The New Castle High School baseball team almost lost a spot in the WPIAL playoffs after it was forced to forfeit a game because its coach violated the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association code of ethics.

The team forfeited a game it won on Monday against Ambridge. If Mars had defeated Knoch yesterday, the forfeit would have put New Castle out of the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Class AAA playoffs that begin next week. But Mars lost to Knoch, 8-6, and New Castle qualified for the postseason after all.

The WPIAL follows rules and regulations set forth by the PIAA, and the WPIAL forced New Castle to forfeit the Ambridge game after league officials were informed Coach Don Runyon circumvented rules concerning his suspension from coaching a game.

Last Friday, Mr. Runyon and both of his assistant coaches were ejected from a game against Hampton for arguing with umpires during a 15-11 loss. The three coaches make up the entire varsity staff. Under PIAA and WPIAL rules, any coach or player who is ejected from a game is ineligible to coach or play in the next game.

New Castle's next game was scheduled for Monday against Ambridge. After he and his coaches were ejected, however, Mr. Runyon called Neshannock coach Mike Kirkwood Friday night and scheduled a game against the neighboring school Saturday morning at 10. Neshannock won the game, 7-6.

The Neshannock game was non-section and had no effect on New Castle's bid to make the playoffs. Mr. Runyon and his assistants were able to serve their one-game suspension for the Neshannock contest and then were back with the team for Monday's section game, which counted toward a playoff berth.

Mr. Runyon admitted he was wrong for scheduling the Neshannock game.

"What I did was try to schedule a game to prevent the punishment [for the Ambridge game]," Mr. Runyon said. "It's not something you can do. I unwillingly and unknowingly violated a rule that I didn't know existed."

WPIAL Executive Director Tim O' Malley said New Castle violated PIAA by-laws that state: "The athletic director should not schedule or reschedule a contest for the purpose of circumventing the application" of rules and regulations. Mr. Runyon took the blame for scheduling the Neshannock game, saying New Castle athletic director Sam Flora had nothing to do with it.

New Castle also violated a PIAA by-law that states: "It is unconscionable to involve boys or girls in any practice or procedure which 'gets around' the rules."

Mr. O'Malley informed New Castle school officials of the rules that were violated and the school officially forfeited the Ambridge game yesterday.

"After reading the rule, I was wrong," Mr. Runyon said.

Before learning Mars lost yesterday, Mr. Runyon, who is a teacher in the New Castle Area School District, said he would resign and never coach at New Castle again if the WPIAL would still let his team in the playoffs. But that was a moot point after Mars lost.

"I'm a man. I want to make it clear that I will take what I have coming," Mr. Runyon said. "I'm not trying to run from this."

When asked why he scheduled the Neshannock game, Mr. Runyon said, "My thinking was that we were in a jam because we would've had all of our coaches out. We would've had to use our junior varsity coach and a volunteer junior varsity assistant. I didn't want our kids to have to deal with that."

Although New Castle will be in the playoffs, Mr. Runyon could still face disciplinary action from the WPIAL.

"They violated probably the most sacred part of the by-laws and that is the one pertaining to the code of ethics," Mr. O'Malley said.

Mr. O'Malley said the WPIAL also has asked Neshannock officials to determine why Mr. Kirkwood agreed to play the game. If it is determined that Mr. Kirkwood knew New Castle was trying to circumvent the rules, he also could face disciplinary action.

But Mr. Kirkwood said he didn't know of the New Castle coaches' suspensions until he got to the field Saturday for the game.

"I didn't think I did anything wrong," Mr. Kirkwood said. "When Don asked about the game, I agreed to it because I said it might be good to get some kids playing time who haven't played much. He said he wasn't going to play a lot of his starters, either."