Pitcher Sam Barrouk, right, and the Mountaineers are back in the PIAA playoffs. Barrouk started the state championship game last year for Dallas and got the nod in last week’s District 2 Class 4A final.
Fred Adams | For Times Leader
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Gianna Adams helped lead Pittston Area to the state title in 2022 and the Patriots’ quest for another PIAA crown continues on Monday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
The last time the Wyoming Valley Conference didn’t have either a softball or baseball team play for a PIAA state championship was 2014.
Now four teams — one softball and three baseball — will try to keep that eight-season streak alive as the state playoff begin. (Side note: the 2020 season was cancelled because of COVID-19).
The stakes are higher than in the District 2 playoffs and so are ticket prices. Tickets are now $8 — plus that darn processing fee — and are available only at piaa.org by clicking on the link in either the softball or baseball brackets.
Here’s a look at the four games Monday involving WVC teams.
Little Flower (6-8) at Pittston Area (18-1)
PIAA 5A Softball First Round
4:30 p.m. Monday
Here’s what’s known about Little Flower. The school’s full name is Little Flower Catholic School For Girls. It’s located in Philadelphia. It’s the second seed out of District 12. The Sentinels play in the Philadelphia Catholic League.
Unfortunately, a high school softball team in a basketball hotbed like Philadelphia doesn’t get much — if any — publicity. Last year, D12 second seed Franklin Towne Charter didn’t bother to show up to play District 2 champion Abington Heights. So as long as Little Flower is in Hughestown on Monday, you have to give the girls credit.
Of course, they’ll be facing Pittston Area pitcher Gianna Adams, who has 763 career strikeouts and was the winning pitcher in the PIAA 5A championship game in 2022. Adams, Tori Stephenson, Lili Hintze and Gabby Gorzkowski all hit over .400. The game has the making of a mismatch and probably will be.
The winner plays Thursday against the winner of the game between D1 champion Marple-Newtown (19-4) and D3 third seed Mechanicsburg (20-6).
Central Bucks East (18-7) at Hazleton Area (18-4)
PIAA 6A Baseball First Round
4 p.m. Monday
Central Bucks East was seeded seventh in the 24-team District 1 playoffs. The Patriots navigated their way to the semifinals where they lost, but bounced back to defeat Plymouth-Whitemarsh 4-2.
CBE is loaded with Division I talent, including seniors Chase Harlan (Clemson), Jack Mislan (Lafayette) and Reese Moody (James Madison). Two juniors — Noah Behm and Colin Lynch — have verbally committed to Pitt.
Damian Frayne, a 6-foot-5 righty, is CBE’s top pitcher with an 8-0 record and a 1.88 ERA.
After making it to the state semifinals in 2022, Hazleton Area was bounced in the first round a year ago. The Cougars enter off their sixth consecutive D2/4-6A subregional title.
Hazleton Area defeated Williamsport 6-2 as No. 6 hitter Dom Marino drove in two runs and No. 7 hitter Richie Rossi and No. 9 hitter Ryan Racho had one each. The lower half of the batting order is performing much better this year than last. Lefty Antonio Doganiero, a Pitt recruit, will be working on just three days rest if he gets the start.
The winner plays Thursday against the winner of the game between D11 champion Bethlehem Liberty (20-5) and D1 fifth seed Neshaminy (18-3).
ELCO (14-10) at Dallas (19-4)
PIAA 4A Baseball First Round
4 p.m. Monday
District 3 second seed ELCO’s last trip to the state playoffs ended in a 6-4 quarterfinal loss to Wyoming Area, which eventually played for the state title.
The Raiders were seeded eighth in the District 3 playoffs and knocked off top-seeded Bermudian Springs 12-1 in the quarterfinals. They followed with a 7-4 win over No. 4 James Buchanan before losing 9-7 to No. 2 East Pennsboro in the championship game.
Gavin Bicher has a .371 average and is among six players hitting over .300. Morgan Shanaman has thrown the most innings and has a 2.65 ERA.
Dallas, which played for the state championship last year, has walked a tightrope making this far. The Mountaineers needed a walk-off hit from JJ Rischawy to defeat Wyoming Area 6-5 in the semifinals and a walk-0ff hit from Jack Leandri to edge Scranton Prep 1-0 in the title contest.
The winner plays Thursday against the winner of the game between D1 champion Holy Ghost Prep (12-8) and D12 champion Constitution (5-9).
Millville (14-6) at MMI Prep (12-8)
PIAA A Baseball First Round
4 p.m. Monday
Millville is making only its second appearance in the state playoffs. The District 4 champion lost in the first round in 2016.
Millville edged Northeast Bradford 4-3 for the championship. The Quakers used three walks and two hit batters to scored three runs with two outs in the second inning. Starter Chris Whitmoyer pitched 6.2 innings and surrendered three hits. He retired 18 in a row, but then ran into some control issues with four consecutive walks in the seventh inning. The Quakers, though, hung on.
MMI Prep had a 12-day layoff between games before defeating Susquehanna 2-0 for the District 2 crown. Perhaps that was a reason for some offensive woes. Pitcher Andrew Burns, though, was excellent as he threw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Burns has been outstanding on the mound throughout the season.
The winner plays Thursday against the winner of the game between D11 champion Pottsville Nativity (11-11) and D1 champion Faith Christian (19-0).