MOOSIC — That four-run cushion Pittston Area provided pitcher Cole Cherkas going to the seventh inning was sure nice Sunday.
And every bit needed.
Cherkas worked out off a shaky seventh, where he surrendered a three-run homer with two outs, to finish with a complete game as Pittston Area defeated North Pocono 5-4 for the District 2 Class 5A baseball title at PNC Field.
Cherkas got two defensive gems in the seventh. The first was by shortstop Josh Baiera, who made a jump throw to first from the back of the infield dirt for the second out. The second was by first baseman Hunter Ralston, who made an over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory to give the Patriots (17-5) their first district title since 2007.
In between was troublesome.
North Pocono’s Jake Millan reached on a one-out error, and Peter Gutkowski walked with two outs. Pinch hitter Stephen McNulty then crushed a pitch over the left-field fence to cut the deficit to 5-4.
“It was obviously rough trying to get that last out,” Cherkas said. “It’s always about composure and right there I lost my composure a little bit. But I was able to regain it. That kid’s had a heck of a shot.”
Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto stuck with Cherkas for the final out.
“(It was) not even a question in my mind,” Zaffuto said. “If he had pitches (left), that’s it we were just going to let him keep going. His goal all year was to pitch to contact and let the defense make the plays. If they were going to get three, four hits to beat us then you tip your cap to them.”
Pittston Area led 2-1 going into the bottom of the sixth and used consecutive doubles by Cherkas, Riley Brody and Ralston to produce two runs. Andrew Krawczyk singled in a third run, making it 5-1 going into the seventh.
“Any level of baseball, you get the first guy out and you have to work from there,” said North Pocono coach Brian Jardine, whose team finished 13-8. “It takes away your running game, it takes away any small ball.”
The 5-1 lead seemed safe the way Cherkas was pitching. He retired the lead-off batter in all but the third inning and set down nine in a row after Zach Walsh’s RBI triple in the same inning.
Pittston Area scored its first run in the first inning. Krawczyk walked, stole second and moved to third on Joe Stella’s foul flyout to right. Joe Cencetti then launched a double to deep center for a 1-0 lead.
Pittston Area opens state play on Monday, June 3, against the District 1 third seed. The Patriots were eliminated in the first round of the PIAA Class 3A state playoffs in 2007.
“I can’t even express in words,” Zaffuto said. “All we wanted to do is get here when we started the season.”
District 2 Class 5A Championship
Pittston Area 5, North Pocono 4
North Pocono`AB`R`H`BI
Walsh rf`4`0`1`1
Ruddy cf`3`0`1`0
Deom p-ss`3`0`0`0
Mastillo c`3`0`0`0
Lamparter lf`3`0`1`0
Millan 1b`3`2`0`0
Maglia 3b`3`0`0`0
Gutkowski dh`2`2`1`0
Holtsmaster 2b`0`0`0`0
Gassert p`0`0`0`0
Pagotto ss-2b`1`0`0`0
McNulty ph`1`1`1`3
Totals`26`5`5`4
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Krawczyk cf`3`2`2`1
Stella c`3`0`0`1
Cencetti 3b`2`0`2`1
DeLucca lf`2`0`0`0
Cherkas p`3`0`1`0
Constantino cr`0`1`0`0
Brody dh`3`1`2`1
Baiera ss`0`0`0`0
Ralston 1b`3`0`1`1
Johnson pr`0`1`0`0
Cunius 2b`3`0`0`0
Dillon rf`2`0`0`0
Totals`24`5`8`5
North Pocono`001`000`3 – 4
Pittston Area`101`003`x – 5
2B: Cencetti, Cherkas, Brody, Ralston. 3B: Walsh, Krawczyk. HR: McNulty.
North Pocono`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Deom (L)`5.2`8`5`5`3`5
Gassert`0.1`0`0`0`0`0
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Cherkas (W)7.0`5`4`1`1`2
