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LEHMAN TWP. – There was no change to Dallas’ approach, not even after a coveted district championship.
While fans’ eyeballs scrolled online for the results at the other end of the bracket, Dallas’ players eyes lit up seemingly each time they connected with a pitch. Almost every ball in play — even the outs — were squared up and hit with high exit velocity.
Dallas eliminated Esperanza Academy from the PIAA Class 4A first round with a 12-1 victory in five innings on Monday. The Mountaineers advance to take on District 3’s Hanover on Thursday in the quarterfinal.
“The kids have a 1-0 mentality,” Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. “We don’t look ahead. We just worry about one game at a time. They’ve been like that all year. The state tournament is brand new to them. Coming off the district championship, we gave them a day off or two to enjoy that.
The Mountaineers’ starting pitcher Gary Weaver was impenetrable during the first time through the lineup. Weaver retired the first nine hitters in order. Marcos Vilcher’s leadoff single to open the fourth inning, just escaping a diving attempt by second baseman Jude Nocito, broke up the potential perfect game.
Weaver allowed two hits and an earned run through four innings. He struck out five.
“If he gets on top of the ball and gets a lot of first-pitch strikes, he is tough to hit,” Viglone said.
Dallas put across three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Gavin Adamski and Zach Paczewski led off with back-to-back singles, and Joe Peters drew a walk to load the bases. Adamski scored on a wild pitch. Dylan Geskey found a hole through the right side that cleared the bases for two RBIs.
Adamski increased the lead in the bottom of the second with a run-scoring triple.
The Mountaineers produced a pair of doubles in a three-run third inning that upped the lead to 8-0. Geskey hit a lead-off, ground-rule double on a long ball that cartoonishly pinged off the Lake-Lehman synthetic turf. Nocito hit a single through the left side to score a run. Dominic Zangardi drove a double down the left line that brought home two runs.
“Our guys came to play,” Viglone said. “We squared a lot of balls and they made the plays defensively. Give them a lot of credit as well.”
The Toros found their offense in the fourth. Following Vilcher’s perfect game-breaking single, Keurys Montero smacked a ball along the right line to put runners on the corners. Dallas catcher Adamski made a terrific play in foul territory to rob Penn State Abington-bound Chris Gil. Juan Romero hit an RBI groundout to second base.
Hanover defeated Mifflinburg 6-2 to advance to Thursday’s quarterfinal against Dallas.
“We have everything lined up the way we want it.” Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. “Hanover is going to be really tough competition.”
Dallas 12, Esperanza 1 (5 inn.)
Esperanza`AB`R`H`BI
Marcos Vilcher c`2`1`1`0
Keurys Montero cf`2`0`1`0
Chris Gil 1b`2`0`0`0
Juan Romero 2b`2`0`0`1
Derek Santana lf`2`0`0`0
Isa Juarez 3b`2`0`0`0
Rich Virioso c`2`0`1`0
Ronaldo Des Los Santos p`2`0`0`0
Wilyin Monegro rf`1`0`0`0
Totals`17`1`3`1
Dallas`AB`R`H`BI
Gavin Adamski c`4`2`2`1
Zach Paczewski ss`3`1 1`0
Joe Peters rf`2`2`1`0
Dylan Geskey 3b`2`2`2`2
Jude Nocito 2b`2`2`1`1
JJ Rischawy lf`3`0`0`0
Shane Healy 1b`3`1`1`0
Gary Weaver p`0`2`0`0
Dusty Shaver p`0`0`0`0
Dominic Zangardi dh`2`0`1`2
Mike Timinski cf`0`0`0`0
Kayden Coyne dh`1`0`1`1
Totals`22`12`10`7
Esperanza`000`10`—`1
Dallas`323`4X`—`12
2B — Geskey, Zangardi, Virioso; 3B — Adamski
Esperanza`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Des Los Santos (L)`1.1`4`5`5`2`0
Keurys`2`4`5`5`3`1
Santana`.2`2`2`2`1`0
Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Weaver (W)`4`2`1`1`0`5
Shaver`1`1`0`0`1`0