Pittston Area catcher Jake Aftewicz (5) attempts to grab Drew DeLucca to congratulate him after hitting the winning single in the bottom of the seventh in a 1-0 victory over Hazleton Area on Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Elijah Barr heads to third for a triple in the second inning Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area’s Drew DeLucca singles in Anthony Ranieli with the game’s only run in the bottom of the seventh as the Patriots defeated Hazleton Area 1-0 Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area freshman pitcher Elijah Barr struck out six and surrendered two hits in 6.1 innings Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Pittston Area shortstop Jeremy Cawley fields a grounder before tossing out Hazleton Area’s Grant Russo (6) at first base in the sixth inning Thursday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
HUGHESTOWN — Hazleton Area’s streak has ended.
Drew DeLucca grounded a single to left field with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as Pittston Area defeated Hazleton Area 1-0 Thursday, stopping the Cougars’ Wyoming Valley Conference baseball regular-season winning streak at 42 games.
DeLucca’s single came after Jeremy Cawley was intentionally walked just in front of him and scored Anthony Ranieli from third base. The ball bounced in the hole between the shortstop and third baseman, sending the Patriots into a frenzied celebration.
Hazleton Area (10-1 Div. 1, 12-2 overall) lost ground to Pittston Area (10-2, 13-2) in the quest for the Division 1 title. The teams play 14 divisional games. The Cougars’ last WVC Division 1 loss was 9-5 to Berwick on April 30, 2019. (There was no 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
“I’m super proud, super proud,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “They fought the whole time. Everything we preach, they executed. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
After Hazleton Area stranded a runner at third in the top of the seventh, Ranieli started the Patriots’ path to the game’s only run. He swung a low pitch for strike three, but the ball ricocheted all the way to the first-base dugout and he reached base easily.
Ranieli moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nick Cerasaro and to third in a groundout by Anthony Cencetti. Cawley, one of the WVC’s top hitters, was intentionally walked and the strategy appeared to work as DeLucca fell behind 0-2 in the count. DeLucca, though, was able to sneak a single into left field.
“Off the bat, yeah, I thought it was going through,” DeLucca said. “I was down 0-2 against a great pitcher and he made me look silly a couple times this year. I just wanted to battle, put it in play and give our guys a chance to score and win the game.”
Cencetti recorded the final two outs to get the win, but it was 6-foot-5 freshman Elijah Barr who shut down Hazleton Area through 6.1 innings. He surrendered a single to Grant Russo to start the game and a two-out double to Richie Rossi in the third. That was the extent of Hazleton Area’s hitting as Barr retired 11 in a row until Jamie Martoccio reached on an error in the seventh.
Barr surrendered five runs — three earned — when the Patriots lost 6-2 at Hazleton Area on April 12.
“At home it’s way easier,” Barr said. “You feel like you’re in the game. I felt way better. The second time was good.”
Martoccio went from first to third on an error on his stolen base but ended up stranded. The Cougars’ best scoring chance came in the first when they had first-and-third with two outs. Barr ended the threat with his second of six strikeouts.
Pittston Area loaded the bases in the second when Barr led off with a triple to deep center and Ranieli and Cerasaro drew two-out walks. A groundout ended the inning and the Patriots didn’t get a runner to second in the next three innings.
“I don’t even think we were aware of (the streak) until people started talking about it,” Hazleton Area coach Russ Canzler said. “It’s baseball and a testament that anything can happen on any given day. And that’s a very good program, it really is.”
Pittston Area 1, Hazleton Area 0
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
Russo ss`3`0`1`0
Rossi cf`2`0`1`0
Antolick p-dh`2`0`0`0
Marino lf`3`0`0`0
Martoccio 3b`3`0`0`0
Dela Cruz c`3`0`0`0
Ledger 1b`3`0`0`0
Halcisak rf`1`0`0`0
Guzman ph`1`0`0`0
Aponick 2b`2`0`0`0
Totals`23`0`2`0
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Cawley ss`3`0`0`0
DeLucca cf`4`0`2`1
Davis rf`3`0`1`0
Barr p-3b`3`0`1`0
Menendez 1b`3`o`o`o
Aftewicz c`3`0`0`0
Ranieli dh`1`1`0`0
Cerasaro lf`1`0`0`0
Cencetti 3b-p`3`0`0`0
Mead cr`0`0`0`0
Totals`24`1`4`1
Hazleton Area`000`000`0 — 0
Pittston Area`000`000`1 — 1
2B — Rossi. 3B — Barr.
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Antolick`4.0`2`0`0`1`7
Doganiero (L)`2.2`2`1`0`1`4
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Barr`6.1`2`0`0`0`6
Cencetti (W)`0.2`0`0`0`0`0
