HUGHESTOWN — Hazleton Area has been in a few battles for first place the past two seasons.
All of them for the most part ended up like the one on Wednesday.
The Cougars scored six runs in the first inning and just kept scoring to defeat Pittston Area 18-4 in five innings in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 baseball game.
Hazleton Area (4-0 Div. 1, 4-1 overall) won its 23rd consecutive WVC regular-season game. The Cougars’ last loss in divisional play came against Berwick, 9-5 on April 30, 2019. (The 2020 season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Throughout last season and this season, Hazleton Area’s only two losses have been to District 1’s North Penn, 3-1 in the PIAA Class 6A state playoffs in 2021 and 4-1 to start the current schedule.
Pittston Area (3-1 Div. 1, 4-1) was able to get some runners into scoring position early on, but the 6-0 hole coupled with Hazleton Area’s relentless hitting attack were too much to overcome. The Patriots tried four pitchers and all got tagged for runs even when Hazleton Area went to its bench in the seven-run fifth.
“Offensively, I couldn’t be happier,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “We’ve been getting blown away by Hazleton and upper-tier pitching for a long time. Today, all our guys gave good at-bats. Defensively, we played a good defensive game. We just got some stuff to work on on the mound.”
Grant Russo opened the game with a single to center as the first five Hazleton Area batters reached base. Nick Biasi drew a bases-loaded walk, Jatnk Diaz singled in two runs, Jason Lazar doubled in another and Luke Russo added an RBI single.
Hazleton Area tacked on four more runs in the third, with Kyle Peters starting the inning with a triple. Diaz opened the fourth with a home run to left, making it 11-1.
The Cougars’ seven-run fifth including contributions from several players just entering the game. Pittston Area recorded two quick out before the next nine Cougars reached base — seven via singles and two by walks.
Kevin Guzman had a two-run single in the inning while Biasi, Lazar, Jorge Rodriguez and Jorge Taveras all had RBI singles. All 14 Hazleton Area players either scored, had a hit or knocked in a run.
“I told those guys I was really proud of them,” Hazleton Area coach Russ Canzler said, “because I know personally how hard it is to sit there for four innings and then your number gets called and you have to control that thing thumping in your chest. You really want to take advantage of your opportunity. But they stayed through the middle of the field as well and did a really good job.”
Pittston Area scored three times in the fifth as Dominic Innamorati had a two-run single and Nick Cerasaro knocked in a run with a hit. The Patriots scored their first run in the first on Silvio Giardina’s infield single.
Dallas 4, Wyoming Valley West 1
Gary Weaver doubled and drove in three runs as Dallas defeated Wyoming Valley West.
Weaver also had a single to account for two of Dallas’ five hits. Nick Nocito tripled, Zach Paczewski doubles and Joe Peters singled. All three scored runs.
Weaver pitched six innings to pick up the win. Sam Barrouk threw the final inning for the save.
Mason Sgarlat doubled and drove in Valley West’s only run.
Wilkes-Barre Area 10, Berwick 0 (5 inn.)
Ryan Novakowski threw a one-hitter with 12 strikeouts as the Wolfpack won in five innings.
Novakowski helped his own cause by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Jason Prudente was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored. Josh Bottger was 3-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. James Bottger had two RBI.
Keanu Lopez had Berwick’s only hit, a two-out single in the first inning.
Hazleton Area 18, Pittston Area 4 (5 inn.)
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
G.Russo cf`3`2`2`0
Rossi cf`2`0`1`1
Antolick 2b`1`1`0`0
Yanec ph`2`1`1`0
Molinaro ss`1`2`0`1
Biasi 1b`3`2`2`2
Diaz 3b`3`2`2`3
Rodriguez 3b`1`1`1`1
Peters p`3`2`1`0
Guzman lf`2`1`1`2
Aponick lf`1`1`0`0
Lazar c`4`2`2`3
L.Russo rf`3`1`2`2
Taveras rf`1`0`1`1
Totals`30`18`16`16
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Cawley ss`2`1`1`0
DeLucca cf`2`0`0`0
Giardina 2b`3`0`1`1
Davis dh`1`1`1`0
Menendez 1b`2`1`0`0
Cerasaro rf`2`1`1`1
Innamorati lf`2`0`1`2
Connors c`2`0`0`0
Cencetti 3b`2`0`0`0
Totals`18`4`5`4
Hazleton Area`604`17 — 18
Pittston Area`100`03 — 4
2B — Lazar, Cerasar0, Innamorati, Cawley. 3B — Peters. HR — Diaz.
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Peters W`4`2`1`1`2`1
Halcisak`1`3`3`3`2`1
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Mehal L`0.2`3`6`6`3`1
Ghannam`2.1`5`4`3`1`2
Turant`1.0`1`1`1`0`1
Pecha`1.0`6`7`4`2`0
Dallas 4, Wyoming Valley West 1
WVW`AB`R`H`BI
Lopuhovsky ss`4`0`0`0
Sgarlat 3b`3`0`1`1
Buss 1b`3`0`1`0
Gill c`3`0`0`0
N.Bayo lf`2`0`0`0
Stitzer rf`3`0`1`0
A.Bayo cf`2`0`0`0
Matello p`0`0`0`0
DeRosa p`0`0`0`0
Hospodar dh`1`1`0`0
Stevens 2b`2`0`0`0
Klosko ph`1`0`1`0
Totals`24`1`4`1
Dallas`AB`R`H`BI
Nocito 2b`3`1`1`0
Paczewski ss`4`1`1`0
Peters rf`2`1`1`0
G.Adamski c`0`0`0`0
Killian dh`3`1`0`0
Weaver p-1b`3`0`2`3
Healey 3b`2`0`0`0
J.Adamski 3b`0`0`0`0
Geskey lf`1`0`0`0
Timinski cf`3`0`0`0
Barrouk 1b-p`1`0`0`0
Osipower ph`1`0`0`0
Totals`23`4`5`3
Wyo. Valley West`000`010`0 — 1
Dallas`100`300`x — 4
2B — Sgarlat, Paczewski, Weaver. 3B — Nocito.
WVW`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Matello L`4.2`4`4`1`5`7
DeRosa`2.1`1`0`0`1`2
Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Weaver W`6`3`1`1`3`6
Barrouk S`1`1`0`0`0`1
Wilkes-Barre Area 10, Berwick 0 (5 inn.)
Berwick`AB`R`H`BI
Boone ss`2`0`0`0
Dacier p-lf`2`0`0`0
Lopez 3b`2`0`1`0
Rinehimer 1b`2`0`0`0
Andrews cf`2`0`0`0
DiPippa rf`0`0`0`0
Sult dh`2`0`0`0
Evenson c`2`0`0`0
Albertson 2b`1`0`0`0
Peters lf`1`0`0`0
Kupsky p`0`0`0`0
Totals`16`0`1`0
WBA`AB`R`H`BI
Ja.Bottger ss`4`0`1`2
Mihalchik lf`4`1`1`0
Prudente 3b`4`3`3`1
Novakowski p`3`2`2`1
Jo.Bottger 1b`4`1`3`1
Koretz c`2`1`2`1
Pampus rf`0`0`0`0
Kenzakoski dh`3`0`0`0
Jones 2b`1`0`0`1
Simko cf`2`2`0`0
Totals`27`10`12`7
Berwick`000`00 — 0
Wilkes-Barre Area`032`14 — 10
2B — Prudente 2, Jo.Bottger.
Berwick`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Dacier L`3.2`9`6`2`0`5
Kupsky`1.1`3`4`3`1`0
WBA`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Novakowski W`5`1`0`0`1`12
