First Posted: 4/23/2015
LEHMAN TWP. – Wins have not come easy for a young Pittston Area baseball team this season.
Even on a day when the Patriots pounded out 15 hits, scored seven runs in the top of the first inning and opened a 12-run lead, they had some tense moments before putting away host Lake-Lehman.
Freshman Alex McAndrew struggled on the mound at times, but worked out of jams in the bottom of the sixth and seventh innings to finish off a 12-8 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference crossover game Friday.
“It was a tale of two games,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “The first three innings, we played like we want to play.
“We took the foot off the accelerator a little bit. All we have been talking about all season is the intensity we need.”
The Patriots lead 10-0 after 2 ½ innings, took a 12-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth and came within an out of ending the game in the fifth inning on the 10-run rule.
Playing in bitter cold on a choppy infield and in strong winds, Pittston Area struggled to make the defensive plays behind Joe Delucca and McAndrew.
Delucca held Lake-Lehman scoreless for the first three innings and worked into the sixth on his way to the win.
“The field had a lot to do with it,” Zaffuto said. “The hops were crazy, the sun was bad; for both sides.”
The Patriots overcame six errors to improve to 2-4 in the WVC.
The bottom half of the order helped create the big lead.
Players in the last four spots in the lineup combined to go 10-for-15 with three doubles, nine runs scored and six runs batted in.
Chris Merithew had two hits and two runs in the sixth spot. Gavin Malampy had hits and runs in the three innings the Patriots scored – the first, third and fourth. Jeff Denora was 2-for-2 with two doubles, two runs and two RBI. Kyle O’Fier was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and two RBI.
Carl Jerald Pisack also had a double and drove in two runs.
McAndrew struck out three and did not allow an earned run in two innings of relief.
“There was a lot of pressure on him and he responded,” Zaffuto said.
Hazleton Area 3, Wyoming Area 2
Wyoming Area suffered its first loss, 3-2, to visiting Hazleton Area Friday, but still finished the week with the Division 2 lead and the WVC’s best record at 7-1.
The Cougars, the second-place team in Division 1, opened a 3-0 lead in the first 2 ½ innings and held on behind Joe Baran’s five-hitter with seven strikeouts.
Joe Gavenonis allowed just one earned run while going the distance for Wyoming Area. He gave up seven hits and did not walk a batter while striking out three.
Gavenonis also led the offense with two hits.
Zach Lopatka had a double and scored a run.
Wyoming Area 3, Wyoming Valley West 2
Josh Kopcza pitched three innings of scoreless relief Thursday when Wyoming Area won a meeting of unbeaten WVC division leaders, 3-2, from host Wyoming Valley West in 10 innings.
The win was the seventh straight by the Division 2-leading Warriors to start the season before they were beaten Friday.
Kopcza was also in the middle of the game-winning rally in the top of the 10th.
Cory Lescavage reached second on an error, advanced on a Kopcza bunt and scored the game-winning run on Tyler Mitchell’s grounder into a force play.
The RBI was the second of the game for Mitchell, who joined Zach Lopatka in driving in runs with sacrifice flies for a 2-0 lead.
Jeremy Zezza worked the first seven innings, giving up six hits and a walk while striking out seven.
“We just kept fighting,” Zezza told the Times Leader. “This is one of the biggest games we’ll play all season.”
Zezza also had one of his team’s six hits.
Berwick 6, Pittston Area 2
Michael Delaney went 3-for-4 and drove in both runs Wednesday afternoon when Pittston Area fell to visiting Berwick, 6-2, in a WVC crossover game.
Delaney and Kyle O’Fier had doubles for the only extra-base hits among seven hits by the Patriots.
Josh Kramer allowed just one earned run in 4 2/3 innings of relief.
Ashby Game
Wyoming Area and Pittston Area will play the 18th annual Andy Ashby Game at 7:15 p.m. Sunday night at PNC Field in Moosic, the home of the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
Ashby, a former Major League pitcher who lives in the Pittston Area School District, sponsors the game’s Most Valuable Player Award.
The meeting is a WVC crossover game.
“We get to play in the stadium against a very good team,” said Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto, who has his top pitcher well rested and ready to start against the Division 2 leaders. “We’ve got (John) Fagotti going and we’re excited about going up there.”
The Warriors will be trying to bounce back from suffering their first conference loss Friday.
