SCRANTON — Every time Greater Wyoming Area cut into the early deficit Friday, East Scranton kept finding a way to distance itself.
The final time ended the game and GWA’s place in the Section 5 Little League Senior Baseball tournament.
East Scranton scored five times in the fifth — the third time it scored five in an inning — to eliminate GWA 17-7 in a game shortened due to the 10-run rule.
East Scranton, which is hosting sectionals, will play undefeated Hanover at 10 a.m. Saturday. If East Scranton wins, then a second game to decide the title will be played about an hour after the opener.
GWA found itself in a 5-0 hole after one inning in part to a couple tricky hops, none more so than the one hit by East Scranton’s Charlie Boles. Boles chopped what appeared to be a routine grounder to GWA shortstop Charlie Alfano, but the last bounce shot well over Alfano’s head for a two-run single.
GWA cut the deficit to 5-2 in the third. Rich Kashuba walked and Jeremy Lavelle and Matt Pelleschi followed with singles to load the bases. Jude Janosky walked to force in a run, and Lavelle later scored on an errant pickoff attempt. But a 1-3-2 double play quelled the rally.
East Scranton got the runs back in the bottom of the third on a two-run triple to deep center by Dusty Miller. GWA, though, came back with three runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-5.
In the fourth, Jonathan Webb walked, Shawn Kostak singled and Kashuba singled to load the bases with one out. Lavelle knocked in all three with a triple to the left-center gap.
East Scranton answered with five runs in the fourth to make it 12-5.
GWA added its final runs in the fifth on an RBI infield single by Thad Erzar and an RBI double by Kashuba. East Scranton, though, added five runs in the bottom of the inning to end the game.
DISTRICT 16
JUNIOR BASEBALL
Pittston Area 15, Hanover Area 2
A complete all-around performance helped lift Pittston Area to a district title, winning the best-of-three championship series 2-0 after a five-inning victory.
Dean Horensky went the distance for the win, pitching a two-hitter with eight strikeouts while adding a double, a single and three runs.
Nick Cerasaro (single, four runs), Ciaran Bilbo (single, run, stolen base) and Jack Long (four singles, run, two RBI) all contributed at the plate.
Brett Martinez (double, run) and Collin Klein (single, run) had the hits for Hanover Area.
Section 5 Senior Baseball
East Scranton 17, Greater Wyoming Area 7
GWA`AB`R`H`BI
Kashuba 3b-p`2`2`2`1
Lavelle cf`2`1`2`3
Pelleschi 2b`3`0`1`0
Janosky c`1`0`0`1
Alfano ss-3b`3`0`0`0
Noone p-ss`3`0`1`0
Dominic rf`1`0`0`0
Webb rf`1`1`0`0
Brown 1b`2`1`1`0
Kostak 1b-c`2`1`1`0
Erzar lf`3`0`1`1
Totals`23`7`9`6
East Scranton`AB`R`H`BI
Heil cf`3`2`0`0
Wozniak 3b`4`3`1`0
Cerra 1b`4`3`2`3
Kilvitus p`3`3`2`2
CMiller p`0`0`0`0
Carpenter c`3`2`0`0
JMiller dh`4`2`2`3
Cawley rf`0`0`0`0
JLuciano rf`0`0`0`0
Boles 3b`2`2`1`3
ILuciano 2b`2`0`0`0
Leggins 2b`2`0`1`2
Ferguson lf`2`0`0`0
Clarke lf`2`0`0`0
Totals`30`17`9`13
Greater Wyo. Area`002`32 — 7
East Scranton`502`55 — 17
2B: Kashuba, Kilvitus 2. 3B: Lavelle, J.Miller.
GWA`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Noone (L)`3.0`6`10`7`2`0
Kashuba`1.2`3`7`3`4`2
East Scranton`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Kilvitus (W)`4.0`6`5`4`6`6
C.Miller`1.0`3`2`2`1`0
