Wyoming Area sophomore Joey Colarusso tags the ball to get on base against Lake-Lehman in the early innings where the game was played at Wilkes University field on Wednesday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Warrior head baseball coach Rob Lemoncelli is in the ear of junior Nathan Novakowski at third base against Lake-Lehman.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Jack Mathis is safe as he slides at home scoring on a pass ball for Wyoming Area.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Winning pitcher Wyoming Area’s JJ Hood fanned 10 batters in the game while collecting is 200th career strikeout for the Warriors.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Warrior head coach Rob Lemoncelli congratulates Joey Colarusso (23) on third base as he calls in his runner, Casey Noone (7), on 2nd base during a time out.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
EDWARDSVILLE — Jack Mathis put Wyoming Area right back in the game Wednesday and then helped take Lake-Lehman out of it.
Mathis tied the score with a two-run triple in the fourth inning and his infield single started a five-run sixth as the Warriors defeated Lake-Lehman, 10-4, at Wilkes University to avenge its only Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 baseball loss, tightening the division race.
The result temporarily tied the division race before Lake-Lehman (8-1 in the division, 11-4) moved a half-game in front with a Thursday victory. Wyoming Area finished the week 7-1 and 11-2.
Mathis hit his two-run triple to deep center, scoring Joe Colarusso and Casey Noone to tie the score, 4-4. Evan Melberger followed by tucking a double down the right-field line, giving the Warriors a 5-4 lead.
Then in the sixth, Mathis legged out an infield single to third — one of three for Wyoming Area in the inning — to start the frame and trigger the five-run outburst. The junior shortstop has been on a tear at the plate all season. He is batting .487, up 147 points from last season.
“Last year, I had more of a scared approach,” Mathis said. “I was new to varsity baseball. This year, I have much more confidence in myself at the plate and in my team.”
After Mathis’ infield single, Melberger did the same to the other side of the diamond. Mathis raced all the way to third and scored on a sac fly by Jake Kelleher. J.J. Hood followed with an infield single and a throwing error allowed Melberger to reach third.
Hunter Lawall then singled to right-center to make it 7-4. An error, a bases-loaded walk to Colarusso and a wild pitch allowed the other three runs to score.
Hood pitched 6 2/3 innings to get the win. He had a rough relief outing vs. Lake-Lehman in a 4-2 nine-inning loss on April 25, surprisingly walking four in three innings.
“Last time, it wasn’t like they hit him around,” Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli said. “He was a little bit outside the zone, walked a few guys which is uncharacteristic of him. I thought we competed in the first game and really competed today. The difference was in that first game we had guys in scoring position and we didn’t get that big hit with two strikes. Today was the total opposite.”
Wednesday didn’t start well for Hood, either.
Lake-Lehman’s Cole Kaiser opened the first with a triple and scored on Graedon Finarelli’s double. Nick Finarelli doubled in his cousin Graedon for a 2-0 lead. Graedon Finarelli added a two-run double in the second to give the Black Knights a 4-0 advantage.
After that, Hood retired nine of the next 10 Lake-Lehman batters, with six coming by way of strikeouts. Ty Federici hit a two-out double in the fifth, the only hit the Black Knights had off Hood after the second inning.
Mathis and Melberger each went 3-for-4 in the top two spots in the order. Mathis scored three runs and drove in two. Melberger doubled twice, scored two runs and drove in one.
Colarusso was 2-for-2 and Jake Kelleher drove in two runs.
Lawall got the last out on the mound.
Wyoming Area 20, Holy Redeemer 7
Jake Kelleher and Jack Mathis drove in four runs each to lead Wyoming Area to Tuesday’s WVC Division 2 road victory.
The Warriors led 10-5 after one inning.
Kelleher was 3-for-3 with a double, home run and four runs scored. Mathis homered, singled and scored three times.
Joe Colarusso had a homer, single, two runs and two RBI. Jack Mathis drove in three runs to go with two hits and two runs scored.
Wyoming Area 4, Scranton Prep 0
Hunter Lawall tossed a two-hitter and drove in two runs on two hits as Scranton Prep won the April 30 non-league game at Atlas Field.
The Warriors, state finalists in Class 4A last season, completed a stretch of five straight games against fellow 2021 state tournament teams by going 3-2.
Lawall walked 12 and struck out one.
Jack Mathis went 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Jake Kelleher tripled in a run for the Warriors.
