Pittston Area pitcher Gianna Adams helps her cause at the plate getting a hit for the Patriorts in their 14-5 victory against Shikellamy at Hughestown.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Patriot catcher Ava Callahan successfully blocks the plate stopping Reagan Wiest and Shikellamy from scoring.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PIttston Area centerfielder Kallie Booth is safe at first base as she is just about to collide with Shikellamy first baseman Aveya Stauffer.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Marina Antal (11) is about to be mobbed by her Pittston Area teammates after clubbing a 225-foot home run driving in three runs against Shikellamy.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Pittston Area’s Maura Mihalka (6) forces out Shikellamy runner Reagan Wiest at third base from the toss by Patriot shortstop Sam Herbert.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
HUGHESTOWN – Getting the first runs against defending state champion Pittston Area was no problem for fifth-seeded Shikellamy Thursday as it pursued its second straight road victory in the District 2 Class 5A Subregional softball playoffs.
Securing third outs was.
The Lady Patriots scored a dozen fourth-and fifth-inning runs with two outs to rally past the visiting Braves for a 14-5 victory.
Top-seeded Pittston Area (16-3) advances to face second-seeded Abington Heights (16-6) at Wilkes University Tuesday at 6:30. The game is the second of a doubleheader, following the 4:30 District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional final between Hazleton Area (13-7) and Williamsport (13-8).
Shikellamy put a scare into Pittston Area before the Lady Patriots could secure their spot in the finale of the subregional championship doubleheader.
The Braves scored in four of the first five innings and built leads of 3-0 after 1½ and 4-1 after 3½.
“We had two days to prep and we had a game plan,” Shikellamy coach Matt Slivinski said. “The first three innings, we executed it and put them on the ropes.
“I think we did something that it looks like a lot of teams have not done this season and put them in a hole.”
While Shikellamy handled the speed of reigning state Class 5A Pitcher of the Year Gianna Adams, Pittston Area seemed to struggle early with the lack thereof from the Braves pitchers.
The Lady Patriots did not, however, panic in their playoff opener after receiving a quarterfinal bye as the top seed.
“I’m proud of the girls and the way they battled,” Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said. “They were down a little when it was 4-1, but they didn’t give up their spirit.
“We have six seniors who don’t want it to end. None of the six are playing in college.”
Several players got involved in the offensive outburst.
Marina Antal, Adams and Giardina each went 2-fo4-4 while combining for five extra-base hits and 14 total bases.
Antal doubled, homered, scored twice and drove in two runs.
“Marina Antal, what a game she had,” Parente said. “She needed it. She works so hard and she’s been killing the ball in practice.”
Adams had a triple and three RBI. Giardina doubled twice, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Julia Mehal doubled, scored three times and drove in a run.
Cassie Hintz, one of the seniors, celebrated her 18th birthday with a pinch-hit single to drive in two runs, starting the rally and cutting the deficit to 4-3.
Giardina’s second double in as many innings put the Lady Patriots ahead.
Shikellamy answered with a run to cut the deficit to 7-5 in the middle of the fifth.
Antal’s two-run shot over the fence in left field helped Pittston Area break away in the bottom of the inning, bringing her practice success into a key game situation.
“I’ve been in a little slump,” Antal said. “I knew we needed the runs.”
Adams finished strong, getting her last four outs on strikeouts. She ended each of the last three innings with strikeouts, stranding six runners on base while only allowing one run after Pittston Area took the lead.
“When you’ve got a lead and you have Gianna, you can see in all the girls, they have so much Faith in Gianna,” Parente said. “When we have the lead, she’s going to close it.”
UP NEXT
Pittston Area goes for a title repeat against Abington Heights, which is coming off a four-home run performance, two of them by Lauren Stalica, in a 7-1 romp over West Scranton in the semifinals.
The Comets ripped Scranton, 15-0, in the quarterfinal.
The championship game is a rematch of a tense subregional semifinal battle from last year, which Pittston Area won, 5-3, as part of its unbeaten season.
Stalica, the team’s pitcher, is also its leader in most hitting categories.
