Greater Pittston Township’s appearance in the Pennsylvania Minor Little League Baseball Tournament for 8-10-year-olds came to an early end after losses in the first two games of the state event at Valley East Little League in Drums.
The District 16 and Section 5 champions lost to Bellefonte 8-0 Monday and Lionville 12-6 Tuesday.
Lionville 12, Greater Pittston Township 6
Lionville took the lead with six runs in the bottom of the first and held off Greater Pittston Township in Tuesday’s elimination bracket game.
GPT began fighting back in the second inning when Anthony Cortese scored on a Crue Ziobro groundout.
A four-run fourth brought GPT within 7-5.
Colston Tolerico drove in the first run with a groundout. Kaysen Simmons doubled in the next two runs and scored on a double by Joey Basile.
Lionville regained command with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
Eric Garubba drove in the last GPT run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.
Carmine Martinelli added a single.
Anthony Cerasaro walked twice and scored a run, while Connor Yonki and Santino Rynkiewicz each walked and scored.
Bellefonte 8, Greater Pittston Township 0
Bellefonte scored three runs in the top of the first inning, then expanded its lead by scoring in each inning from the third through the sixth in Monday’s first-round game.
Joey Basile had the only Greater Pittston Township hit with a single to right field with one out in the second inning.
Connor Yonki was hit by a pitch and stole a base.
Anthony Cerasaro reached twice with a walk and a hit by pitch.
