Greater Pittston finished alone in second place of the Wyoming Valley American Legion Senior Baseball League standings, earning a bye into and home field for the four-team, double-elimination portion of the league playoffs, which were scheduled to start Saturday.
Swoyersville went 12-0, handing Greater Pittston two of its losses in a 9-3 regular season. Greater Pittston finished three games ahead of the rest of the pack in the seven-team league.
After Swoyersville downed visiting Greater Pittston, 7-3, July 2, the second-place team closed out the schedule with three straight wins.
Greater Pittston won at Back Mountain, 9-2, July 3, then swept Mountain Post, 8-4 and 8-6, in a Wednesday doubleheader.
Devin Markert led the offense with three hits against Back Mountain. Dylan Melberger, Ethan Elmes and Jason Wiedl reached base three times each.
Adam Felinski and Hunter Lawall handled the pitching. Felinski allowed just two unearned runs in four innings. Lawall limited Back Mountain to one baserunner while striking out five in three innings.
After completing the last inning of a suspended game against Mountain Post, Greater Pittston also won the full game.
Lawall had three hits while Kyle Skutack had two hits and drove in three runs. Melberger and Elmes also had two hits.
Elmes and Markert allowed just one baserunner while combining for four innings of scoreless relief.
YOUTH
The Greater Pittston team is 5-4 after splitting the last four games, three of which were decided by one run and the other by two.
Greater Wyoming has lost five straight to slip to 2-8.
PREP
Greater Pittston suffered its first loss, but came back with two more wins to remain in first place with a 7-1 record.
It has outscored opponents, 79-21.
