Pittson Area’s Jeremy Cawley slides into second safely as Hazleton Area’s Grant Russo waits for the ball in the third inning Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
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Hazleton Area’s Richie Rossi takes a lead from third base as Pittston Area’s Elijah Barr delivers a pitch in the third inning Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Hazleton Area shortstop Grant Russo fields a grounder during the second inning before throwing out Pittston Area’s Dom Innamorati at first base Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area shortstop Jeremy Cawley makes a throw to first base in the first inning Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
Pittston Area second baseman Anthony Cencetti fields a ball in the third inning before making the throw to first Wednesday.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
HAZLE TWP. — Hazleton Area is a different team this season but getting the same results.
The Cougars rode strong pitching while being able to manufacture runs for a 6-2 victory over Pittston Area on Wednesday in an early season showdown of the top teams in Division 1 of Wyoming Valley Conference baseball.
Hazleton Area (4-0 Div. 1, 4-1 overall) took over sole possession of first place with its 36th consecutive WVC regular season victory. The streak dates back to 2019. (There was no season in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic).
Pittston Area (3-1 Div. 1, 6-1) suffered its first loss of the season.
“I was a little shocked,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “I talked to my guys and it was the first time all year I believe they thought they couldn’t win. They were playing not to lose. They weren’t crisp, they weren’t sharp.”
Hazleton Area used a tag-team of Division I recruits on the mound.
Texas A&M commit Brett Antolick struck out eight and allowed four hits in four innings, with about a half-dozen scouts pointing radar guns at nearly every pitch.
“I just play my game,” Antolick said. “(The scouts) are back there, and I just kind of do my thing and let them do their thing.”
A sneak peek at one radar gun had an Antolick fastball clocked at 91 mph.
Pitt commit Antonio Doganiero threw the final three innings to earn the save. He fanned eight more and surrendered two hits.
Unlike last year, the Cougars offense isn’t bashing opponents into submission. A majority of their games in 2022 failed to go seven innings because of the 10-run or 15-run rule.
“Especially with the arms we have and the defense we have, we are able to do whatever we can do as an offense,” Hazleton Area coach Russ Canzler said. “That’s something we preached to these guys a lot. Taking quality at-bats through seven innings.
“That’s not something they are accustomed to the years past. The game would be over in the fifth inning and I feel we’re going to be in a lot of seven-inning games. We just don’t have that same firepower where you’re going to hit two-, three-run homers at some point in the game.”
Hazleton Area took a 2-0 lead in the first inning with just one hit, an RBI single by Richie Rossi that was just out of the reach of Pittston Area right fielder Troy Davis. Rossi stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on an error.
Rossi also reached on a two-base error in the third and scored on a single to center by freshman Dom Marino to make it 3-0.
Pittston Area cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth as Anthony Cencetti bounced a single off Hazleton Area’s new turf field and up the middle to score courtesy runner Anthony Ranieli and Drew Menendez.
Hazleton Area, though, went right back to run manufacturing in the bottom of the inning.
Kevin Guzman — a courtesy runner for catcher Alviere Dela Cruz, who was hit by a pitch — went first-to-third on a hit-and-run single by Jamie Martoccio into the vacated second baseman spot. He scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Jonas Aponick.
Hazleton Area 6, Pittston Area 2
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Cawley ss`3`0`2`0
DeLucca cf-p`4`0`0`0
Davis rf`3`0`1`0
Barr p-3b`4`0`1`0
Menendez 1b`3`1`0`0
Aftewicz c`4`0`0`0
Innamorati lf`3`0`0`0
Cerasaro 3b-cf`2`0`0`0
Cencetti 2b`3`0`2`2
Ranieli cr`0`1`0`0
Totals`29`2`6`2
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
Russo ss`2`1`0`0
Rossi cf`4`2`1`1
Antolick p-dh`3`1`0`0
Marino lf`4`1`2`1
Ledger 1b`4`0`0`0
Halcisak rf`3`0`1`0
Dela Cruz c`1`0`1`0
Martoccio 3b`2`0`1`0
Aponick 2b`2`0`0`1
Guzman cr`0`1`0`0
Totals`25`6`6`3
Pittston Area`000`200`0 — 2
Hazleton Area`201`111`x — 6
3B — Davis.
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Barr (L)`4.2`6`5`3`2`6
DeLucca`1.1`0`1`0`2`1
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Antolick (W)`4`4`2`2`2`7
Doganiero (S)`3`2`0`0`0`8