SCOTT TWP. — Greater Pittston Township had its back against the wall on Sunday, needing a win or else the season would be over.
The District 16 champs came out swinging and landed major blows right from the jump, extending their season in the process.
GPT scored eight runs in the first two innings and coasted the rest of the way to an 8-2 win over Lakeland in the elimination bracket of the Section 5 Little League Major Baseball Tournament.
With the win, GPT will play Kingston/Forty Fort in the elimination bracket final at 6 p.m. on Monday at Lakeland Little League. Lakeland was eliminated from the tournament by virtue of the loss.
“The kids came back great, we told them after yesterday to flush that game out,” GPT manager Sean Slusser said. “They came out ready to play, we scored four runs in the first inning and we hit the ball today.”
A day after going hitless against Abington, the GPT lineup shook off the rust and jumped out to a big lead early.
The District 16 champions led 4-0 after the first inning, sending 10 hitters to the plate before Lakeland could retire the side.
Jadan Vazquez had a two-run double to start the scoring, bringing in Mason Slusser and Armando Oliveri. Jacob Hulse drove in Vazquez with a hard-hit grounder to third, and Cody Karboski drew a walk and came around to score the fourth run.
Not satisfied, GPT came out in the second inning and added four more. Andy Sperazza drew a leadoff walk and scored on a double from Jordan Tonte. Tonte, Slusser and Oliveri would all score on a combination of wild pitches and a throwing error to make it 8-0 after two innings.
GPT was held in check at the plate the rest of the way, but the damage had been done. Lakeland’s offense had to contend with the pitching combination of Hulse and Vazquez, with limited success.
Hulse earned the win with 3.2 innings, allowing two runs on just two hits while striking out nine hitters. Vazquez went the rest of the way, 2.1 scoreless innings with just one hit allowed.
William Carr doubled in a run for Lakeland, and Landon Short drove in the other run with a bases-loaded walk.
Section 5 Major Baseball Tournament
Greater Pittston Township 8, Lakeland 2
Lakeland`AB`R`H`BI
Horan cf`2`1`1`0
Hollow 2b-p`2`0`0`0
Naniewicz ss`2`1`0`0
Carr c`2`0`1`1
Farrence 1b`2`0`0`0
Carito p`1`0`0`0
Short lf-p`0`0`0`1
Stephens 3b-p`1`0`0`0
Krushinski eh`1`0`0`0
Cieszowski rf`2`0`0`0
Novak eh`2`0`0`0
Dilts eh`2`0`1`0
Totals`19`2`3`2
GPT`AB`R`H`BI
Tonte ss`2`1`1`1
Slusser 1b`3`2`2`0
Oliveri 3b`2`2`1`0
Vazquez 2b-p`2`1`1`2
Hulse p`2`0`0`1
Karboski lf`1`1`1`0
Rossi c`2`0`0`0
Nielsen rf`1`0`0`0
Klansek cf`1`0`0`0
Homschek eh`2`0`0`0
Sperazza eh`0`1`0`0
Rowlands eh`2`0`0`0
Sanguedolce eh`2`0`0`0
Totals`22`8`6`4
Lakeland`000`200 — 0
GP Township`440`00x — 8
2B — Tonte, Oliveri, Vazquez, Karboski,
Lakeland`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Carito (L)`0.1`2`4`4`2`0
Short`1.2`2`4`2`4`1
Stephens`2.0`1`0`0`0`3
Hollow`1.0`1`0`0`0`1
GP Township`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Hulse (W)`3.2`2`2`2`6`9
Vazquez`2.1`1`0`0`1`2
