MOOSIC – Josh Domaracki’s pitching made a big impact on all three rounds of the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional baseball tournament.

Pittston Area managed just two hits – one after the Selinsgrove lefty reached his pitch limit and left the game – in Thursday’s 5-0 championship game loss to the Seals at PNC Field.

Domaracki finished the tournament with 15 2/3 scoreless innings on the mound. For 5 1/3 innings Thursday, he held the Patriots hitless.

Excellent command of his two-seam fastball allowed Domaracki to strike out 10 and walk just two while allowing only one hit in 6 2/3 innings.

Related Video

“I was able to start it over the plate, then it tailed off, kind of off the plate,” said Domaracki, who also had good command of his curveball. “I think that worked very well.”

Domaracki kept the Patriots off-balance. Pittston Area had base runners in six of seven innings, but never put a second runner on base until they were down to their final out and trailing by five runs.

“All year long, we were taking away the outside corner,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “We really didn’t play our game, our style of not striking out and putting the ball in play. In the first inning, we did, we hit a groundball to the second baseman, exactly what we wanted to do. We moved the runner over, then we just didn’t execute.

“From that point on, our offensive approach, we just weren’t ourselves today. He kept us off balance. When you only have two hits, it’s difficult to beat a team like that.”

The Seals picked away at the Patriots, scoring in four different innings as they made the most of five hits while Pittston Area pitchers Elijah Barr and Silvio Giardina struggled with their control.

Selinsgrove scratched out a run in the first inning by stealing four bases.

The Seals started the bottom of the third with three straight singles for a 3-0 lead, then did not manage another hit. Runs were added in the fifth and sixth innings on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.

Giardina managed the only hit off Domaracki with a single to center field with one out in the sixth.

Chase Montigney fouled off four two-strike pitches in a 10-hit at-bat to get Domaracki to the pitch limit of 105 as he was striking out for the second out of the seventh.

“I was hoping I could go the whole thing, but we got the win, so that’s all that matters,” Domaracki said.

Richie Tonte singled and Elijah Mead walked against reliever Ben Gearhart before he could record the last out.

Leadoff hitter Caleb Hicks went 1-for-1 with a walk, sacrifice, stolen base and two runs scored for Selinsgrove, which advances into the state tournament.