at Brockway. Riverside's John Elms struck out 13 in a complete-game win.

Class A

Union 9, Elk County Catholic 6: District 9 champion Elk County Catholic (18-6) held a 1-0 lead for much of the game until WPIAL third-place finisher Union (20-2) scored nine runs in the sixth to notch a first-round win at Brockway.

Elk County Catholic battled back, scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh, but it wasn't enough to stop the Scotties. Jon Hedland led Union with two doubles and three RBIs, and A.J. Bryant added two RBIs.

Carmichaels 4, Clarion 0: The Mighty Mikes (22-1) downed District 9 third-place finisher Clarion (15-5) at Burkett Complex in Robinson.

Carmichaels, the WPIAL champion, has put together an impressive postseason run. In four playoff games, the Mighty Mikes have yielded just one run while scoring 15. Carmichaels has shut out its past three opponents.