Kington/Forty Fort’s Nick Lipinski (23) claps as he smacked an double, knocking in two runs against Greater Pittston Township.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Kingston/Forty Fort’s TJ Needle (12) is tagged out by GPT catcher Caden Rossi at home while trying to score in the second inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
GPT shortstop Jacob Hulse is late on putting the tag on Kingston/Forty Fort’s Kye Kushnir (7) at second base.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Kingston/Forty Fort’s Russell Singer reaches out, making contact for a single against GPT in the fourth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
GPT’s Armando Oliveri connects for a single against Kingston/Forty Fort in the first inning.
Dayne Wadas of Kingston/Forty Fort calls himself safe after beating the throw at the plate against GPT.
JENKINS TWP. — A day after showing up and being unable to play, Kingston/Forty Fort made sure the wait was worth it Tuesday evening.
KFF jumped out quickly and never looked back, defeating Greater Pittston Township 12-0 in four innings in a Section 5 Little League Major Baseball elimination game at the Jenkins Township Little League field.
The game was moved from Lakeland to Jenkins Township on Monday, but field conditions from all-day rain made for unsafe conditions in left field. So the teams packed their gear and came back Tuesday.
KFF now had the difficult task of defeating Abington twice on Wednesday to advance to the state tournament. Abington has outscored its two opponents 21-2, including a 9-2 win over KFF in the winners bracket finals. The first game is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. at Lakeland, although the site could move to Abington depending on field conditions.
A second game, if needed, will begin 30 minutes after the first game.
KFF scored three runs in the first, taking advantage of two GPT errors, and three more in the second, using four more GPT miscues. It ended the game after four innings with six runs in the fourth.
“To come out of the shoot like that was big, to put up some runs early,” KFF manager Tim Needle said. “We’ve talked about that. Having shown up here yesterday and trying to keep the energy up two days in a row. I was proud of the boys how they came out.”
Kye Kushnir and Nick Lipinski led off the first by reaching on errors. An out later, Dayne Wadas reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Richie McCabe walked, Yonah Ringer grounded out and Seth Ahart reached on a fielder’s choice to bring home the runs.
Errors played a factor on KFF’s first two batters in the second. Russell Singer reached on an error and made it to third on an error on Brentley Nicholls’ infield single. Michael Varzaly’s bunt scored Singer and Nicholls later scored on a wild pitch. Kushnir made it 6-0 by walking and eventually scoring on a passed ball.
KFF took command with two-run doubles from Wadas and McCabe in a six-run fourth inning.
Lipinski threw a complete game. After giving up consecutive singles to GPT’s Mason Slusser and Armando Oliveri in the first, he retired the next 11 batters. He finished by striking out the side in the fourth.
“Nick Lipinski threw a great game today. There’s really nothing else to say,” Needle said. “He really pumped the strike zone. A couple early singles then he really got after the strike zone and threw a good mix. He did a fantastic job.”
Kingston/Forty Fort 12, Greater Pittston Twp. 0
(4 inn.)
KFF`AB`R`H`BI
Kushnir ss`1`3`0`0
Lipinski p`3`2`1`1
Needle 2b`3`0`1`0
Wadas 1b`3`2`2`2
McCabe c`2`0`1`3
Ringer lf`3`0`0`1
Ahart cf`1`0`0`1
Figueroa eh`1`0`0`0
Dailey 3b`2`0`0`0
Singer rf`2`2`1`0
Nicholls eh`2`2`1`0
Varzaly eh`0`1`0`1
Totals`23`12`7`9
GPT`AB`R`H`BI
Tonte ss`2`0`0`0
Slusser p`1`0`1`0
Oliveri 1b`1`0`1`0
Vazquez 2b`1`0`0`0
Hulse 3b`1`0`0`0
Karboski lf`1`0`0`0
Rossi c`1`0`0`0
Nielsen rf`1`0`0`0
Klansek cf`1`0`0`0
Homschek eh`1`0`0`0
Sperazza eh`1`0`0`0
Rowlands eh`1`0`0`0
Sanguedolce eh`1`0`0`0
Totals`14`0`2`0
Kingston/Forty Fort`330`6 — 12
Greater Pittston Twp.`000`0 — 0
2B — Needle, Wadas, McCabe.
KFF`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Lipinski (W)`4`2`0`0`0`8
GPT`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Slusser (L)`0.2`1`3`0`1`0
Tonte`2.2`3`6`1`3`2
Oliveri`0.2`3`3`0`0`0
