Warrior 2nd baseman Casey Noone fields the ball in the PIAA state semi-final game at DeSales University.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Evan Melberger got a hit in the bottom of the 7th inning to get the Warriors some hope in coming back down three runs against Bonner/Pendergast Catholic.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Warrior teammates smother Casey Noone (7) after scoring the winning run against Bonner/Prendergast Catholic. Wyoming Area was behind 4-1 going into the bottom of the 7th inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Starting first baseman Hunter Lawall came in relief for starting pitcher JJ Hood in the 6th inning. Lawall shut down Brenner/Prendergast Catholic keeping Wyoming Area in the game.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area head coach Rob Lemoncelli (center) gets emotional after the 7th inning come-from-behind victory over Bonner/Prendergast Catholic 5-4. The Warriors are in the PIAA State AAAA final at Penn State.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Warrior head coach Rob Lemoncelli embraces Evan Melberger at the conclusion of the PIAA state semi-final game victory.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Wyoming Area head coach Rob Lemoncelli is embraced by Warrior fans at the end of the game against Bonner/Prendergast Catholic.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
CENTER VALLEY — Down to the last out Monday, Wyoming Area got a walk. Then four more in a row, yet the Warriors were still not ahead. And the game — and the season — seemed over when J.J. Hood hit a grounder to second.
But an error tied the game and Casey Noone took advantage of the confusion to score a fourth run with two outs. The result led to an improbable 5-4 victory over Monsignor Bonner-Archbishop Prendergast from Philadelphia, sending Wyoming Area into the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 4A baseball championship game.
Wyoming Area’s season ended Friday with a 7-3 loss to New Castle in the state final. They earned a chance to play on the last day of the season with the thrilling comeback.
“My guys got a lot of heart and they got a lot of will,” Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli said. “Every time that you have heart and will like that there is just something about it. It just happens.”
What happened was incredible for Wyoming Area and heartbreaking for District 12 champ Bonner-Prendie (16-8).
Wyoming Area finished with two hits, none coming in the seventh inning. After two quick outs, pinch hitter Nathan Novakowski drew a walk. Jason Wiedl and Evan Melberger also walked to load the bases with the Warriors trailing 4-1.
Noone and Jake Kelleher walked to force in runs to make it 4-3.
Hood then stepped to the plate. In the second inning, he just missed a home run down the left field line. This time, though, he hit was seemed to be a game-ending, season-ending grounder.
At least Hood thought so at the time.
“I was thinking that,” Hood said. “Their infield had been sound all game. I thought they were going to make a routine play. I looked and saw him throw the ball and turn to second. When he turned to second, he screwed up a little bit and he helped us.”
The miscue tied the game as Melberger scored. It also won it as Noone dashed home from second on the error.
“There were two outs, so on contact I was going,” Noone said. “I knew I was the winning run and I ran as hard as I could and knew if we had any chance winning that game, it was going to be me then and there scoring at home plate.”
Wyoming Area scored its other run in the second when Hood was hit by a pitch, Hunter Lawall walked and Johnny Morgan singled to load the bases. Jack Mathis then walked to force in a run.
But after that, Bonner-Prendie pitcher Ryan Kearney regained his form and retired 16 of 17 Warriors before issuing a walk with two outs to Novakowski.
Wyoming Area fell behind 3-0 in the first inning as starting pitcher Hood surrendered three hits in the 40-pitch inning. He made it through five innings, allowing just one more run while striking out seven and walking two.
Lawall got the pitching victory. He threw the final two innings and got out of a first-and-third jam in the seventh with two strikeouts, giving him five total.
